MORTON play their first home game of the new Championship season as they welcome League 1 champions Cove Rangers to Cappielow tomorrow.

The newcomers from the north east wasted no time making their mark in the second tier, celebrating their flag day with a 2-0 win over Raith which left them top of the pile on day one.

Ton meanwhile had to settle for a share of the spoils in South Lanarkshire as they drew 1-1 against ten man Hamilton.

It was a frustrating outcome for the Greenock men, who had a full second half to make their numerical advantage count but couldn't capitalise.

They were kicking themselves for not being able to land a telling blow on Accies, who dug in well and just about deserved their point.

The hosts got off to the perfect start when Andy Ryan punished slack set piece defending to fire them ahead after just 12 minutes, but the game looked to have turned when Shaun Want clattered Jaze Kabia as he chased a ball into the box and was red carded before Grant Gillespie coolly converted the resultant penalty.

The stage seemed set for the visitors to go on and claim the win that would have made for an ideal opening to the new campaign.

But Ton didn't the move the ball sharply enough and their predictable and pedestrian play enabled Accies to stay in their shape and defend pretty comfortably while running down the clock.

If the suspicion going into the new season was that the Morton squad looked short on creativity, dynamism and a goal threat, then this game did not show anything to the contrary.

Indeed in their five competitive games thus far, while Dougie Imrie's men have scored five times three of those goals have come from the penalty spot.

The new term is in its infancy but the early signs are that their lack of punch at the top end of the pitch has carried on from the previous campaign.

Their tally of 36 goals in 36 games then was matched only by relegated pair Queen of the South and Dunfermline, and their fate over the next nine months could rest on whether they are able to find a bit of firepower.

From a positive viewpoint they at least fashioned chances at New Douglas Park, with the returning Jai Quitongo - in what was a lively individual display - snatching at one in the first half and seeing a close range effort just after the break blocked.

The best opportunity of the lot came right at the end when Robbie Muirhead should have done much better with a tame header after Alexander King had sent over an inviting cross from the left flank.

It was clutched relatively easily by Ryan Fulton to ensure the score stayed level and while there was a sense of disappointment at full-time given the circumstances of the match, Ton now have to forget that and look forward.

Picking up a point away in this division is generally not a bad result, if you can get into the habit of making your own park a hostile environment for visitors to enter.

This was something that Dougie Imrie accomplished after his arrival at the turn of the year, until two consecutive defeats at the death - when their status was secured - took some shine off that record.

Morton now have to rediscover that mean streak and try to live up to Imrie's oft-repeated demand that they turn Cappielow into a 'fortress'.

The process begins by tackling a side who come into the game in confident mood after their excellent start last Saturday.

Cove Rangers are clearly an ambitious club and have a team which has become accustomed to winning games over the last few years.

They may have lost manager Paul Hartley over the summer, but retain the rump of the squad which has served them well and that sense of stability - plus the momentum they are carrying at the moment - means they will make dangerous and formidable opposition.

Jim McIntyre has inherited a strong pool of players, with the likes of Shay Logan, Mark Reynolds, Iain Vigurs and Fraser Fyvie providing a vastly experienced spine to the team, and in striker Mitch Megginson they have someone who knows the way to goal and is already off the mark.

With a talented team that has been around the block, they will come to Cappielow looking for a win and Morton have to improve on their opening day performance in every department if they want to get off to a good start in front of their own supporters.

They put themselves behind the eight ball last week by losing that poor early goal and need to avoid a repeat of that kind of sloppiness against what looks like more potent opposition.

In midfield, a bit more drive and vigour will be required to carry the game on their own pitch, although goalscorer Gillespie again had a tidy game against Accies and looks the part thus far.

Finally, up front they have to be better with their finishing when chances come their way - something which may have to be addressed by utilising the wages freed up by Kyle Jacobs' exit on loan.