MORTON manager Jonatan Johansson says he is frustrated after poor defensive lapses led to Ross County beating his team on Saturday.

The Ton lost 2-0 to the Staggies at the weekend, with the hosts scoring second-half goals via Josh Mullin and Brian Graham.

Both came from slow closing down of opposition players outside the box and players not reacting quickly enough.

While Johansson feels his side competed well in the first half, he admits these sorts of errors and lapses in concentration have plagued his side this season.

He told the Tele: “It’s frustrating because I felt everything was working for us really well in the first half.

“We won the ball back well, we frustrated them a lot and we probably had the better chances and possession in the first half.

“It’s a difficult place to come and they’re top of the league for a reason, but we said at half-time ‘we must stay solid and stop the crosses into the box, and stop the wingers from beating us’, but that’s exactly what we did.”

“It was the first proper shot they had on target, and it was really poor defensively. It’s cost us a few games, the manner with how we lose the goals.”

While the Ton boss felt his side edged the first half in terms of possession and overall play, they were unable to pose a real goal threat.

It was a similar story when Morton were in the Highlands last month against Inverness Caley Thistle, where they were unable to get a shot on goal.

The Greenock side only had one effort on target throughout the 90 minutes on Saturday, a Robert Thomson second-half shot that was cleared off the line.

He added: “In both boxes we couldn’t make it count, we couldn’t capitalise on it when we were a little bit on top in the first half and had six or seven corners, but we didn’t look like we were going to score from them.

“In the second half the first real chance they had they scored from. From our point of view we allowed the cross in far too easily, it’s dangerous and the boy stayed in the box and they scored it.

“After that we tried to open up a bit and Ross County had a few more chances.

“In the first half it was difficult at times because of the weather, but that’s no excuse, they coped well.

“Up until they scored I felt we were solid and kept a nice shape and the two strikers worked well together, [Greg] Kiltie was causing them lots of problems.

“But we didn’t have enough shots on target and we didn’t work the keeper enough, that was the only disappointing thing from the first half.”