Adam, 24, had kept three clean sheets in the four appearances since stepping in between the sticks in recent weeks.

Duffy selected the recently recovered Gaston for Saturday’s goalless draw with Dumbarton, though, and was rewarded with a shut-out for which he praised the shot-stopper.

But he also confessed the call was harsh on Adam, below, who the Ton boss said would have every right to feel aggrieved at his omission.

Duffy told the Tele: “Gats made a couple of fantastic saves at key moments on Saturday — and that was actually my toughest decision, putting Gats or Grant in.

“Grant has been superb and didn’t really deserve to be left out. As a manager you have to make tough calls, and that was a tough call.

“I just felt that Gats has been outstanding in the time I’ve been here, and now that he was back fit I [decided to] give him the nod.

“As I say, it was absolutely no reflection on Grant’s performances. He’ll feel hard done by and quite rightfully so. But from my point of view, I’ve got to put the players on the pitch who I think can give us that wee bit extra. And I feel Gats has that wee bit of extra quality that not too many keepers have got. Thankfully, the one error he did make we got away with because it hit the post.” The Cappielow gaffer also handed midfield playmaker Michael Tidser a surprise first start of his second spell with the club against the Sons.

And he explained: “It was Michael’s first start and it’s not his natural position on the left of a [midfield] four.

“But I felt Ross [Forbes] and Michael Miller have been terrific for us and I wasn’t wanting to break that partnership up.

“Michael [Tidser] came in and you could see at times he’s got that wee bit extra composure on the ball, but you could also see that he needs games.

“That wee bit of acceleration, that wee five-yard burst, isn’t quite there yet, and that can take six or seven games to come for a midfield player. So it was good to get him back and good for him to be back, and it gives us another option in the middle of the pitch.” Morton Under-20s host Queen’s Park at Cappielow tonight in a Development League West fixture. Kick-off is 7.30pm.