Greenock Telegraph | Sport | Irons' blast at players as Ton go down again

Saturday, 10th January, 2009

Published: Monday, 6th October, 2008 12:35

Irons' blast at players as Ton go down again

By Alasdair Fraser

Print Article

Image related to story, see caption or article text

ROUTE BLOCKED: Morton forward Brian Wake has no way through the County defence.

Pic by: Ken Macpherson

ROSS COUNTY 3

MORTON 0

(Scorers: Hart 75, Craig 76, Higgins 84)

DAVIE Irons cut a desolate figure at full time — and accused his bottom-of-the-table team of letting the club down.

The Cappielow boss was disgusted at the way his side lost bottle at a crucial juncture and blew two dream chances to take the lead in Dingwall.

The former Gretna gaffer kept his men locked in the dressing room for 45 minutes and only emerged a full hour after the final whistle following heated talks with his fellow coaches.

And the emotional strain was all too visible when he finally emerged to give a post-mortem on a late collapse that could prove very costly to the relegation favourites.

Irons said: “I’m absolutely gutted. We wasted two really good chances at 0-0 and that changes the game. I feel let down.

“The players have let the club down and didn’t do the job we asked of them.

“Ross County troubled us early on and always had more possession, but I felt we were beginning to turn the game.

“Then we miss those opportunities and, after they scored, the lack of reaction was very disappointing.”

Irons continued: “There was anger after the game, sure, but there was probably a little bit of every emotion.

“The players now owe the club and supporters a response when they come back here next Sunday for the Challenge Cup semi-final.”

One of the villains for Morton was Peter Weatherson who hit the bar and post and missed two great aerial opportunities.

County were dominant, but failed to make possession and control of the game pay until their late substitutions came good.

Morton, who return for Alba Cup semi-final duties on Sunday, came north without injured skipper Stewart Greacen.

County should have been ahead after barely a minute when Steven Craig drew a parry from Kevin Cuthbert after a burst of pace.

The goal was gaping for fellow striker Dyron Daal, but the Dutchman badly mishit the rebound.

County went close again after 16 minutes, when Scott Boyd powered a downward header just wide of target from Richard Brittain’s free-kick on the right.

Morton’s best chance of the half came in 35 minutes.

Jim McAlister’s cross from the left was nodded back across the box by Ryan McGuffie but Peter Weatherson’s follow-up dropped meekly into Tony Bullock’s arms.

A lively start to the second half saw Brittain drive forward towards the edge of the box and fire just over for County.

Scott Boyd’s aerial threat was again apparent a couple of minutes later as a front post flick was blocked low by Cuthbert.

County survived a major scare in 57 minutes. Peter Weatherson turned and rocketed a shot against the inside angle of Bullock’s bar and post.

On the rebound, Andy Dowie was sharp to nick the ball away from Ryan McGuffie’s toes. Weatherson missed another header in front of goal as Morton grew more dangerous on the counter. The striker was having a day of anguish — and rattled the top of the crossbar from barely seven yards.

County finally broke the deadlock in 75 minutes — after a move involving all three subs. Sean Higgins and Adam Strachan combined slickly as they cut through the away defence, before Richie Hart side-footed home.

Within a minute, Strachan’s cross from deep right was headed home at the far post by Craig for his sixth of the campaign.

Sean Higgins then turned brilliantly on the edge of the box to shoot the third high past Cuthbert.

Ross County: Bullock 6; McCulloch 6, Dowie 7, Boyd 7, Keddie 6; Brittain 7, Lawson 5 (Hart 56 7), Gardyne 6, Scott 5 (Strachan 56 6); Daal 5 (Higgins 72 5), Craig 7.

Subs not used: Soutar, Watt.

Bookings: McCulloch 73.

Morton: Cuthbert 6; Walker 6 (Finlayson 83 3), Shimmin 7, Harding 6, Smith 6; McGuffie 6, Paartalu 6 (Russell 56 5), Masterton 6 (Jenkins 75 3), McAlister 7; Wake 6, Weatherson 5.

Subs not used: Stewart, McManus.

Bookings: Shimmin 88.

Referee: Alan Muir 7.

Attendance: 2,290.

Social Bookmarking What are these?