Published: Wednesday, 29th April, 2009 12:30pm

Rovers and out as Ton score 11

by Russell Steele

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Morton 11 Viewfield Rovers 0

MORTON mauled their amateur opponents at Cappielow last night to march into the Renfrewshire Cup Final.

Having already lost 10-1 and 5-0 on their last two visits to Greenock, Viewfield Rovers surely won"t relish another return after they notched up an unwanted hat-trick of hammerings.

It was difficult not to feel sorry for the Lochwinnoch-based men, who came up against a strong Ton side in no mood to show any mercy after an idle weekend.

There was an early indication of what was to come when Morton took just 16 seconds to get at Rovers, but Peter Weatherson"s header was straight at keeper David Shearer.

The opening goal was not long in arriving though - and it was executed in clinical fashion.

Kevin Finlayson dug in to win possession just outside the box, before lashing the ball into the net off Shearer"s left hand post.

On the half-hour mark, it took a fine double save to thwart Brian Wake and Iain Russell, but Shearer had no chance four minutes later when Ryan McGuffie arrowed home a tremendous 25-yard drive into the top right hand corner to double Morton"s lead.

Russell then rattled the crossbar before setting up Weatherson, whose back post effort had just too much power for Shearer and made it 3-0.

Only the woodwork prevented Wake from opening his account just before half-time and there was sympathetic applause for the overworked Shearer as Rovers trudged off the park.

Such was the extent of Ton"s dominance, they withdrew Allan McManus and Alex Walker at the interval, leaving sub Chris Smith to partner Stewart Greacen in a two man rearguard.

At the other end, Viewfield were faced with an onslaught as sub James Grady joined Wake, Weatherson and Russell to launch a barrage of attacks.

The diminutive striker looked determined to get on the scoresheet and did so within a minute of the restart with a low shot which followed neat link-up play from McGuffie and Weatherson.

The beleaguered Viewfield players were soon imploring their manager to introduce defensive reinforcements, but they did carve out a rare breakaway which saw striker Gary Cairney fire in a drive which went narrowly wide.

The respite was brief, however, as the floodgates had now opened and Morton soon made it five in the 55th minute.

Finlayson fired the ball across the face of goal, Russell mis-kicked and there was Grady, lurking and ready to turn the ball home from close range.

A routine back-post header off Russell"s pinpoint cross then saw Grady notch his third of the night, before young Morton keeper Ryan McWilliams was finally pressed into action, producing an acrobatic save to deny David McCullough a consolation goal.

Just to rub it in, Ton went straight up the park and McGuffie had all the time in the world inside the box to tee up Wake to break his duck.

Former Celtic starlet Carlo Monti then picked out Grady in the box and he duly dispatched number eight.

Goal number nine arrived when sub Darren McGeough sent a beautifully flighted ball straight to Weatherson, who ensured the delivery got the unerring finish it deserved.

Another header brought up double figures, this time Iain Russell stooped to meet Finlayson"s cross and guide the ball home.

The scoring - and Viewfield"s misery - was complete two minutes from time when Shearer was unable to stop Wake"s effort from going in, with what looked like the aid of a slight deflection.

MORTON: McWilliams, McManus (Smith, 46), Walker (Grady, 46), Paartalu, Greacen, McGuffie (McGeough, 79), Finlayson, Russell, Weatherson, Wake, Monti. Subs not used: Mitchell, Deans.

VIEWFIELD ROVERS: Shearer, Campbell, McDermott, Leonard, Fitzsimmons, Currie, Joyce (Martin, 80), Evans, Cairney, McIntyre (Cowie, 62), McCullough.

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