Ton make their point on road
Jonathan Mitchell • Published 24 Oct 2011 10:00
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THE OPENER: David O'Brien rattles home Morton's goal. Picture: Robert Speirs
MORTON arrested their recent run of three disappointing defeats in four games with a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Livingston on Saturday.
David O'Brien gave Allan Moore's men the lead with a rasping drive which cannoned into the net via the bar before former Ton man Iain Russell converted a penalty 11 minutes before the break.
There would be no further scoring in the second half and the sides had to settle for a share of the spoils.
But while the draw was only Morton's third of the season, and their first in nine matches, it was the host's seventh of the campaign - and their sixth in their last seven league games.
And Moore may have had this in mind when he made a host of changes to the side which lost 2-0 to Hamilton at Cappielow last week.
Instead of his trademark 4-4-2 formation, the Ton boss went with the 4-5-1-cum-4-3-3 system which he deployed successfully in spells last season.
In terms of personnel, Matthew McGinley was given his debut in goal, while Andy Graham returned to the defence after suspension.
This freed up Peter Weatherson to assume the role as his side's attacking spearhead, with Peter MacDonald and Andy Jackson dropping to the bench.
Darren McGeouch was given a starting berth in midfield after new signing Derek Young was ruled out due to an outstanding one-match suspension from his time with Aberdeen.
However, it was a couple of Moore's subtle on-field changes that had the greatest effect, as his decision to start Paul Di Giacomo on the left and O'Brien on the right proved an extremely effective tactical switch.
And after a lively first 16 minutes, the move paid dividends when O'Brien fired his side into a 1-0 lead with his second goal of the season.
Fouad Bachirou, who was given licence to roam on Saturday, exchanged passes with Weatherson before slipping the ball inside to O'Brien, who worked a yard of space before rifling a stunning finish into the net off the underside of the crossbar.
Ton continued to push for a second, with O'Brien proving a constant thorn in Livingston's side - but it would be the hosts who created the clearest scoring opportunities in the final 15 minutes of the first half.
On the half-hour mark, new signing Mark Fotheringam forced McGinley into his first real save of the afternoon with a curling free-kick from 25 yards.
The inexperienced keeper was pressed into action again in the 33rd minute when he raced from his line to confront Mark McNulty after he was sent clear by Stefan Scougall's precise through ball.
But McGinley only succeeded in clipping the striker's feet as he attempted to round him, and referee Kevin Clancy pointed to the spot.
While video footage suggested the foul took place just outside the box, the goalkeeper can perhaps consider himself fortunate to have only received a booking.
Yet he can count himself unlucky not to have saved Russell's spot-kick, as he dived the correct way but failed to get a strong enough hand behind the ball to prevent it hitting the net.
Ton flew out of the traps in the second 45, and with just two minutes on the clock, O'Brien should have fired his side back into the lead when he burst onto Weatherson's pass, but Andrew McNeil plunged to his left to make a crucial block.
On the other side, Paul Di Giacomo was growing increasingly influential, and he set up Bachirou, who danced inside a tackle but - to his and the travelling fans' agony - saw his effort finish narrowly wide of the upright.
As the half progressed, the hosts began to find their feet and would have taken the lead themselves but for some outstanding defending by Grant Evans, who bravely blocked a Fotheringam free-kick in the 68th minute and then popped up on the line to clear McNulty's net-bound strike two minutes later.
But Ton also had further chances in what was proving to be a real end-to-end encounter.
Archie Campbell drew a stunning reflex save from McNeil, who somehow managed to claw the ball out of the top corner after the Ton sub had flicked Ross Forsyth's header from a McGeouch corner towards goal.
Although the Cappielow men may feel slightly aggrieved not to have taken all three points, they will be pleased to have secured a confidence-building away draw before next week's huge home clash with league leaders Ross County.
This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 24 Oct 11
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