MORTON manager Jim Duffy admitted that Saturday’s match at Dunfermline was the first time in his managerial career that he was delighted his players ignored his orders.

The Ton boss revealed he was happy to take a 1-1 draw away at the Pars and had instructed his team not to risk a point by overcommitting themselves to attack.

But they continued to pile forward and received their reward when Declan McManus netted a dramatic winner in the third minute of stoppage time.

Duffy beamed: “I’m thrilled, but to be honest I would have been pleased with the point. There’s no question about that.

“When you’re 1-0 down, chasing the game, and you get an equaliser then you’re delighted. And, if anything, I was actually asking Derek Gaston to slow it down a wee bit and take a point.

“Thankfully, the players ignored my wishes and went up the pitch and scored. We actually nearly scored just before that too.

“We still had players up the pitch. Declan [McManus] and Andy [Barrowman] had put in a real shift and fortunately Declan still had the wherewithal to get his shot on target.

“I don’t think it was his cleanest strike. He had a better one from which their keeper made a great save. He actually made a few great saves in the second half.

“Dunfermline hadn’t lost a goal at home all season and we’ve scored two and worked hard, so I’m not going to disguise the fact we’re delighted. But I’m sure Jim [Jefferies] will be absolutely gutted because his team were good for long periods of the game.

“It was a very, very difficult match. There’s no question about that. In the first half in particular, Dunfermline were right at us.

“They were putting corners over, getting balls in the box, and we had to defend for our life. We weathered the storm defensively and managed a couple of counter-attacks.

“The second half, I felt, was more of an even game and, sure as fate, when it’s an even game it gets a wee bit more open and Dunfermline scored.

“But from our point of view, we never gave up. We grew into the match, particularly in the last half hour, and I could certainly see the possibility of an equaliser.

“I’m not going to lie and say that I thought for one second that we would get the winner – but when you do it’s obviously a wee bit special.

“I felt we deserved an equaliser, whether we deserved three points or not is for other people to decide. I’m just delighted we got them.

“Sometimes it goes for you and sometimes goes against you, so we’ll take it and enjoy it.”