JAMES GRADY last night insisted he was the innocent party in a touchline bust-up that saw he and Craig Brewster sent packing for violent conduct.

The Morton manager had to watch from the stand as his side crashed on a deeply-frustrating evening in Dingwall.

Grady, who also disputed County's crucial penalty award and Alan Reid's late red card, had a frank exchange of views with referee John McKendrick in the official's room after the match.

But the Ton boss insisted County assistant manager Brewster - who clearly grabbed his counterpart by the throat - was the only aggressor in the shocking second-half incident.

Grady said: "I'm standing there, I've got a striker who is carrying an injury and I've a substitute who is ready to come on.

"The ball happens to break to me in my technical area and I take a good first touch. I had my hand up shouting to the referee to make a sub and next thing big Brew is over trying to grab the ball and gives me the shove. Then he grabs me by the throat. I don't know what he wanted me to do then?" Grady's frustrations were not solely aimed at the officials - with his team taking some of the flak.

The player-manager stressed: "I'm disappointed. In the first half, we were probably fortunate to go in at 1-0 up.

"Don't get me wrong, we probably had the better chances of the first half but possession-wise Ross County, who we know are a good passing side, had more of the ball.

"When you go in 1-0 up, you're just saying to the boys, 'yes, we're 1-0 up but haven't really played as we can'.

"I just asked for that bit of mental toughness to see out the game. We didn't need to score another goal.

"But when Ross County score so quickly after half-time - a poor goal from our point of view - you're level but still in the game.

"Derek Adams changed his formation within the game, but all of our team knew they'd do that - we'd worked on it so that can't be held as any excuse.

"The second one, the penalty, well I've just spoken to the referee about it and he said our lad's hand was up.

"I said to him I'd watch the DVD and phone him to apologise if it is a penalty but I don't think it was.

"It was definitely ball-to-hand. And the third goal was basically just us chasing the game with 10 men and they catch us on the counter.

"We didn't play as well as we expected to up here. It's not a happy hunting ground for Morton.

"But when you go 1-0 up, I expect to see out a game and we didn't do that." On Reid's sending off for a crunching challenge on County's Gary Miller, Grady added: "It was certainly harsh. There were a few feisty challenges in the game and Alan's wasn't any worse.

"He won the ball cleanly and his momentum has taken him through.

"These tackles happen every week in football and you just want them all treated the same way, because Alan's not a dirty player." County were unchanged for the fifth game running, but Morton were without Alex Walker, Allan Jenkins and player-manager Grady.

But Morton, after three consecutive wins, looked in the mood early on with Jim McAlister's angled 15-yard shot skidding just wide of the far post.

Morton glimpsed another opening after 17 minutes when Carlo Monti's high ball from deep was glanced goalward by Peter Weatherson but clutched by Michael McGovern.

The bustling Weatherson was posing problems in the County box and forced another header wide from Monti's cross a few minutes later.

County were finding it tough to prise an opening and Erik Paartalu (pictured right) shattered the deadlock in style after 29 minutes.

With Morton pressing, the ball broke 25 yards out and Paartalu's strike under pressure from Iain Vigurs thundered high into the top corner past a stationary McGovern.

Di Giacomo broke free after 32 minutes, but with only the keeper to beat the striker ruffled the side-netting.

County began to dominate but Morton's defence was defiant to half-time.

Garry Wood entered the fray at the break, replacing fellow ex-Caley Thistle man Iain Vigurs with almost immediate impact.

A lovely rapid interplay involving Michael Gardyne and Gary Miller set up Wood for a low-cut finish from 10 yards.

Brewster and Grady were then both sent to the stand after that tussle in the technical area.

But County moved in front after 67 minutes when Reid's upstretched arm blocked Wood's shot and Richard Brittain sent Stewart the wrong way from the spot.

Reid's misery after conceding the penalty was completed by a straight red in the 85th minute after scything into Gary Miller.

There were one or two jittery moments for the hosts but Martin Scott lashed home the clincher two minutes into injury time.

Ross County - McGovern; Miller, Boyd, Keddie, Morrison; Brittain, Lawson, Kettlewell, Vigurs (Wood 46); Gardyne (Scott 81); Di Giacomo (Craig 70). Subs: Malin, Scott, Girvan.

Bookings: Miller 72 Morton - Stewart; Van Zanten, Greacen, Paartalu, MacGregor; Finlayson, Reid, Monti, McAlister; Graham (Wake 57), Weatherson. Subs: McWilliams, Masterton, McGuffie, Shimmin.

Bookings: Monti 61 Referee: John McKendrick.