Ton lose out to Partick late show
Jonathan Mitchell • Published 12 Dec 2011 12:00
2 Comments
Morton's winless streak at Cappielow was extended to five league games after Partick Thistle left Greenock with three points thanks to a last-gasp 2-1 win on Saturday.
The sides had looked set to share the spoils after Darren McGeouch had cancelled out David Rowson's stunning first-half strike.
But sub Kris Doolan swooped to score a dramatic 88th-minute winner and amplify concern at Ton's recent run of results, which now stands at one win in their last nine First Division fixtures.
However, despite their poor form, Allan Moore's men had shown signs of recovery with last week's impressive performance at Falkirk.
Although Ton ultimately lost that match, they deserved more for their efforts and would have taken something but for an inspired goalkeeping display by Michael McGovern.
It was unsurprising that Moore made just one change to that team, replacing Paul Di Giacomo with Sean Fitzharris, who had made a positive impression after coming on as a sub.
There was also encouraging news from the treatment table in that Colin Stewart, Fouad Bachirou and Michael Tidser, whose three-month absence almost directly correlates with his team's downturn in fortunes, were deemed fit enough for places on the bench.
It was the visitors who started brightest, with their advanced midfield triumvirate of Kyle Hutton - in the last game of a loan from Rangers - Paul Cairney and Rowson dictating the game.
However, Ton were first to threaten as a McGeouch free-kick from the left flashed across the face of goal and just wide of the upright in the ninth minute.
Partick were also causing problems with their inventive set pieces, and Moore's men were fortunate to see Craig Dargo hook over the bar from Cairney's low corner.
The Thistle goal was next to survive a scare when David O'Brien surged forward and slid the ball to Jackson, who unleashed a powerful drive which Scott Fox was forced to bat away after it had swerved in mid-flight. For the next 20 minutes, the home side continued to knock at their visitors' door, but they were twice thwarted by last-ditch defending by Conrad Balatoni.
In the 23rd minute, he was caught out by Marc Smyth's exacting pass over his head to Peter Weatherson but managed to recover and block his angled drive.
Then, one minute later, he made a crucial contribution by getting his body in the way of a scorching McGeouch volley from eight yards, which looked certain to hit the net the moment he connected with Fitzharris's deflected cross.
Weatherson was next to try his luck with a left-foot volley which dipped at the last second but landed the wrong side of Fox's right-hand post.
Partick gradually forced their way back, and Dargo unleashed a 25-yard curler which would surely have found the postage-stamp corner if Ton had anyone but 6ft 6in Cervi between the sticks.
But the hosts' agony at failing to convert their chances was eventually compounded in the 39th minute when Cairney worked a short corner and cut the ball back for Rowson to lash an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net from the edge of the box. Ton started the second period in spirited fashion and had a strong penalty shout turned down by ref John McKendrick after a Grant Evans header from a Fitzharris corner appeared to strike Balatoni's raised arm.
But any sense of injustice was quickly put to the back of their minds when McGeouch equalised in the 53rd minute. The otherwise impressive Hutton gifted Derek Young possession with a slack pass, and the experienced midfielder slipped the ball to McGeouch, who rifled home an expertly executed drive from just outside the box.
Shortly thereafter, the goalscorer was involved in a midfield reshuffle when he was moved out to right-hand side following Fouad Bachirou's introduction in place of Fitzharris.
Then, 10 minutes later, Moore made another switch, bringing Michael Tidser on for his first appearance since mid-September. The Ton gaffer later stated that he felt he had made his substitutions in haste and that the changes failed to maintain his side's momentum.
And despite some typically tenacious play from Bachirou, this did seem to be the case as Thistle found a renewed impetus. Nonetheless, Ton managed to manufacture two decent opportunities in the face of Thistle's pressure, both of which fell to O'Brien.
In the 67th minute, Weatherson sent the left winger racing clear with an incisive through ball, but his finish didn't match the quality of the approach play as he sliced wide.
O'Brien then demonstrated fantastic footwork of his own to jink past two defenders on his way to goal. However, he failed to fully wrap his right foot around the ball and his effort was comfortably caught by Fox.
But just six minutes after entering play, Doolan added the finishing touch to a Thistle counter when he slid in ahead of Thomas O'Ware to force Sinclair's low cross over the line. Ton had one final chance to salvage a point in the third minute of stoppage time, but Weatherson's 25-yard free kick narrowly cleared the crossbar.
This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 12 Dec 11
Have your say. Post a comment on this article.
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thelaffinboy
28 posts
Dec 12, 12:27
Report commentNot one of mortons best games....there was a sign of nerves from the team...only weatherson.obrien.graham get pass marks imo...and mcgeouch for scorin a screamer...poor display...losin silly goals late in a game...tut tut.
Recommend?
Yes 5
No 0
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globetrotter
13 posts
Dec 12, 23:25
Report commentMorton are on the road to Hampden, unfortunately it is to play Queens Park in a league game
Recommend? Yes 4
No 3
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