Dougie Imrie: Morton character praised after Ayr United draw

Iain Wilson had put Imrie's men ahead shortly before the interval on Friday night  - but ex-Ton hero George Oakley had to be the pantomime villain, and he levelled things up in similar fashion just six minutes after the restart as the spoils were shared.

Iain Wilson's first goal of the season opened the scoring (Image: alex craig)Imrie was keen to heap praise on his players, who he said had given everything for the cause - though he admitted he was frustrated, and not for the first time of late, with the number of chances Ton passed up.

He told the Tele: "I thought we were good tonight. We've had a tough period over the last three games.

"We knew ourselves that we let ourselves down over that time, but against Ayr we saw a team that gave everything for each other.

"There was desire, energy and commitment, and on another night we could've come away with three points. Filip Stuparevic has a great opportunity just after Ayr score with a header.

"I thought in the in the first half we were very good, though again we create three or four good opportunities and again we only take one of them. That's the only frustration.

"We're getting into good areas, but it's just that final part that's missing.

"I'm really happy for the boys. They've been hit from pillar to post recently with injuries and having to go through the mill over and over again.

"They had three games in a week just last week, and we're about to go through the same process again now.

"It's asking a lot from them physically, when you don't have the bodies you want to change them with.

"Hopefully next week we'll have one or two back which will help."

Filip Stuparevic was unfortunate not to score (Image: alex craig)

Following Stuparevic's near miss just after Ayr's leveller on Friday, Imrie has now challenged the big Serb to get back on the goal trail after failing to find the net in his last four games.

But he was pleased to see a battling performance from his side ahead of a tough test in Tuesday night's SPFL Trust Trophy quarter final against Livingston.

He added: "It's a great ball in from Michael and it's an even better header from Filip. A yard either side, and the keeper isn't getting close to it.

"It would've been a great finish and I'm disappointed for him. He needs that goal to get him going again.

"He was good against Ayr; some of his hold up play was excellent, as was his vision to pick out some of our wider players.

"I thought it was a proper battling performance tonight, especially from our back four. It's something to build from."