MORTON youngster Lewis McGrattan has told boss Gus MacPherson he's ready to face the acid test of his career as he aims to play a part against Kilmarnock tomorrow night.

The 20-year-old playmaker has had a chance to prove himself in the Ton manager's pre-season preparations.

Now the Ton academy graduate wants to show that he can be trusted when it matters most as hopes to get the chance to face Tommy Wright's side at Rugby Park.

He told the Tele: “Hopefully we just play well in the remaining games and see where it takes us.

“It’s a good group for us because we’ve got teams who we know we’ll compete against.

"Obviously Kilmarnock are the clear indicators of what we'll be up against in the Championship this season.

“I’d just be happy to play in any of the games in the group, but it would be great to come up against Kilmarnock as they look like they’ll be a strong team this year and it would be a brilliant test for me.

“I’ve got to prove to the manager that I’m worthy of playing and I need to do that by working hard in training and impressing him whenever I can get my opportunity.

“I’m ready for any opportunity that could come my way and that might be in the Premier Sports Cup.

"I don’t know yet but it’s up to me to keep on trying to impress the manager in that sense.

“After getting the run that I’ve had in pre-season I do feel fit and ready to go.

“It’s just good to be playing. There’s nothing worse than training all week and not having a game at the end of it, so if there’s an opportunity there for me this season then I really need to go and grab it with both hands."

McGrattan believes that it was tough for youth players last season after a barren year due to the pandemic.

The playmaker feels lucky to have seen some match action during his loan spell at Lowland League side Gretna 2008, headed by former Ton stalwart Rowan Alexander.

He said: “It wasn’t ideal with what happened when the reserve league was scrapped and then if we’d been put out on loan, those leagues were being affected too.

“A lot of boys missed out on an important time of their development and a whole year of football to boot.

“Although it was only brief, the loan spell at Gretna was really beneficial for me.

“I knew that the Lowland League was a good level to go and play in because I knew boys that had gone down and played there before.

"If I can take my experiences from there, playing against more experienced players who have had successful senior careers, and bring it into my game this season then I’ll be really happy.

“It was great to get out and test myself and I hope that I can continue to do so.”