It was the second and final match of a whistle-stop tour of the north, in which they also drew 0-0 with Inverness outfit Clachnacuddin on Thursday evening.

Whilst the Lilywhites finished 11th in the Highland League table, Brora claimed the title for the second year running, by 14 points — and finished a full 50 ahead of Clach.

They boasted former senior pros such as Joe Malin, Stuart Kettlewell, Dale Gillespie, Zander Sutherland, Steven Mackay, Gavin Morrison and Richie Brittain.

Brittain, a summer signing from Ross County on a three-year deal, is an individual many Scottish top flight teams would have coveted and a particular coup.

He gave indication of his quality on 11 minutes when he bent a low, angled pass round the back of the Ton defence to pick out the run of striker Mackay. Derek Gaston, one of the stars of the Greenock men’s League One title-winning campaign, was quick off his line to mop up the danger and prevent the pass from coming off.

In former Ross County team-mate Michael Tidser, Brittain was faced with an opponent of similar class and someone who was vying to stamp his quality on the game.

After seeing an early free-kick narrowly diverted wide by a head in the defensive wall, the Ton playmaker manufactured an opening for Jon Scullion.

Working space with a trademark chop across his body, Tidser then pulled back for Scullion on the edge of the box, but the diminutive striker sent a hurried left-footed shot sailing over.

On 20 minutes, Tidser intelligently dummied a Joe McKee pass into feet, thereby releasing Stefan McCluskey.

The frontman eased clear before slowing to pick his spot, but his curling effort towards the top-right corner was beaten out by Brora shot-stopper Joe Malin.

Malin, whose kamikaze goalkeeping gifted then-Ton hitman Iain Russell a late equaliser at Ross County in March 2009, could only direct the ball out back into the danger area. Tidser had followed in and looked set to slot into the gaping goal; however, just as Jordan Cairnie had to thwart Clach in midweek, Scott Houston made a crucial last-ditch challenge to prevent a goal.

Fellow Brora defender Ally Macdonald repeated the feat with a similar recovering tackle on Bobby Barr on 31 minutes just as the former Brechin winger pulled the trigger. Barr was presented with the chance after a flowing move down the right-hand side involving Thomas O’Ware, Lee Kilday, and McCluskey. It was, though, a rare slick exchange in the attacking third. Despite again seeing the lion’s share of possession, the attacking threat they were posing was not proportionate.

Ton were disjointed in the final third and lacking a striking spearhead to lead the line. Scullion and McCuskey had started up top, but neither could be described as an orthodox centre forward.

The absence of a penalty box predator was highlighted towards the end of the first half as wideman Barr grew in influence down the left flank. On the face of it, the 27-year-old was doing well to beat his opponents and get into dangerous areas before failing to find a man with his crosses. The centres were not up to his usual standard, but what was also notable was how he had to take an extra split-second to look up and think about his delivery.

At Brechin he instinctively knew which area in which to put the ball, safe in the knowledge the likes of 6ft 2in striker Robert Thomson would be attacking that space.

However, on Saturday he often hesitated and often checked back to pick out a team-mate with a low centre. The chasm left by 23-goal Aberdeen loanee Declan McManus was evident in both Highland matches, reaffirming the need for frontline reinforcements ahead of the Championship campaign.

Tidser’s return to action will be a massive boost in the middle of the park, however, and was underlined by one flash of class on 36 minutes.

Feigning to move forward to meet a pass into feet, the former Rotherham man deftly flicked on through the bamboozled Dale Gillespie’s legs.

Tidser then snapped round the other side of the former Inverness Caley Thistle and Elgin midfielder and instantly bent the ball out to Barr on the wing with the outside of his left boot.

The move came to nothing in the end but served as a reminder of what the 25-year-old will bring to the table next term.

Jim Duffy made one change at the break, replacing Gaston, who has been troubled by a back niggle in pre-season, with Grant Adam in a pre-planned substitution.

And the former Scotland Under-21 would face a busier second half than the man he hopes to depose in the battle for the No1 shirt next term.

On 50 minutes, he was presented with an awkward situation when Stuart Kettlewell, a one-time Ton signing target in his Clyde days, met an Andrew Greig cross with a looping header.

Ex-Ross County man Kettlewell’s effort dropped right on top of the crossbar, and although Adam arched up to catch with both hands, they cracked the woodwork breaking his grasp on the ball.

Fortunately, it rolled onto the roof of the net. There was nothing fortunate about Adam’s next save, though, as he threw himself to his right to clutch Greig’s swerving strike from 20 yards.

He was tested again shortly thereafter when Brittain unleashed a thunderbolt across his body from the right of the box towards the left side of the goal.

Adam propelled to his right again and parried on this occasion before pouncing to smother ahead of any follow up attempts.

But the visitors punctured Brora’s best spell by taking the lead through McCluskey on the 64-minute mark.

O’Ware’s first-time, half-volleyed clearance dropped in behind the Brora back four down by the left corner flag. Scullion reacted quickest, seizing on the ball and moving inside before squaring for McCluskey to sweep home at the near post.

Ton sub Thomas Orr was presented with two opportunities to extend that lead after replacing Scullion on 71 minutes.

Three minutes after joining the fray, Tidser picked him out inside the box with a clipped cross after a driving run down the left.

The cross arrived at chest height and Orr attempted to bring the ball under control, but he couldn’t take it down in time to get a shot away before a challenge arrived. On 84 minutes a raking Adam diagonal put the teenage hitman in for a second chance, but it also arrived at an awkward height and he eventually fired wide.

Brora, too, had chances in the closing stages. In the final minute, Zander Sutherland forced a save from Adam after pouncing on a Ton mix up.

They should have equalised in injury time when Sutherland robbed Jordan Cairnie in the middle of the park and burst clear. Instead of going for goal, he slipped a diagonal pass across the front of Adam in order to take him out of the game in a way that video gamers would recognise from football game series FIFA.

Sub Paul Brindle, however, passed up the open goal and the chance to secure a notable draw against senior opposition, skewing a woeful effort high and wide.

For Ton it was another productive 90 minutes in preparation for the upcoming season — but one that also reinforced the feeling attacking additions are required.

Morton (4-4-1-1): Gaston (Adam, 46); Kilday (Tennent, 85), O’Ware, Lamie, Russell; McKee (Forbes, 63), Miller (Pepper, 63), Tidser © (Cairnie, 78); Barr (Stevenson, 82); McCluskey; Scullion (Orr, 71).

Brora Rangers (4-4-2): Malin; Pickles (Porritt, 60), Williamson, Macdonald (Lyll, 77), Houston; Gillespie (Brindle, 60), Brittain (Grant, 77), Kettlewell (M. MacLean, 60), Greig (C. MacLean, 77); Sutherland, Mackay (Morrison, 60). Subs not used: Martin.