MICHAEL Doyle insists he’s looking forward to showing Morton fans his attacking qualities as he prepares to embrace life as a galloping wing-back.

The defender made a big impact for the Ton in Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw with Dunfermline at East End Park, providing the assist for Gary Oliver’s equalising goal.

The 26-year-old admits he loved being able to venture into the attacking third of the pitch to help his side create chances. 

With Luca Gasparotto and Ricki Lamie there to cover, both Doyle and Mark Russell on the opposite flank were given the opportunity to stretch their legs.

Doyle is sure manager Jim Duffy will have seen enough to trust his two wide men with the responsibility — and hopes he will use the same shape in the coming weeks.

He told the Tele: “We had a bit of a formation change against Dunfermline and I really enjoyed it. It gave me a wee bit more license to go forward as a wing-back because it gives you a bit of cover.

“You’re not overly worried about what’s going on behind you as you’d maybe normally be because you’ve got Luca on one side behind me and Ricki Lamie behind Mark Russell on the other.

“I’ll be able to save a lot of my energy for running forward, which I enjoy, and the supporters will be able to see a bit more of the attacking qualities I have.

“I’ve maybe been held back in that regard a wee bit this year because you have players in front usually who will do the attacking while I do the defending side of it. This time it was good to get that wee bit of license to run forward and I’m hopeful that the manager will use that shape again.”

Manager Duffy has expressed his desire to add more options to his team on the wings and has used youngster Scott Tiffoney in recent weeks to try and change things.

But he was pleased following Tuesday’s result with the performance of his players and Doyle put that down to the hard work the squad have put in at training to try and adapt to the new style as quickly as possible.

With Luca Gasparotto unable to play in today’s trip to parent club Falkirk, Ton may be forced to alter formation again back to a more recognisable 4-4-2. But Doyle reckons either shape suits his team now.

He said: “We’ve worked on it all week and we had chances in both halves thanks to the shape against Dunfermline.

The manager has noticed obviously over the season that we need a bit more width in our game. We’re not really a team who can just decide to change formation, we have to really work at it with the players we have.

“We proved against Dunfermline that we can adapt to a formation that is new and I’m sure the manager will use it again.

"Obviously maybe not this afternoon because Luca is out but it is there to be tried again. In the second half on Tuesday we reverted back to our usual 4-4-2 and seemed more comfortable because we know that better.

“And that might be what we do again this weekend with Luca missing.”