Ton are made to pay the price

Jonathan Mitchell • Published 30 Aug 2010 11:00 0 Comments

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CATCH OF THE DAY: Colin Stewart leaves his line to claim a high ball in a packed box.

GREGORY Tade netted a late winner to break Morton hearts and ensure high-flying Raith Rovers continued their 100 per cent start to the season at Stark’s Park on Saturday.

Allan Moore’s side raised their game after a poor first half, but it was an all-too-familiar conclusion as a fruitless second period ended with Rovers snatching a late goal to run out 1-0 winners.

Peter Weatherson, Colin Stewart and Marc Smyth were restored to the starting line-up after Tuesday’s defeat at St Johnstone, but there was no place for youngsters Ryan Kane or Nathan Shephard, who was replaced at left-back by trialist Eddie Malone.

Raith set the tone for the first half in the ninth minute when Allan Walker floated a magnificent ball over the top for John Baird. The fleet-footed striker raced into space behind the Morton back-line to collect the pass and volley at goal, but his effort was weak and Colin Stewart grasped the ball low down.

The Ton goal survived another scare in the 14th minute when ex-Dundee defender Malone managed to scramble a Grant Murray header off the line.

Morton almost took the lead against the run of play two minutes later when Michael Tidser floated a free-kick over the wall towards the top corner, but former Ton keeper David McGurn made a great double-handed block.

It was then Stewart’s turn to produce an impressive stop when he dived to parry Walker’s powerful free-kick.

Morton were struggling to cope with the Kirkcaldy side’s expansive, high-tempo passing game and were fortunate not to go behind on the half-hour.

Mark Ferry sent a curling effort inches wide of Stewart’s left-hand post after neat link-up play between Stephen Simmons, Tade and Walker.

The half closed with a sudden downpour of torrential rain and this seemed to wake Morton from their slumber as Allan Jenkins latched on to Peter Weatherson’s knock-down and slammed a volley towards goal. But McGurn was proving unbeatable and flew to his right to push the ball to safety and send the sides in level at the break.

After a slow start to the half, Morton started to get their act together and almost opened the scoring in the 55th minute.

Jenkins strode forward purposefully and unleashed a low strike which took a huge deflection off Carlo Monti and rolled just wide of the upright with McGurn stranded.

Although the Cappielow men were controlling proceedings, they continued to be wasteful in front of goal, passing up four decent opportunities in the space of six minutes.

First, Graeme Holmes smashed into the side netting from close range in the 64th minute before carelessly gifting possession during a four-on-two counter-attack two minutes later.

Then, barely 30 seconds after that, Weatherson had a powerful left-footed strike expertly saved by McGurn.

Finally, Jenkins shot high over the bar from the edge of the box in the 70th minute, at which point a Raith fan seated in front of the press bench perfectly summed up Morton’s profligacy, bawling: “We’re just lucky they cannae shoot for toffee, Rovers!”

And the almost inevitable sucker-punch arrived in the 84th minute when Tade pounced on Grant Evans’ weak clearance to volley home and leave fuming Ton gaffer Moore shaking his head as he trudged towards the tunnel at the final whistle.

This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 30 Aug 10

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