Ton get first Dens win since 97
Jonathan Mitchell • Published 29 Aug 2011 12:00
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THERE is a long way to go - and whisper it quietly - but Allan Moore's Morton have the look of a side which could mount a realistic title challenge this season.
On Saturday, they eked out a 1-0 win against Dundee at Dens Park. The sort of hard-fought victory that, they say, champions are made of.
The significance of the result is also underlined by three telling statistics. The win was Morton's first in the City of Discovery since Warren Hawke headed home the only goal there back in November 1997.
Peter MacDonald's strike also ended the Dark Blues' impressive run of 24 games unbeaten at home in the league - a streak which stretches back to a 2-1 loss to Ross County in January 2010.
And perhaps the most significant of all is that Ton have recorded their first away league win in the opening weeks of the campaign, whereas, last season, they went a full six months before beating rock-bottom Stirling Albion 1-0 at Forthbank on 15 February.
Moore went about garnering the result in a positive fashion, by avoiding the temptation to stick with the
4-5-1 formation used against St Mirren in midweek and returning to his trademark 4-4-2.
Darren McGeouch was the man to drop out for Andy Jackson. Marc Smyth continued in central midfield.
In spite of Dundee's confident start, with Colin Stewart called on to push Ryan Conroy's curling free-kick over the crossbar, it was the visitors who took the lead in the seventh minute.
Stuart McCaffrey sent a long free-kick downfield and MacDonald won the header, flicking down to strike partner Andy Jackson, who nipped inside Rhys Weston and fired off a low strike.
Rab Douglas did superbly well to parry, but MacDonald had not rested on his laurels, and followed in to slam home the rebound and extend his red-hot scoring streak to five goals in his last six matches.
The game ebbed and flowed for the remainder of the half, with MacDonald causing Weston particular problems with his intelligent movement and ability to twist and turn on a sixpence.
But besides a Paul Di Giacomo long-range drive which whistled narrowly over the crossbar, there was little in the way of goalscoring chances until five minutes before the break.
In a move reminiscent of Raith Rovers' goal last weekend, Matt Lockwood carved open the Ton defence with a slide-rule pass which sent Conroy through one-on-one with Stewart.
On this occasion, the Ton keeper came up trumps, diving at the former Celtic winger's feet to firmly push the ball away to safety and make the first of four match-winning saves.
He was called into action again two minutes after the restart when he threw up a hand to block Craig McKeown's fierce volley from 12 yards.
But Morton rallied, and embarked on a 15-minute spell in which they were at their most threatening.
On 53 minutes, Jackson saw a header from six yards caught by Douglas, before MacDonald went close to doubling his tally three times in quick succession.
The Ton talisman flashed an angled strike narrowly wide of the upright just after the hour mark, and then stung Douglas' palms with a low drive.
MacDonald's and Morton's last real chance came in the 69th minute when his 25 yard free-kick took a wicked deflection off the Dundee wall and looped agonisingly on to the roof of the net.
From then on in, the hosts began to up the ante as Ton sank deeper, but all the while working like Trojans in an attempt to limit any gaps that might provide their opponents a route to goal.
Moore attempted to further solidify his rearguard by withdrawing Jackson and replacing him with McGeouch.
Yet, it was after this change was made, that the Dark Blues managed to pick the visitors' defensive lock and create their two best opportunities of the match.
In the 78th minute, Gary Irvine burst on to Jamie McCluskey's pass and pierced through a gap in the Ton defence, but Stewart raced from his line to make a crucial block.
Then, with five minutes left, he thwarted substitute Leighton McIntosh, who found himself in an identical situation to Irvine, by plunging to the turf and sticking out a leg to save.
Just as they were 14 years before, the victorious Ton players were treated to a rapturous reception from a vociferous travelling support which appreciated the potential significance of the win.
This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 29 Aug 11
Have your say. Post a comment on this article.
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jessiejames
10 posts
Aug 29, 18:33
Report commentGood win well deserved!
Stewart was excellent. Defence played well. After the team's efforts against St Mirren in midweek Saturday was a great team performance and result.
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