Outfought, outpaced, outgunned

Roger Graham • Published 31 Aug 2009 14:00

Partick Thistle 5 Morton 0

Partick Thistle 5 Morton 0

Last season it was Airdrie; this time it was Partick who stuck five past Morton without reply.

Now, as then, it has raised serious question marks as to the direction the Cappielow outfit are taking.

On this occasion Ton manager Davie Irons bypassed the standard after-match press conference, leaving the stage to his counterpart Ian McCall.

He had won the tactical battle hands down, his decision to field Marc Corcoran up front alongside Liam Buchanan proving decisive.

It was their movement and pace, along with a departure from Thistle's normal passing game in favour of the more direct approach, which reaped heady rewards.

Three times Partick played long, three times they scored in a first 45 minutes which killed the match as a contest.

In the second period Morton's frustration showed with the booking of Neil MacFarlane for a late lunge in midfield, then the sending-off of skipper Stewart Greacen for an impetuous foul on Erskine in the middle of the pitch. If not condoned, Greacen's action, coming as it did immediately following the fourth goal, was an act of pure frustration and one which, it has to be said, is out of character.

By the time the fifth goal went in with 10 minutes to go, the sizeable visiting support, stunned by proceedings, was mainly on its way out of the ground.

This was humiliation on the grand scale. Morton have a fortnight to sort it out, with a break next weekend due to Scotland's commitments.

It is a long time to wait for repaparation.

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This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 31 Aug 09

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