Greenock Telegraph | Sport

Friday, 9th January, 2009

Published: Monday, 18th August, 2008 12:30

No joy for Ton

By Roger Graham

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MORTON 1 LIVINGSTON 2

Image related to story, see caption or article text

INCOMING TACKLE: Dominic Shimmin closes in for a challenge on Livingston's Rocco Quinn.

Pic by: Petra Boyce

MORTON boss Davie Irons was frankly honest in his after-match assessment following this Cappielow defeat.

He said: “Losing the goals that we did gave us a mountain to climb. I said that to them [the players]: ‘You can’t give teams starts like that in this league and then expect to score three goals.’

“The defending wasn’t acceptable. That’s basically why we have lost the game.

“We started the game poorly and it took us maybe 25, 30 minutes to get ourselves established. We scored a good goal through Brian Wake and got ourselves back in the game.

“In the second half there was a bit more effort and fight but, obviously, we couldn’t get that equaliser.

“We had a chance at the very death when we thought the boy had blocked it with his hand. The referee admitted the ball hit his hand but it’s not a penalty. I don’t know how, because it was going into the net, but that’s grasping at straws I suppose.

“We had a bit of pressure in the second half without creating clear cut chances. I think we had one clear cut chance when Brian Wake was clear on the left. I thought he would have slotted it home, but it wasn’t to be.”

The manager then said that it wasn’t a case of panicking. “We just start again on Monday,” he commented. “There are plenty of things to work on.

“I’m not going to be too down on it. We’ve just got to pick ourselves up and start again. You would expect the players that you pick, the ones that are available, to be good enough to do the job, but on this showing there are a few let themselves down.

“The defending that we showed in the first 25 minutes was really poor and I didn’t expect that. I didn’t see that coming today, I really didn’t. I thought we were stronger and tougher than that.”

Livvi’s Italian boss, Roberto Landi, was delighted with his side’s display.

He said: “I am happy because my team play very, very good football.

“The result is very important because without it you can’t work during the week with harmony.

“They are fantastic players, with heart. They play like a team. We train every day in this system — short and narrow, not giving space and playing the ball on the floor.

“Training, training, training, training — and you see the result.”

Landi then went on to explain that his side’s Achilles heel is a lack of depth to the squad. He admitted that he is still looking for players but that money was a problem.

“Tomorrow is another day and we will start to think about Clyde.

“We need to stay in a good position in the league.”

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