JIM Duffy admits his side ran out of ideas against Falkirk during Saturday’s disappointing 1-0 defeat to the Bairns.

Ton were unable to cause the visitors too many problems in front of goal on an afternoon bereft of any creative quality from either side. 

The only real moment of outstanding skill supporters were treated to throughout the afternoon was the match-winning 30-yarder from ex-Morton man Joe McKee.

But while Duffy was discouraged by his own players’ attacking threat, he did praise the visitors for their ability to control and manage the game after they scored — thwarting anything Ton threw at them.

He said: “Every game we’ve played against Falkirk in the last few years has been very evenly contested, sometimes it’s swung our way and sometimes it’s swung theirs.

“Falkirk managed the game very well after they’ve scored. I thought up until that point we were the slightly better team. In the first half in particular we controlled most of the game even if there were a couple of moments on the counter attack. Generally speaking in the first half I thought we played okay.

“But once the goal went in I thought Falkirk’s game management was excellent and we ran out of ideas a little bit.”

Morton couldn’t break down Alex Smith’s defence with their hopeful balls forward which Duffy reckons suited the opposition back four. And the Morton boss explained that he wanted his players to show more patience and do what they can to build from the back.

It didn’t work out that way and Duffy reckons his side ran out of patience.
He added: “In essence, Falkirk have four centre-backs. It’s not easy because if you throw a ball in there it suits the defenders. 

“You’ve got to have patience and we ran out of patience at times. It’s difficult when you go a goal down, we understand that people want the ball forward and want it played quicker.

“But it was the opposite, we had to calm it down and keep passing it. Every time we knocked in a long ball we gave it away. 

“It suited Falkirk for us to play that way. You’ve got to move the defenders and we didn’t do that well enough.”

Derek Gaston was culpable at the free-kick but Duffy refused to point the finger at his stopper after watching him play so well in recent weeks. 

He said: “Joe [McKee] executes the free-kick very well but Derek is disappointed because there’s been a wee lapse in concentration. 

“Over the last few weeks he’s been magnificent so I’m not going to criticise Gats. I felt we had plenty of time after that to impact the game and we didn’t really do that.”