ST MIRREN manager Jack Ross criticised his defenders after his side shipped four goals to Morton in a dismal performance at Cappielow.

The Buddies lost 4-1 when it could easily have been more and Ross tore into his back four at the end of the game. 

He said: “Throughout my tenure here I’ve always spoke quite frankly and I always let players know what I’ll say about them publicly. We were so poor defensively and that’s why we lost the game. Middle to front I don’t have too many complaints, they were fine.

“But when you defend in the manner in which we did throughout the game, you won’t win football matches. 

“As a team we didn’t defend well enough and it gives me a decision to make moving forward.”

Centre-back Jack Baird clumsily conceded a spot-kick in each half, bringing down Jai Quitongo in the first and tripping Bob McHugh in the second.  

Despite discussion about whether the foul on Quitongo was soft, Ross was frustrated at his player for making the challenge in the first place.

He added: “Was it soft? For me it’s a penalty — Jack Baird doesn’t need to make the challenge. I think overall the accountability will always fall on me as the manager, but too often in the modern game players don’t take responsibility themselves enough and they need to do that. 

“The defenders need to because we didn’t defend well enough.”