Greenock Telegraph | Sport | Sorry Morton crash out to County

Friday, 21st November, 2008

Published: Monday, 13th October, 2008 12:30

Sorry Morton crash out to County

By Alasdair Fraser

Print Article

Image related to story, see caption or article text

DESPONDENT: The travelling support look on dejectedly as Kevin Cuthbert’s goal comes under attack.

Pic by: Campbell Skinner

Ross County 4 Morton 1

Alba Challenge Cup Semi-final

DAVIE Irons declared he would become Scottish football’s Joe Kinnear figure to help dig mis-firing Morton out of their current hole.

The Cappielow boss came under fire as his side flopped to a second successive defeat in Dingwall, going down 4-1 on Sunday.

And stewards and police had to move in to cool tempers in two areas of the Ross County ground during the Challenge Cup semi-final defeat.

As some fans vented fury on both the manager and the players, scuffling breaking out on the away terrace at one point during the second half.

Irons, who stated he had no intention of quitting the post, is clear on his side’s failings.

But he suggested that, like Kinnear at Newcastle, he could shield his players from the flak, rather than point accusatory fingers.

Irons said: “I’m not going to single out individuals — we have to look at ourselves collectively.

“We let ourselves down today. The fans are unhappy, we can obviously hear that.

“And it’s something I have to take responsibility for as manager of the football club. Ultimately, the buck stops with me, but I just said to the players: look at yourselves as well.

“I’m not asking them to do anything they can’t do. We’ve tried to keep things simple and straightforward, but they’re not performing on the pitch.

“I understand the frustrations. I’m not going to criticise fans publicly. They don’t think the boys are performing or that I’m doing the job.

“I think that it’s a minority. Some were supportive and good on them. I had a job to do, 10 games to go last season, to try to save Morton from going down and did that.

“It takes time to turn things around. I knew their problems and weaknesses and I’m trying to do an honest job to correct those things. It doesn’t happen overnight, but I’m not a shirker and I’ll endeavour to improve things the best I can.

“I never quit. There’s a wee bit of the Joe Kinnear in it, I’ll take the flak and maybe that’ll help the players, and take the pressure off.

“I’m not saying I’m going to rant and rave and ‘f’ and blind like him, but I can understand the psychology behind that.

“Newcastle are a big club who are struggling. He’s come in and taken the pressure off the players. That’s maybe something I can try to do.”

On a more positive note, Irons praised goalkeeper Kevin Cuthbert, and challenged the rest of the team to follow his lead.

Irons stressed: “There’s an invisible force in football called momentum and when you are down where we are you are looking for something to try and spark it.

“You try to give instructions to spark something, but we couldn’t manage to do that. Ross County obviously got the upperhand with the early goal.

“We got back into it in spells, but obviously Allan McManus got sent off and that probably reduced any chance we had.

“Kevin Cuthbert, to be fair, has done well. He’s been a shining light for us this season and credit to the lad.

“He is an example to the other lads. There’s a lad who didn’t know where his future was and he’s come in, worked very hard and shown he deserves to be playing. He’s certainly at least a top First Division goalkeeper, that’s for sure.”

County were always in control and, unlike the previous weekend’s defeat, chances for Morton were few and far between.

Early pressure paid off for the hosts. After six minutes, Steven Craig controlled a Martin Scott pass with back to goal and turned to expertly stab home from 12 yards.

Morton had to weather a spell of County dominance, but finally tested Tony Bullock after 25 minutes with two headers from Ryan McGuffie.

But County struck again with a sublime move after 42 minutes.

Martin Scott’s perfect cross-field ball onto the right flank sparked the chance, with Mark McCulloch crossing and big Dyron Daal bulleting a 10-yard header into the top of the net.

Morton looked truly buried after 55 minutes when Allan McManus was sent off for handling a Craig attempt in the box.

Craig stepped up to the spot seeking his eighth goal of the season, but his strike down the middle was saved by the legs of Kevin Cuthbert.

A terrific 40-yard burst from Hart reaped the killer third for County, with his flicked cross nodded just too heavily by Daal for Cuthbert’s flailing glove.

Morton hit back, finally, from a fortunately deflected Peter Weatherson free-kick that spun pinball-style past Bullock.

But after a few late jitters, defender Dowie made sure for County with an 84th minute header from Adam Strachan’s corner.

ROSS COUNTY: Bullock, McCulloch, Dowie, Boyd (Watt 76), Keddie, Brittain, Hart (Gardyne 71), Scott, Strachan, Daal (Higgins 84), Craig. Subs: Soutar, Lawson.

MORTON: Cuthbert 7; Harding 6 (Paartalu 63 5, Shimmon 7, McManus 6, Smith 6; McGuffie 7, Jenkins 6, Masterton 5 (Weatherson 51 5), McAllister 5, Wake 5 (Finlayson 60 5), Russell 7. Subs: Stewart, McGregor.

Yellow: Cuthbert 83, Smith 90

Red: McManus 55

Referee: Mike Tumilty 7.

Social Bookmarking What are these?