Elliot sinks Ton"s hopes

0 - 0 • Last updated 4 Nov 2008 10:51

A SPECIAL strike proved the difference according to Morton boss Davie Irons.

Calum Elliot"s second half sizzler knocked the stuffing out of a Morton side who looked comfortable at Almondvale.

And while Irons admitted the Ton rarely threatened to score themselves, he was understandably disappointed to go down - sublime finish or not.

He said: 'I thought it would take something like that to win the game.

'It took a bit of a special strike to win it and in the last 10 minutes we were a bit stretched and the opportunities started to come at our end.

'We tried to force it a bit and left ourselves a wee bit open. Livingston had a couple of opportunities late on, but up until that point there was nothing in it.

'We had the best chance with James Grady"s opportunity and we looked like the team who were going to score. Peter Weatherson had an opportunity as well.'

A largely forgettable first half had just one talking point, and it was the match winner Elliot at the heart of it too.

The on-loan Hearts striker was involved in a touchline tangle with right winger Kevin Finlayson, which ended in both players picking up yellow cards.

Elliot later claimed there was nothing in it, saying he and Finlayson merely "got their bodies caught together".

But his manager Roberto Landi reckoned both parties could have seen red, while Irons chose his words carefully.

Irons added: 'It"s a difficult one, I could say something. It"s disappointing when you see things like that happen in games, it was something out of nothing.

'What his [Calum"s] intentions were I don"t know, the boy is a good player, he has good ability.

'It"s disappointing, but he is young and he will maybe learn that these things aren"t acceptable in football.'

Other than a wonder finish, the Morton back four were rarely troubled until the latter stages, a definite positive considering this season"s shining light Dominic Shimmin was unavailable.

Irons said: 'Dom [Shimmin] had a hip flexer strain all week, but kept it quiet hoping he could get through to training yesterday and maybe get to play today, but unfortunately he couldn"t make it. He"s a miss, but I wouldn"t put our defeat down to the back four.

'We restricted Livingston to virtually nothing up until the goal and then maybe in the last 10 minutes when we"ve tried to force it, Kevin Cuthbert kept us in the game.

'The most disappointing thing from our point of view was we didn"t really test Livingston"s goalkeeper.

'Before today, I thought we had turned the corner and I still think we have in terms of our performances and our results.

'It"s a wee setback, but it"s up to the boys to bounce back next week.'

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This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 03 Nov 08

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