AFTER the annual phoney war of summer friendlies and cup ties against lesser opposition the season kicks off in earnest for Morton tomorrow afternoon.

The Greenock men will get their 2014-15 League One campaign under way with a trip down the coast to face Ayr United at Somerset Park.

After a brace of narrow-margin victories in the Petrofac Training Cup and League Cup over Spartans and Berwick Rangers respectively, tomorrow represents a step up and the start of the really serious stuff.

Following a disaster of a season last time out, which brought relegation, the departure of two management teams and, ultimately, the loss of major revenue from a reinvigorated Championship, the club really needs to bounce back at the first time of asking.

Make no mistake, the task in hand is not going to be easy.

While supporters have been pleased to see the back of many of the players who laid the club so low over the last year, one or two who could have done their side a turn have opted to move on, the prospect of third tier football evidently proving unappealing.

New manager Jim Duffy has come in and recruited a clutch of predominantly young players as he rebuilds and replenishes the dressing room, but he is still in the middle of meshing the new group together, and is understandably keen to add experience and attacking players in order to properly balance the squad.

The former Ton defender has paid particular attention to sorting the defence out first, and making sure that his team become difficult to beat.

The early signs in this regard have been encouraging — there is a discernible organised shape and a wholehearted, determined attitude towards the defensive side of the game.

If the back four can continue to keep things tight in this fashion then the team will always give themselves a chance, home or away.

The other side of the equation, of course, is about adding new players at the all-important top end of the pitch, and this has proved to be a much trickier proposition thus far.

Former Clyde boss Duffy took Stefan McCluskey from his old club and had hoped to partner him in attack with ex-Ross County, Dunfermline and Livingston target man Andy Barrowman, but injury has put paid to that combination for the meantime.

It has seemingly proved difficult to find reinforcements, whether they be domestically-based faces or players coming to Scotland to try and earn a contract. The end result of this as-yet unproductive search and the hamstring strain and dislocated shoulder injuries suffered by Barrowman and McCluskey respectively has even led to defender Thomas O’Ware being deployed up front as a physical presence.

He may have acquitted himself reasonably well but the situation is far from ideal.

Both the player and manager will, you imagine, be much more comfortable when he is back on more familiar territory, and the pool is big enough to withstand the type of selection problems which will inevitably crop up due to injury and suspension over a long nine-month campaign.

If the squad looks incomplete at this moment then at least there is still time to address this issue, and Morton also have the relative advantage of remaining full-time and being able to offer contracts accordingly.

It should also be remembered that other clubs appear to be in the same boat as them when it comes to securing strikers.

Indeed their opponents tomorrow have encountered very similar difficulties, finding their search for talent equally problematic and losing out to Ton in the pursuit of the aforementioned Barrowman.

At present, United have to rely on Ryan Donnelly, who burst onto the scene with Airdrie three years ago but spent the end of last season at Albion Rovers.

Boss Mark Roberts remains registered as a player but pulling on the boots again will surely be a last resort for someone who needs to focus on managing the team.

There are one or two other familiar faces in the Honest Men’s ranks, with former Morton men David Hutton, Scott McLaughlin and Kevin McKinlay all on the books, while Andy Millen is part of the coaching set-up.

Experience comes in the shape of centre back Martyn Campbell and the newly-arrived former Livingston, Sheffield Wednesday and MK Dons midfielder Jon Paul McGovern, while Brian Gilmour is a player who is capable of being a threat on his day.

But having looked relatively solid thus far and worked well when they don’t have the ball, Morton will maybe feel that they have a discipline which is capable of combating what Ayr have to offer.

Whether they can put the home side under enough pressure at the other end of the pitch to grab a goal or two remains to be seen.

In the absence of the club’s recognised frontmen last Saturday, it was left to midfielder Joe McKee to come up with the strikes that defeated Berwick Rangers, the first of which was a real cracker.

The hope will be that this can kickstart McKee’s Cappielow career after a frustrating first season with the club, and that his midfield colleagues will now follow his lead and chip in to provide a goal threat too.

Reece Hands — another player whose time at the club has been blighted by injury — is one of the middle men capable of hitting the target if he can get over his problems and recover the type of form he was showing a year ago.

He looked somewhat rusty against the Wee Gers last weekend but may get more game time under his belt tomorrow to help him find his feet, with Fouad Bachirou still said to be to struggling with injury and doubtful as a result.

Irrespective of their current injury problems and selection issues, Morton will be keen to send out an early message of intent, and getting off to a good start tomorrow would do just that.

TEAM LATEST STRIKERS Andy Barrowman and Stefan McCluskey remain sidelined and miss the League One opener against Ayr United.

McCluskey travelled down to Leicester on Wednesday for the first of his sugar injections as he aims to return to action as soon as possible.

Fouad Bachirou, meanwhile, managed to join in training over the last couple of days but has an ongoing hamstring problem and remains doubtful.

Makeshift striker Thomas O’Ware missed training in the early part of the week due to a tight hamstring but is expected to be available for tomorrow.

Jim Duffy is also hopeful that Michael Miller will have recovered from a calf injury suffered in the challenge that saw Berwick’s Paul Currie sent off last week.

TRAVEL NOTES THE Albert Hotel Morton Supporters’ bus for the Scottish League One game against Ayr United at Somerset Park will leave the hotel at 1pm.

All are welcome, with pick-ups available en-route in Gourock, Inverkip, Wemyss Bay and Largs. To book a seat, call or text Jim on 07983 600945.

THE Lighthouse Morton Travel Club bus to Ayr will be leaving from the Lighthouse at noon as the club as been invited to a pub in Ayr for pre-match drinks. If any visitors are wishing to travel and want to book a seat, phone or text David on 07719 548046. The Lighthouse Travel Club and its members would like to wish Jim, Craig and the team all the best for the season.

THE Greenock Morton Supporters’ Club bus to the Ayr United game tomorrow will leave the club at 1pm with pick-ups en-route.

Anyone wishing a seat on this bus can call the Morton Supporters’ Club on 888273.