With the sides still level on 22 minutes, he raced off his line to beat striker Willie McLaren to the ball after Reece Hands’ mishit cross-field pass had landed deep in his own half.

Gaston put such power behind the clearance that it left opposite number Jonny Grier beaten all ends up as it dropped behind him into the net from 75 yards and without any wind assistance whatsoever.

After the match, Gaston told the Tele: “The ball kind of got played into the middle of the pitch, so I came running out from my goal but didn’t have time to take a touch.

“If I had gone to put a wee clip on it, it might have left me under pressure because I was so far out my goal, so I just put a bit on it to get it as far away as possible. I meant to kick it in that general direction but to beat the keeper. I have actually scored a few goals before when I was playing amateur at under-19s and under-21 level.

“That was on smaller pitches and when the keepers weren’t of a top standard. Those were from punts though and after taking a bounce. As a keeper you don’t have a celebration planned, but I might need to now. A [Jurgen] Klinsmann wouldn’t have worked on the astroturf and I’d break my neck if I try an [Efe] Ambrose!” Airdrie custodian could do little about Gaston’s wonder goal, or when Aidan Ferris doubled Ton’s advantage on 38 minutes by sliding in to force home a Mark Russell cross.

Midfielder Hands wrapped up a comfortable victory with a second-half brace, scoring with a fine left-footed volley on 52 minutes and then a simple header from a Jordan Cairnie flick 13 minutes later.

Morton (4-4-2): Gaston (8); Knight (7), Habai (7) (Stevenson 67, 4), O’Ware (7), Russell (7); O’Neil (5) (Eadie 77, 2), Verlaque (6), Hands (8) (Lamont 68, 3), Cairnie (7); McNeil (6), Ferris (7).

Subs not used: Irvine.