Morton's broken dreams

Jonathan Mitchell • Published 18 Jul 2011 12:00 14 Comments

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HOT SHOT: Peter Weatherson slams home a free kick with 10 minutes to go to put Morton on the scoresheet.

MORTON rounded off their pre-season with a disappointing 4-2 derby day defeat to Renfrewshire rivals St Mirren on Saturday - and lost Andy Graham for two months with a broken cheekbone.

Despite Peter Weatherson's late double giving the scoreline a hint of respectability, the reality was that, Ton faced an SPL side who were superior in every department.

Big-name signings such as Steven Thompson and Gary Teale - both of whom were playing for Scotland in the not-too-distant past - were particularly prominent as their side cruised to a sixth consecutive Renfrewshire Cup win.

Yet, when the match began, there was little to suggest that this was the way things would turn out as the Ton players emerged fired up and desperate to make an early impression.

With just 25 seconds gone, Marc Smyth steamed into an early tackle which would certainly earn him a booking next week at Stranraer.

The hosts began dictating play with a fluid passing game which ensured proceedings would unfold almost exclusively in Morton's half of the field.

Teale was particularly prominent, and it was he who, in the 20th minute, burst into the box and fed Thompson with a neat flicked pass, which the former Rangers striker lashed across goal into the far corner to open the scoring.

Thompson grabbed his second just three minutes later when he darted ahead of his marker to head home Paul McGowan's inviting near-post cross.

St Mirren remained in total control for the rest of the first half, but failed to manufacture another real scoring opportunity as they steadily took their foot off the gas.

Things went from bad to worse for Morton at half-time when Andy Graham was withdrawn due to a broken cheekbone suffered in a head collision with Jeroen Tesselaar.

However, Ton made an encouraging start to the second half, with Paul Di Giacomo winning a free-kick on the edge of the box.

Peter MacDonald took the kick but sent a poor effort high over the crossbar in what would be his final contribution before he was subsequently replaced by Andy Jackson.

This change and the introductions of Darren McGeouch and Weatherson, in particular, would prove to be the catalyst for the late rally which saw Ton salvage some respectability. But before then, they would first hit rock bottom by conceding two further goals.

In the 55th minute, Thompson turned provider, easily holding off the attentions of Ross Forsyth before flicking the ball out to Steven Thompson, who made no mistake from 12 yards.

The travelling support's pain was compounded in the 69th minute when former favourite McGowan, who spent the 2006/07 season on loan at Cappielow, collected Paul McQuade's pass and breezed inside Smyth before expertly curling home.

With 10 minutes left, Ton were 4-0 behind and staring down the barrel of their highest Renfrewshire derby reverse since losing 5-1 at Love Street in 1994.

But Weatherson at least ensured that Ton would not suffer that ignominy by slamming home a powerful free-kick from 25 yards in the 81st minute.

He followed that up with another sensational strike five minutes later when he strode on to a Di Giacomo pass and fired a thunderous first-time drive past Saints keeper Craig Samson.

This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 18 Jul 11

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ronnie1954
4 posts
Jul 18, 13:53
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I don't know what Moore is thinking about after that display on Saturday if all stays the same then how can he think of being contenders for promotion, we'll be lucky to survive.

Allan Moore seemed to be the only man who didn't see the wing men of St. Mirren throughout the game ripping us apart, if it wasn't for Peter, he seemed to be the only player in the team who had a clue as to what he was doing he should have been on from the start.

Get the finger out Allan Moore and get this team working instead of just one man......

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kimmiebaxter
26 posts
Jul 18, 14:54
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Firstly, I agree ^.

Secondly, what the hell was that on Saturday? If that is any indication of this season, hello second division! I dont know about any one else but me personally, if we do not improve for this Saturday, I will not be going to any of the games this season!

SPL strikers were pish, the only one we can count on is big Peter!

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LAS
36 posts
Jul 18, 15:26
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Cannot agree with any of that post Kimmie. Whilst it was a poor display on Saturday, it'll be an entirely different Morton team come 3pm on Saturday. Dont be downbeat with the result, at the end of the day it is a friendly. Our season starts THIS Saturday!

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dezzyboots
27 posts
Jul 18, 16:32
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Signings have promised much - but this pre-season (results-wise) - has been probably amongst the worst ever. With a threadbare squad because of injuries - our hopes and aspirations may have been dashed already. It's down to Allan to get the team providing the goods on the park - or he could find himself out of a job - something I hope doesn't happen - but time will tell .....

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chrisbull
5 posts
Jul 18, 17:09
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this is monday afternoon and i am still absolutly devastated deeply saddend really upset and angry .i say COME ON YEE TON . lets doe wat we need to doe walsall and motherwell was superb result negative the rest positive . we went to stranrar this time last year and we won well . lets get every one back in cappielow for this season and get behind the team lets forget st mirren and give all we have for every 90 minutes we play we are blue and we are white . please dont take my morton away.

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D1874C1922
2 posts
Jul 18, 18:20
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that was meant to be moore's best starting 11, DONT THINK SO a wasn't impressed with many of the players on show, only 2 or 3 got pass marks, and i feel sorry for big Andy Graham aswell, no the way he wanted to start his Ton carer

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MurrayMcMillan
17 posts
Jul 18, 18:22
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Cant help but think that performance may have cost quite a few folk on the gate for the first home game, as well as people who may have travelled for the start of the season.

I was disgusted- no belief, no fight, no anything until Weatherson and McGeough came on and changed things.

Weatherson HAS to start with Jackson.

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flyingscot
1 post
Jul 18, 22:46
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Morton were very poor and well beaten. The 2 goals were consolation after St Mirren had made substitutions, changed things and went to sleep. Many fans missed them having left a good while before they came.

I can't work out from that game whether Morton were just absolutely awful or whether St Mirren have a good side this year. I think it is a bit of both to be fair.

I wasn't impressed with Tidser in midfield. Teale in particular looked good but also Hasselbaink, McGowan and Thompson who ran the defense ragged

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ericsorenson
22 posts
Jul 18, 23:43
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Mmmm, hard to comment from the other side of the world, but it doesn't read well, does it? We have always struggled against that lot from up the road but this is not a healthy sign. Mr Moore may have his work cut out: hopefully it was a one off appalling display. Anxiety levels rising again and it's still July.

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jmckay59
1 post
Jul 19, 13:41
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It seems like a disapointing start to the pre-season and the actual one only round the corner. I don't get home often but went to the home game against Falkirk late in the season which showed a little promise.

It seems to me we have signed a load of SPL also rans with a few handfuls of game between them at that level. We have also lost some useful players albeit no world beaters. Having struggled for much of last season, that doesn't bode well. Hope I am wrong! Btw, that wasn't really the "Man in Black" on the previous post was it?

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ericsorenson
22 posts
Jul 20, 01:05
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My secret stays with me, but if only I had stayed with the Ton and not moved to Rangers! Boy, I was good at Morton. So was my fellow countryman, Lief Nielsen a few years later, when he was with the Morton. One of the best keeprs you will ever see - we made Schmeichel look like a boy.

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knoxha
1 post
Jul 20, 18:12
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i have went to morton games for 9 years and that is 1 of the worst yet

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eriks0rensen
2 posts
Jul 21, 19:10
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Try 51 years, then you'll have something to greet about, knoxha! You might also have a few golden memories to balance things out.

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Bluebox
1 post
Jul 23, 12:38
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When can we expect to see some more signings? Is it correct that we have a squad of only 14? What's happening with the season starting today?

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