BILLY KNEW I'D SCORE A LOAN GOAL; FIRST DIVISION.

Byline: KENNY MacDONALD at Cappielow

MORTON 1

CLYDE 0

POCKET rocket James Grady fired Ton to their first league win then vowed to help haul them back up the table.

The little hitman latched on to a long ball from Ryan McGuffie to race clear and whack a low, angled shot under keeper David Hutton for the first-half winner.

Grady, on loan from Hamilton until the end of the year, revealed Accies boss Billy Reid called him on the morning of the match and predicted the veteran frontman would make a mockery of his decision to let him go.

He said: "Billy phoned me and said 'I just know you are going to prove me wrong' - but he also informed Davie Irons he was getting a player hungry to play games and score goals.

"And that is what I love doing - playing and scoring. I think I have scored in all of my debuts apart from Hamilton but that was because I only got on for 20 minutes.

"It's great to score and if I can hopefully get to the end of the loan deal having helped put Morton in a better position then it will be all the better for me and Davie.

"I had no hesitation in coming to Cappielow and agreed as soon as Davie phoned me.

"I am just happy to be back playing, first and foremost."

Grady dismissed claims he was offside as he charged clear to net the 38th-minute winner.

He said: "It was just being a good striker and making the run. I spoke to the linesman at the end and he told me I timed it perfectly and was just onside."

Grady and Hutton had to be separated at the half-time whistle after an angry exchange and they went head-to-head again just before marching up the tunnel.

But the matchwinner laughed off the incident and said: "He was just being a typical goalie - they are a breed unto themselves.

"They get angry at the silly wee things. He has probably been beaten a thousand times but my goal has annoyed him. It was all good, clean banter."

Peter Weatherson came close to a killer second for the home side when he fizzed an effort into the side-netting in 50 minutes.

And defender Dom Shimmin hurtled in at the back post to meet Stevie Masterton's free-kick from the right only to blaze over.

Morton went within inches of killing the game off as Masterton rifled in a tremendous shot from 30 yards that smacked off the face of the bar 18 minutes from time.

But the Cappielow men had to hold on at the end as the Bully Wee mounted a late rally with Pat Clark blasting across the face of goal in stoppage time from a few yards out on the left.

Relieved Morton manager Irons charged on to the pitch at the final whistle to hug Grady.

He said: "I'm delighted the board let me sign the boy wonder.

"The wee man is a star. I helped him at the start of his career at Clydebank and now he is helping me at the end of it.

"His ambition is to play as long as I did - but he has another six years to go at the age of 37.

"Seriously, he can do it and he has a point to prove so credit to him for doing that. He is with us until the transfer window opens again.

Clyde gaffer John Brown said: "The boywas offside for the goal by a yard, possibly two.

"The referee didn't give us one decision today. In this league it is important the officials get decisions right. But they got it wrong today and we lost the game.

"We never really created and to be fair Morton had a few chances with set-pieces. We shaded it in the second half but it is a big result for Morton and pulls them back to us."

MoM: Grady (Morton)

CAPTION(S):

Loan star: James Grady wheels away in celebration after bagging a debut winner for Morton; Ryan high: McGuffie outjumps the Clyde defence to reach a cross as Morton pile on pressure; Ton the up: Boss Irons yells instructions to his troops