DISMAL Morton suffered a shock defeat in their Premier Sports Cup opener against Linlithgow Rose at Cappielow.
The Ton’s hopes of progressing from the group are already hanging by a thread after the Lowland League champions claimed a thoroughly deserved victory.
After passing up a number of opportunities, Calum Rae burst onto a through ball and rounded the keeper to send the small band of travelling supporters wild.
It was an afternoon to forget for Ian Murray’s men, who were roundly booed as they left the field following the full-time whistle.
Murray handed competitive debuts to Brian Kinnear, Jayden Gorman, Callum Sandilands, Harry Cochrane and Laiith Fairnie, while Bobby McLuckie and trialist MacKenzie Carse were named on the bench.
An early effort from Dylan Paterson was comfortably gathered by Kinnear as Linlithgow Rose showed their intent from the outset.
Morton’s opening chance arrived in the ninth minute after Eamonn Brophy connected with Cammy Ballantyne’s low cross, but his volley was well blocked by Ciaran Greene.
Rose immediately threatened at the other end, with Calum Rae’s fizzing shot drifting just wide of the target.
Paterson worked Kinnear again in the 18th minute with a well-struck free-kick that the Ton goalkeeper claimed confidently.
A minute later, Morton were almost punished after being hit on the counter-attack from their own corner. The ball was eventually worked to Lucas Stenhouse at the back post, but his powerful strike was batted behind by Kinnear.
On 33 minutes, good play from Jackson Longridge teed up Brophy to steer beyond Cameron Binnie, though just as the net was about to bulge, his shot struck Gorman and drifted behind.
Rose continued to pile on the pressure in search of an opener.
Rae’s effort flew just over before Cameron Thomson curled a shot against the face of the post with the Ton goalkeeper rooted to the spot.
It was a worrying spell for the Cappielow men, with the visitors looking by far the more likely to break the deadlock.
With five minutes remaining before half-time, it took a superb stop from Kinnear to prevent Thomas from finding the top corner with an angled drive from the edge of the box.
The visitors screamed for a penalty in the closing moments of the half when Blair Henderson hit the deck under pressure from Kris Moore, but referee Peter Stuart waved away the appeals, much to the bemusement of the Rose attacker.
Given their abject first-half display, it was little surprise that Murray turned to his bench, introducing Michael Garrity in place of Cochrane — and he almost made an immediate impact.
Gorman showed quick feet to create space before scooping a cross towards the winger, but his header was kept out by heroic goal-line defending from Thomson.
The breakthrough arrived in the 57th minute when the home defence were caught cold by Dylan Paterson’s long ball over the top. Rae kept his composure, rounded Kinnear and slotted the ball home.
Murray reacted by bringing on McLuckie for Brophy on the hour-mark in an attempt to breathe some much-needed life into his side.
However, their arrears were almost doubled just 30 seconds later. Again, it was Thomson who tried his luck from range — arrowing a superb strike that crashed back off the upright.
There was another close call in the 67th minute when Jamie Watson flicked Adam McGowan’s corner inches wide.
Gorman came close to dragging the Ton level after steering wide from Garrity’s good delivery.
The ease with which the home defence was being cut open will concern Murray. In the 69th minute, Rae raced through on goal before being denied by another brilliant stop from Kinnear.
Sandilands was replaced by Michael O’Halloran for the final 13 minutes, but the hosts were still struggling to find a way through the resolute away defence.
A flurry of balls into the penalty box were comfortably dealt with by the Linlithgow defence, ending an afternoon to forget for Morton.
The away players celebrated a famous victory at the final whistle, while Morton were left to reflect on a desperately disappointing start to their Premier Sports Cup campaign.
Morton (4-1-3-2) - Kinnear, Ballantyne, Moore, Fairnie, Longridge, Gillespie, Cochrane (Garrity 46), Wilson, Sandilands (O'Halloran 77), Gorman, Brophy (McLuckie 60)
Subs Not Used: Murdoch, Carse, Murphy, Black
