Ton goal blitz delights Moore

Jonathan Mitchell • Published 21 Jul 2010 14:00 0 Comments

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It was unlucky 13 for Moorcroft, as Morton ran out comfortable winners in this Renfrewshire Cup semi-final.

Peter Weatherson grabbed four goals, while Carlo Monti and Kevin Kelbie netted a hat-trick apiece as the Ton blasted a baker's dozen past hapless Moorcroft goalkeeper Ian McLean with no reply.

And three-goal hero Kelbie has his fingers crossed his will be the first of many in a Ton shirt.

He said: "Although the opposition weren't quite at the same standard as us, I'm delighted to get off the mark and hopefully now I've got one, the rest will keep coming. I can't wait for Dumbarton on Sunday, and hopefully I can get a start and another goal."

As expected, boss Allan Moore, pictured, saw his men dominate the match from the start. Yet it took until the 14th minute for the home side to open the scoring, when Monti's long-range strike proved too powerful for McLean.

Monti then rolled a penalty down the middle to make it two in the 25th minute after his shot was blocked by Fraser Lawrie's arm.

He completed his treble with a neat side-footed finish five minutes later.

Kelbie sent an exocet missile of a shot beyond McLean to make it four, and then turned architect a minute later as his intelligent backheel found Michael Tidser, who sent the ball to Weatherson to slot home number five.

Monti's slide-rule pass carved open the amateurs' defence and Graeme Holmes was coolness personified as he took a touch before rifling the ball across McLean to make it a half-time half-dozen.

The home side immediately picked up where they left off after the restart.

Weatherson and Kelbie passed up chances before Moorcroft central defender Mark Robinson scythed down substitute David O'Brien inside the box in the 56th minute.

Robinson was cautioned and Weatherson fired the resultant penalty into the net via the post.

Then, three minutes later, Kelbie made it eight when his close-range shot was deflected over McLean by the lunging block of substitute Paul Capani.

In the 71st minute, Tidser accepted a Weatherson pass before bursting into the box and sliding the ball under the advancing goalkeeper to make it nine.

Surprisingly, a further 10 minutes passed before Morton scored again - but when they did, it sparked a glut of late goals.

Kelbie completed his hat-trick with a looping header that came sandwiched between a double from strike partner Weatherson, who stretched to meet O'Brien's cut-back in the 80th minute and profited from superb wide-play from Holmes to score again four minutes later.

But the best was saved for last when, with the final whistle looming, Tidser sent an exquisite lob sailing over McLean to complete a satisfactory evening for Allan Moore's men.

Moore said: "The motivation for this game was the chance to earn a starting berth against Dumbarton and a few of them have given me a headache tonight.

"The strikers have scored a few goals; we've come through without any injuries, so we're pleased and look forward to Sunday now."

This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 21 Jul 10

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