Published: Monday, 21st September, 2009 2:00pm
No let-up for Ton fans
by Roger GrahamRaith Rovers 3 Morton 0
RED ALERT: Jim McAlister is carefully watched by Raiths Iain Davidson.
Raith Rovers 3 Morton 0
LISTENING to Davie Irons give his final after-match press conference in the boot room at Stark's Park, one could not help but wonder if the setting had something prophetic about it - and that was how it turned out.
Morton have lost five out of six league matches, scoring twice for the loss of no fewer than 14 goals. Eleven of those have come, without reply, in the last three outings.
The Ton boss's body language was that of a man weighed down by an increasingly heavy burden.
He spoke quietly of disappointment, of players not accepting responsibility, though defending their effort. He spoke of not being a quitter, of not walking away to join those criticising on the outside, of accepting his own responsibility.
The criticism, of course, arises from the team's performances. It is not the result of some Machiavellian plot. And the most serious example of criticism is to be found among those Morton fans who simply have had too much, who have stopped going to the games.
Around a couple of hundred determined souls made the trip through to Kirkcaldy and sat through another painful exhibition by a side who look thoroughly demoralised. It is not just the defeats themselves that are wounding, it is the manner of them.
But it was those who voted with their feet who helped seal the manager's fate. Lost revenue has a wonderful way of concentrating the minds of those who run businesses.
Morton's manager may have not been for quitting but that decision was taken out of his hands. He was, at the final call, responsible for the team's organisation, morale and well-being. There is no avoiding that. And Saturday's performance was a continuation of what has become a profound slump.
As the manager said, players don't try to play badly. But on Saturday they looked as stunned by events as the fans themselves. Where Raith were bright, quick to support each other and neat in their inter-passing, Morton were leaden, stumbling and ill at ease.
It is easy, often true, to say that when you are down the breaks also seem to go against you, but there was an inevitability about Morton's fall from grace.
It no longer came as a surprise and that suggested a deep-rooted problem which affects motivation and envelops everyone.
Raith were worthy winners of this game of football and the contrast between their inventive passing game and Morton's all too frequent resort to the long ball stood out like a beacon.
They enjoyed particular success down the right flank, Williamson heading over from Wilson's cross, then Sloan bending a free kick a yard over.
Jim McAlister created an opportunity for Allan Jenkins only for the midfielder's drive to be blocked by former Morton goalkeeper David McGurn.
But in 27 minutes the hosts took a deserved lead. Stewart attempted a pass to the left-back area and the ball went out of play on the right wing.
A quickly taken throw to Tade caught out Morton and the forward cut inside before planting a drive low inside the right post.
Casalinuovo shot wide then forced Stewart to palm away a second attempt, Stewart Greacen completing the clearance. The same player broke free only to delay his pass to Tade and Morton were fortunate to go in at half-time only one goal in arrears.
Four minutes into the new half, Raith added a second and, even at that stage, it looked to be a decisive blow.
MacFarlane and Masterton got into a fankle in midfield to gift possession to the hosts. Raith players then won a mini-series of challenges before Williamson provided Tade with the opportunity to shoot home.
James Grady came on as Morton switched to two up front. There was a brief spell of revival from the visitors, a dangerous left wing corner by McAlister sweeping across the goalmouth with no takers.
Players were booked as frustration crept in and Raith gradually reassumed control.
Ferry replaced Sloan before Greacen almost grabbed a goal back for Morton, but he was denied by a brave McGurn dive, resulting in him scooping the ball well over.
The keeper was injured in the process but recovered to take his place between the sticks. Ferry slipped a shot just wide after some almost arrogant play by the home team on the left wing, but the same player finally buried Morton with five minutes remaining - and a superb strike it was.
He cut inside past a defender and curled a beautiful shot into the top right-hand corner of the net from an angle on the left.
Morton fans had seen it all before to a sickening degree. They decamped back to their buses and cars, some to be heard voicing their concerns on the radio on the journey home.
Those concerns were clearly shared by those who run the club.
● Peter Weatherson was a late absentee for Morton when he called off with flu on the morning of the match.
RAITH ROVERS (4-4-2): McGurn; Wilson, Murray, Hill, Ellis (Wedderburn 89); Williamson, Walker, Davidson, Sloan (Ferry 69); Casalinuovo (Weir 80), Tade.
Subs not used - Bryce, O'Connor.
Bookings: Wilson 57, Hill 71.
MORTON (4-1-4-1): Stewart 5; McGuffie 6, Greacen 7, McManus 5 Walker 4; MacFarlane 5 (Paartalu 75 4); Finlayson 4, Masterton 4 (Grady 51 4), Jenkins 5, McAlister 6; Graham 5.
Bookings: Walker 44, MacFarlane 59, Greacen 60.
Subs not used - MacGregor, Monti, McWilliams.
Referee: Stephen Finnie 7.
Attendance: 2,040.
Return to: Homepage | Sport Index | This article