MORTON grabbed a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser to gain a point in a cagey match against playoff rivals Dundee United.

The visitors took the lead early in the second half and looked set to leave Cappielow with all three points until Frank Ross’ last-gasp goal.

The result means Morton hold on to third spot in the Championship, while United were leapfrogged by Dunfermline and have slipped to fifth place.

Jim Duffy’s side are now unbeaten in their last four league outings.

There were just two changes from last week’s 2-0 win over Brechin – Mark Russell replaced Jack Iredale at left back, while Gary Harkins started ahead of Gary Fraser.

Ton kicked off on a windy afternoon in Greenock and both sides set out immediately on the front foot in an energetic start to the fixture.

The away side had the game’s first chance when Billy King broke down United’s left and fired a low cross into the box, where the Morton defence cleared it. The ball fell invitingly for Scott McDonald on the edge of the area but the Australian was denied by an excellent block from Gary Harkins.

Harkins then turned provider for the hosts, releasing Mark Russell down the left, but the full back’s shot was blazed over the bar.

Then Ton almost took the lead in spectacular fashion. A throw-in from the right of the Dundee United box reached Gary Oliver with his back to goal. The striker couldn’t turn, so instead fired in an overhead kick at goal that forced Harry Lewis to tip the ball over the bar.

Two minutes later the home side came close to grabbing the game’s opener when Scott Tiffoney tried to thread the ball through to Oliver, but the winger slightly overhit his pass and the United keeper was first to it.

Dundee United then came within inches of taking the lead — and were only denied by a fantastic stop from Derek Gaston.

Michael Doyle gifted the ball to Billy King on the left, who then drove down the wing before slipping the ball through to McDonald, who squared to Paul McMullan.

The forward tried to place his shot in the bottom right corner but Gaston was equal to it, diving at full stretch to tip the ball beyond the post.

Dundee United were happy to try and hit Morton on the counter while in defence, Bilel Mohsni was winning everything in the air.

King, McDonald and McMullan looked dangerous for the away side, combining well and giving the Ton defence lots to think about.

Morton looked a little sloppy in possession at this point, struggling to keep a hold of the ball under relentless pressure from United.

Tiffoney looked lively for the hosts, with Harkins also catching the eye with his composed passing.

With chances at a premium for either side, Mohsni had a go from distance but his deflected shot was easily stopped by Gaston.

Then, just a minute later, United came close again to breaking the deadlock. McDonald countered from a Morton corner and released Matthew Smith down the right, where the winger eventually found himself in the box.

He fired a shot from a tight angle but Gaston was able to parry the ball behind.

Ton could have had a penalty minutes later when John Baird went down but the referee waved play on.

King could have opened the scoring for the Arabs when he found space on the left wing, cutting inside and beating two Morton defenders in the process, but his powerfully-struck shot was too close to Gaston.

As the game entered the final stages of the first half, United began to dominate possession and exert more control over proceedings.

Mohsni in particular stood out for the visitors, winning everything in the air and playing long balls over the Ton midfield.

With just a few minutes of the first half remaining, McDonald had a go from 25 yards but skewed his shot wide of the Morton goal.

But right on the stroke of half-time, there was still time for one last chance for United. Some neat build-up play eventually saw McDonald curl an effort towards the far post, and Gaston tipped the ball out wide. McMullan was waiting at the far post but rifled his shot into the side netting, much to the Cappielow faithful’s relief.

Dundee United kicked off for the second half as both sides upped the intensity in a bid to find the game’s opening goal.

Michael Tidser whipped in an inviting cross from a corner on the right that came very close to reaching Ton captain Thomas O’Ware. Had he connected, it surely would have been 1-0 to the hosts.

Then United came close from a couple of corners of their own. First, Stanton hit a delivery that forced Gaston to tip the ball over the bar. Then a well-worked short corner between McMullan and King resulted in a dangerous-looking cross that reached McDonald, but the former Celtic striker nodded the ball over the bar.

The game became increasingly stop-start at this point with both sides looking dangerous from set pieces.

And then United took the lead. McMullan swung in a high ball from a corner and Mohsni rose highest, looping his header over Gaston and into the far corner, giving the keeper little chance of stopping it.

Morton could have levelled the score just a minute later from a corner of their own, but it was not to be. Harkins got on the end of Tidser’s delivery but connected poorly with the ball, giving Lewis an easy save.

The Arabs could have doubled their advantage when McMullan went down on the edge of the Morton box. McDonald took the resulting free-kick and curled his shot over the wall, but his effort wasn’t powerful enough to seriously trouble Gaston.

Duffy’s men were playing with a far greater intensity now, clearly desperate to find a way back into the game.

Baird had a great chance to level the score when he got on the end of Andy Murdoch’s chipped pass, but the striker couldn’t control the ball properly and his shot was blocked by the United defence.

The home side kept on bypassing the midfield, playing long balls from defence, but Dundee United’s centre backs were dominating aerially.

Frank Ross, Bob McHugh and Robert Thomson all came on to try and change things for the home side, but Morton were still struggling to create clear-cut opportunities.

With the game entering the final minutes Thomson spurned a glorious chance to level the score.

A mix-up from the Arabs defence saw the sub break into the box, but he slid his shot wide of the far post.

Morton fans might have been forgiven for thinking that was that, but there was still time for a moment of magic from Ross.

The on-loan winger lined up a corner on the left deep into stoppage time and surprised everyone by rifling it in at the near post, curling the ball towards goal.

King got a touch to it, but couldn’t prevent the ball from flying into the net and Cappielow exploded in celebration.

It could prove to be a crucial moment in Ton’s play-off push.