Published: Tuesday, 26th August, 2008 12:30
Ton face a big test versus Hibees
By Roger Graham
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CENTRE BACK: Morton defender Allan McManus is set to return against Hibs tonight.
MORTON travel to Edinburgh tonight looking for what manager Davie Irons describes as “an opportunity to prove themselves against an SPL team”.
He said: “You could say it is a break from the league, but it doesn’t make it any easier; far from it. It will be as tough a game as we face all season.”
The Cappielow club go into their CIS tie on the back of a defeat at Dundee, and with Kevin Finlayson ruled out with ankle ligament damage. Said Irons: “Kevin was caught late by McMenamin and has no chance for the Hibs tie. We’ll need to see what he’s like over the rest of the week.”
Also still out is centre back Stewart Greacen, but his defensive colleague, Allan McManus, will make a return to action. Irons said: “There will be a couple of changes in personnel.
“We have to look at Hibs’ strengths and try and negate them. We will probably play against their front two with a free man behind, and look to fill the wide areas.”
That suggests a 3-5-2 formation, with McManus probably sweeping behind Dominic Shimmin and Ryan Harding, who would mark Hibs’ goal-shy strike force.
The midfield would most likely be McGuffie, Masterton, Paartalu, Jenkins and McAlister, leaving Wake and either Russell or Newby up front.
It was put to the Ton boss that he must have been disappointed at his side’s lack of creativity on Saturday at Dundee, and he said: “Definitely. I thought we had more of the play in the first half but without creating anything.
“I was reasonably pleased at half-time as we had played most of the game in their half. But if you’re not creating you’re not going to score goals.
“I think there is a danger that players sometimes take things too literally. They have to be braver and take responsibility in the final third of the pitch. We need a wee bit of cleverness.
“Not so much with tonight in mind, but for Saturday [against Airdrie] we need more brightness. The midfield has to be more creative. I was very disappointed with that aspect on Saturday.”
Also disappointing was the loss of the goal at Dundee when Paton ran in unmarked, for the second time, to score the game’s only goal. “It is annoying,” said Irons, “when you allocate players and it doesn’t happen. We had worked hard in training during the week, but were let down at vital times.”
A win at Easter Road would be a tremendous result.
However, a good performance would be satisfying enough for most Ton supporters; a display that would encourage hopes of grabbing their first league win of the season at Airdrie on Saturday.
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