Greenock Morton: Morton 3 - 0 Dunfermline Athletic

19/04/2008

Morton 3 - 0 Dunfermline Athletic

Morton 3 - Wake (14), Harding (59), Finlayson (73)
Dunfermline 0 -

Att - 2,428

Morton climbed out of the play-off position with a fine win against a hapless Pars side.

Davie Irons made the changes expected when he dropped Scott McLaughlin and Peter Weatherson and brought in Brian Wake and Iain Russell - both of whom were integral in our fight back against St. Johnstone last week. Alex Walker replaced David MacGregor at the back and Allan Jenkins was deemed fit enough for a place on the bench.

We took the lead in the 14th minute. An Erik Paartalu cross ( we must keep a hold of him) from the left was fluffed by Iain Russell but the much maligned Brian Wake was on hand to rifle the loose ball into the Sinclair Street end goal. Two goals in two games for a player the vast majority of fans have been overly critical of - myself very much included. Wake, although not the most talented of players, gives you everything Peter Weatherson doesn't: honest endeavour, movement, a goal threat, a nuisance to opposition defenders and add to that the fact that he actually jumps for headers (maybe he should recommend his boot manufacturers to Peter, as his appear to be made of lead).

The half-time whistle was greeted with a thunderous applause in appreciation of the first half performance. However, I think that, like myself, most people were still wearyof the slender 1-0 lead. The feeling being that we could still be punished for failing to finish Dunfermline off with a second goal. In addition to the need for more goals to ensure the three points we also needed to score as many times as possible to put us ahead of Clyde - who were 2-0 down to Hamilton - on goal difference.

Ryan Harding settled the home crowd's nerves by popping up to score the second in the 59th minute. The big defender - my man of the match - ghosted in at the back post to sidefoot an Alex Walker free kick past former Scotland international goalkeeper Paul Gallacher.

As this point we were cruising and it just looked like a question of how many more we could score to boost our goal difference. Dunfermline, a side including former Scotland internationalists and a host of experienced players, were in my opinion a joke. Guys like Scott Wilson, Stevie Crawford and Darren Young (who missed an absolute sitter at 1-0) should take a look in the mirror. These players are picking up a decent wage and for a side including players of that ability they should be ashamed to be sitting mid-table.

It was only a matter of time before we extended our lead and when we did it was a bit of a stunner. Kevin 'Finners' Finlayson ran at Muirhead on Dunfermline's left and twisted and turned leaving the defender tied in knots. The former Stranraer man then cut into the box past another defender before appearing to stumble and lose control of the ball. Just as everyone thought the ball was about to be cleared Finlayson wrapped his left foot around it and curled a shot into Gallacher's bottom right-hand corner and in off the post. An absolute beauty by another of Morton's much maligned players.

We almost scored a fourth near the end but Wake rammed a sitter off the under side of the cross bar and Paartalu drilled the rebound off the defender on the line. Both chances should've been scored but we can only be happy with a 3-0 win against Dunfermline especially when you consider this result combined with Clyde's 2-0 loss to Hamilton Accies (who secured the title with their win) meant that we are now one goal ahead on of Clyde on goal difference ( -21 compared to Clyde's -22) and out of the play-off spot into 8th place.

All we need to do now is go to Firhill next week and match Clyde's result at home to Stirling Albion...

Morton (3-5-2):

17. Robinson - 7
2. Harding - 9
3. Walker - 7
4. Millar - 6
5. Greacen (c) - 7
6. McGuffie - 7
7. Finlayson - 8
8. Paartalu - 8
9. Wake - 8
10. Russell - 7
11. McAlister - 7

Subs Not Used:

12. McLaughlin
14. Keenan
15. Jenkins
16. Weatherson
20. McGurn

Booked: Paartalu

Robinson
Harding Greacen Walker
Finlayson Millar Paartalu McGuffie McAlister
Russell Wake

Dunfermline: Gallacher, Woods, Wilson, Scott Thomson, Muirhead, Phinn, McIntyre, Young (Simmons 70), Glass, Crawford (Burchill 63), Burke (Bamba 60).Subs Not Used: Williamson, Murdoch.

Booked: Wilson, Young, McIntyre, Simmons

My man of the match: Ryan Harding

Sponsor's man of the match:

Matchday Programme (Click to enlarge)