MORTON manager Jonatan Johansson hailed Greenock-born academy product Reece Lyon after he netted a stunning volley on his first start to seal a dramatic win against Queen of the South.

Bob McHugh netted the opener for the Ton on 41 minutes in Dumfries, before Stephen Dobbie fired in a superb equaliser on 65 minutes from outside the box.

But 18-year-old Lyon went one better and smashed home a stunning volley from outside the box into the far corner with just six minutes left to seal the victory at Palmerston.

It capped off a great performance from the teenager, with the travelling away fans chanting ‘Reece Lyon, he’s one of our own’ at full-time.

Johansson says there’s more to come from Lyon after he made a big impact in his third appearance for the first team this season.

He told the Tele: “Being a local boy it’s fantastic for everyone at the club and it’s great for the fans.

“He’s someone who has impressed me since he came in for the reserves, and I believe if you do well for the reserves that you can come and train with us and if you train well with us then you deserve your chance.

“He came on against Ayr United. It was a difficult game to come into and I felt it was the right time to give him a start last night because the way he plays suited the system and his opponent.

“It’s a fantastic goal and he has great qualities. 

“He still needs to learn, he’s a young boy and he needs to keep working hard at training to get better in every way.

“But he has those qualities that are very eye-catching and I was really pleased for him.”

It was a much-improved performance from the Ton after their dismal display against Ross County in the Highlands on Saturday, losing 5-0 to the Dingwall outfit.

Morton made five changes to the starting line-up, and went with a 5-3-2, the first time they have done that since Johansson’s arrival last month.

The Finn admitted it was great to come away with the three points last night.

He added: “I felt that was the most pleasing thing for me: the work rate, commitment and discipline was there and now the challenge is to keep our level of performance at this level.

“The side needed freshening up as we looked too vulnerable at the back in certain games, especially against strikers that have good movement and that was certainly the case with Queen of the South.

“That was the reason we went with five at the back, and we have the players that suit this system as well.

“The best thing as well is you can’t have a good defence with a good offence.

“In Dingwall I felt the ball came back to us too quickly and too often, and having two strikers on the pitch combatted that.”