MORTON manager Gus MacPherson has set his team the goal of ensuring they are playing cup football in two different competitions after Christmas.

Ton travel to Inverness today to try and seal a place in the Scottish Cup third round, before travelling to the other end of the country and facing off against Queen of the South on Wednesday night in the SPFL Trust Trophy quarter final showdown in Dumfries.

The manager today laid down the gauntlet to his players ahead of the two ties to seize their chance to go through.

He told the Tele: “We have got to be respectful and have a realism in the way that we go about things, but we want to progress.

"We want to be competitive and get through to the next round of this cup - and then seal a place in a semi-final on Wednesday night.

“Today’s match against Inverness will be a really really tough one, as is Queen of the South on Wednesday - again away from home.

“That will be two teams vying hard for a place in the semi-finals of a national tournament.

“We've told the players if you want to achieve these things then you have got to work hard and earn your place in the next round."

MacPherson hinted that he could shake things up and introduce more young players into the side over the two fixtures, with Championship business being put on the back burner until next weekend.

He told the Tele: “These games that are coming up over the next few days are a learning experience for the younger players in the squad.

“They’re learning in them and finding out what life is really like at this level of football.

“It’s a fantastic way for them to develop, by seeing what it’s all about playing at these stages of cup competitions.”

While the youngsters will get their chance, the boss admits his hopes of progression are boosted by the fact that experienced centre back Alan Lithgow will be available for both cup games despite being sent off against Raith last weekend.

He said: “It will be the Ayr United league game next week that Alan will miss.

“It’s good to have him available for these ones and then next Saturday it gives others a chance to come in and impress.

“It’s just one of those things that we need to adapt once it comes around.

“There is always going to come to a time where you’ll be challenged and you’ll have players missing.

"It happened a few weeks ago at Kilmarnock with a few boys missing on international duty, with the way the squad has developed there will be opportunities for everyone.

“But we’ve got Alan for today and for Wednesday and that’s key for us."