Morton thrashed in five-goal haul
Jonathan Mitchell • Published 1 Oct 2011 10:00
8 Comments
DESPITE an encouraging attendance of 3,380, Friday-night football proved disastrous for Morton on the field as they were thrashed 5-0 by Partick Thistle on a foul Glasgow evening.
After some poor defending had gifted the hosts a two-goal lead inside the first half hour, Ton capitulated catastrophically in the final 15 minutes, conceding a further three goals after Andy Graham's dismissal.
And what will be of particular concern to Allan Moore is the alarming rate at which his team are conceding goals.
Prior to the trip to Dumfries to play Queen of the South two weeks ago, Ton had the best defensive record in the First Division, having let in just three goals in five matches.
Now, three fixtures on, they have the joint worst goals against column, with Colin Stewart's net breached a further 11 times after Thistle's five-goal haul, the 4-1 loss at Queens and a high-scoring 3-2 win over Falkirk.
The defensive frailties were on display as early as the third minute, when Stephen O'Donnell charged through the heart of the Ton defence and onto Kris Doolan's pass before slotting under Stewart to open the scoring.
Many away fans hadn't yet taken their seats before finding their side behind, but they were offered some encouragement as Ton gradually began to control possession while Andy Jackson forced Scott Fox into action with a curling effort from 15 yards.
However, they were taught a lesson in efficiency when Thistle scored again on the half hour mark with their second chance of the match.
It was hard to believe that O'Donnell, who moved across Glasgow in the summer after his release by Celtic, was both making his first start as a senior professional and a full-back playing out of position on the right of midfield.
The 18-year-old charged into a 50/50 tackle with the recently cautioned Ross Forsyth and emerged with the ball and acres of space to career into. He surged forward unopposed and sent a low cross into the box beyond Grant Evans to Doolan, who beat Graham to the ball and converted from close range.
Moore responded by hooking Evans, who he considered to have been partially at fault for both goals, and replaced him with midfielder Darren McGeouch while moving Marc Smyth back into defence.
Ton continued to see more of the ball but without really looking like hurting Thistle. In last week's victory over Falkirk, Sean Fitzharris provided two assists with set-pieces, and this route to goal almost proved productive again in the 40th minute, but his free-kick was headed narrowly over by Jackson.
But after a first half in which the young winger struggled to get going, Moore elected to make another switch, replacing him with Paul Di Giacomo, whose playing style seemed more suited to the occasion.
The manager's stern half-time words also had an immediate effect as his side came out all guns blazing at the start of the second 45.
They could have halved the deficit after just 16 seconds when Peter Mac Donald latched onto Fouad Bachirou's chipped pass, but the 10-goal striker fired off a weak shot which Fox saved with ease.
And when Ton did finally put the ball in the net in the 56th minute, Jackson's strike was ruled out for offside by lineswoman Lorraine Clark.
Even at this stage, the visitors still appeared capable of finding a way back into the match, but that all changed in the 74th minute. Graham, who had struggled to deal with a series of diagonal balls from the right, was adjudged to have intentionally handled one such pass to deny a goalscoring opportunity and was given his marching orders.
Thistle punished their visitors further by netting from the resultant free-kick. Aaron Sinclair smashed Paul Cairney's touch into the wall and the ball broke kindly for the completely unmarked Christie Elliot to fire home.
With his side 3-0 down, Moore decided to throw caution to the wind and leave three at the back in an attempt to try and salvage something from the game, but the move backfired as his team were picked off mercilessly in the final quarter of an hour.
In the 82nd minute, the impressive Sinclair charged down the left and fired over a low centre which eventually ran right across to Chris Erskine on the opposite flank, and the substitute made no mistake as he hooked home goal number four.
Then, seven minutes later, another Thistle sub, Thomas Stewart, swept Paul Cairney's neat lay off beyond his brutally exposed namesake in the Ton goal to complete the final act in Ton's Friday-night horror show.
- FOR PICTURES AND FULL REPORT, SEE MONDAY'S TELE
This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 01 Oct 11
Have your say. Post a comment on this article.
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dezzyboots
27 posts
Oct 1, 12:19
Report commentAbsolutely disgraceful result. Has it been a false dawn this presumed good start to the season with this good improved team full of goals ? The defense and goalkeeper are being found out big time - and in the last three results have leaked 11 given goals and a few disallowed goals - and this from a team at the top of the league - that's relegation form. And the strikers haven't been doing it either - 3 goals in these last three games. Something is wrong somewhere - in the cups competitions thus far - the team has leaked goals with the defence once again highly questionable. Yes there can be bad days at the office - but we can drop down the league just as quickly as we reached the top. I'm sure fans were delighted to go top of the league a few weeks ago - but those same fans will be embarrassed in light of recent results. Time to 'get a grip' !
Recommend?
Yes 10
No 3
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Argyll1854
61 posts
Oct 1, 12:23
Report commentMoore was tactically inept last night, his line up was very questionable indeed, c'mon Allan, you are better than that
Recommend? Yes 4
No 4
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Waterfoot
18 posts
Oct 1, 13:16
Report commentl never like to criticise the team but the central defence were a shambles.l run an under 12s team and would have been unhappy had they lost the first two conceded against Thistle.C Mon Allan get the boys going again,on our day we are as good as any in that league,We ll never have a better chance of winning it.
Recommend? Yes 5
No 1
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UnkilGed
111 posts
Oct 1, 17:34
Report commentThe let's have a go we've nothing to lose attitude when the Ton were 3-0 down was a major blunder on the Manager's side. With all the teams in the league capable of beating each other, goal difference will be a major factor at the end of the season and to "have a go" at that stage of the game will cost the Ton dearly come the end of the season if they continue to give away cheap goals. It is always difficult to score against 10 defenders Allan and that should have been the tactics used when it became blatantly obvious the Ton would get nothing from the game.
Recommend? Yes 5
No 1
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Tonsilitis
5 posts
Oct 3, 09:17
Report commentWe have started to leak goals following the defensive change which broke up the solid partnership of Smyth and McCaffrey at centre back. That partnership was solid for most of last season and for the first few games of this season. It badly needs to be restored.
With Michael Tidser on the long term injury list that could mean we need to look for a strong midfielder perhaps as an emergency loan as we are under strengthen in central midfield now.
Recommend? Yes 1
No 0
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topoftheleague
10 posts
Oct 3, 11:23
Report commentmorton fans everywhere will not be fooled into believing that we are unbeatable we need a centre half and two centre midfielders we are loosing the ball in silly positions and all that is needed is a calm head i think the team have got to excited with the start to the campaign as have i but being a morton fan for 26 years im not stupid this division is ruthless and moore needs to talk to the board about some loans till the end of the season or until january then we can sign someone hope its sorted soon only six points between the teams all to play for we have got a real chance cmon boys do it for the fans we deserve it.
Recommend? Yes 5
No 0
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jkincaid
1 post
Oct 3, 18:39
Report comment -
ericsorenson
22 posts
Oct 3, 22:35
Report commentSome hard thinking and tough action is needed, that's clear - shocking last 2 away results. Still top of the league but the gap beyween top and bottom is narrow. Firhill has always been a bad venue for us as far as I can recall but this is dreadful. Clearly the defence is highly suspect and I hae ma doots aboot the keeper. The manager's reputation is also a wee bit shaky at the moment, time to turn things round, Mr Moore. Best of luck to all the boys. And supporters need to dig in too, no point in getting feral. Gie the Accies a pasting please.
Recommend? Yes 0
No 0
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