MORTON boss David Hopkin is running the rule over two trialists amid the final countdown to the start of the new season.

The manager was pleased to see his pre-season preparations continue with a win over Premiership side Livingston in a closed doors game at Cappielow.

The Ton scored the only goal of the game in the second half through Cameron Salkeld.

The friendly gave Hopkin the opportunity to assess former Blackpool and Congo international goalkeeper Christoffer Mafoumbi and ex-Celtic kid Grant Savoury.

The 26-year-old custodian Mafoumbi has been without a club since the end of last season after leaving League One side Blackpool.

He spent the second half of last term out on loan at League Two side Morecambe, keeping two clean sheets in nine appearances.

Mafoumbi had a three-year stint at Bloomfield Road, during which he worked with current Ton goalie guru Dave Timmins.

He has appeared between the sticks for his country 22 times, making his full bow back in 2012.

It's understood that he played in the first half of Tuesday night’s victory as well as in the second half of the recent 2-1 victory over Jim Duffy’s Dumbarton side.

Savoury, a 20-year-old right winger, is a product of the Celtic youth academy and was a regular for Tommy McIntyre’s side over the last two seasons before looking to break into Neil Lennon’s first team squad last season.

He earned himself a place on the bench for the Hoops in last year's Europa League clash against Romanian side CFR Cluj before heading out on loan to League Two side Edinburgh City, along with current Ton stopper Aidan McAdams.

Savoury turned out for City six times before the coronavirus pandemic drew the curtain on the 2019/20 campaign.

Hopkin has already added eight new faces to his squad over the summer.

The midweek bounce game against his old club gave the first team the chance to get more minutes into their legs with less than a week to go until they make an eagerly anticipated return to competitive action in the Betfred Cup against Queen of the South on Tuesday.

It will be the first of three home games on the bounce for Hopkin’s men, who then welcome Ray McKinnon’s Queen’s Park before hosting Alloa Athletic on the opening day of the league campaign.