MORTON are sweating over the fitness of ‘distraught’ Jai Quitongo after the striker suffered a knee injury against Brechin City.

And they will have to do without goalkeeper Jamie McGowan who requires surgery on his left shoulder and faces a number of months on the sidelines,

The 20-year-old Qutiongo, who boasts one Scotland under-21 cap, was forced off after just 38 minutes at Glebe Park on Saturday as Jim Duffy’s side played out a frustrating 1-1 draw with the Championship’s bottom club.

Quitongo missed six months of last season due to serious cruciate ligament damage.

Morton are now awaiting scan results to ascertain the severity of his latest knock.

“Jai passed the ball back to Bob [McHugh] to hit and, just as he did that, he felt his knee jar,” explained Duffy.

“Obviously it was his knee he had an injury to last season, so we had to take him off. He was a bit distraught after the game.

“We just need to assess that and keep our fingers crossed that hopefully it is just a wee jar and nothing more serious than that.”

Duffy is also on the hunt for a new goalkeeper to take the place of McGowan who is the deputy to Derek Gaston at Cappielow.

Duffy added: “We do have to try and move on recruiting a keeper, and have been looking around for a number of weeks. We haven’t found anyone who’s been available and suitable for us, so we have to accelerate that process.

“Hopefully, we can move that forward quickly because Jamie does require an operation on his shoulder and will be out for a number of months.”

“Obviously, over the Christmas and New Year period it’s difficult with surgeons unavailable during the holiday period."