Morton's young stars are facing growing expectations as Ton boss Ian Murray urges caution, citing the need to manage pressure and handle dips in form. The Ton boss has been forced to call upon several academy prospects during the opening weeks of the season as injuries and a lack of squad depth continue to bite. In Saturday's 2-0 defeat to Stenhousemuir, Morton's back-line featured two 16-year-olds - Dean Black and Louie Murphy. Aaron Greenock, also 16, came off the bench in the second half. Black has been one of the standout performers, producing an impressive display in the opening-day defeat to Partick Thistle before following it up with another 90 minutes in Saturday's defeat to Stenhousemuir. Murray insists it is important not to place too much pressure on players still taking their first steps in senior football. "It's difficult for us at the moment with the situation and the injuries we have," Murray explained to the Tele. "Deano (Dean Black) and Louie (Murphy) have probably played more minutes than I anticipated due to the current climate we're in. They're going to have a dip. There's no question about it - it's how they handle that dip and how we handle it too. We're currently 10th in the Championship, with 0 points from 2 games, recent form LL. We're 6 points behind leaders Partick. Our next fixture is against Stenhousemuir on January 9, 2027. Murray believes the experienced members of his squad have played a vital role in helping the club's youngsters settle into senior football. With several of the academy players still balancing football alongside school, the Morton manager says the guidance provided by his senior professionals has been invaluable. "They have done really well," Murray told the Tele. "One message I drum into the young players all the time is to appreciate what the senior pros are doing for you as well. It's not all about the young players. The senior pros are the cement that hold everything together. They have to try and learn from them because hopefully one day Dean, Louie Murphy, Aaron Greenock, and Olivet Okunzuwa will be the senior pros. It's all about learning as you go, and the example that the older pros have set in this pre-season has been exemplary. They've had so much experience in terms of disappointment, losing games, and in Dean's case, giving away a penalty, then probably being our best player against Partick Thistle - you just gain experience all the time.