Partick Thistle 0 -Morton 3 - Wake (14, 56), Finlayson (45)
Att - 4,914
As the front page of today's Tele' says 'We Did It'.
Morton avoided the play-offs and a play-off for the play-offs by matching Clyde's result at home to Stirling Albion - both sides winning 3-0 - in a day full of drama.
It seemed that everytime we scored Clyde would also score keeping the pressure on our players and the 2,600 strong Morton support biting our nails.
We put ourselves in the driving seat by taking the lead in the 12th minute. Newly established cult hero Brian Wake volleyed homewith his left foot after an Erik Paartalu cross was knocked down by Iain Russell inside the box. The goal was similar to the one he scored against St. Johnstone at McDiarmid Park and seems to suggest that Wake is something of a penalty box predator. His general play outside the box isn't the best but in the box he's been deadly over the last few weeks. Wakey had another chance in the first half; he chested down a cross ball swivelled brilliantly to hook a powerful volley into the bottom corner, Northern Ireland Under-21 internationalist goalkeeper Jon Tuffey dived low to his left to make an excellent save. Wake's chest, turn and shot impressed me more than either of his goals!
Clyde's Gary McSwegan pulled the Bully Wee back level with us in the 44th minute but this didn't last long as Kevin Finlayson let fly from around 25 - 30 yards and the ball flew past Tuffey in the Thistle goal (after watching the video on gmfc.net I've decided this goal was even better than I remember). Morton were back on top at half-time.
However, the twists and turns began again right after the restart. Pat Clarke - a transfer window signing from Cowdenbeath - scored immediately after half time to once again bring Clyde level.
Wake put the Morton support in dreamland with a third goal - his second - that turned out to be the goal that kept us up. My memory, Miller genuine draft and distance from the third goal prevent me remembering exactly how it happened but what I do remember is Brian Wake sort of hitting his shot off of Tuffey but it still ending up in the net.
At this point we seemed to be in control and with the news that Clyde were still only 2-0 up at Broadwood, and needing two goals or one goal and Thistle to score, we could see out the game quite comfortably. This all changed in the 83rd minute when Pat Clarke scored his second of the day from the penalty spot meaning a nerve jangling last 7 or so minutes for everyone involved.
As it happened we saw out the game and Clyde failed to score meaning we stayed up but not without some controversy. Partick's Damon Gray attempted to nick a goal by failing to pass back when Morton put the ball out for an injury to Iain Russell. Gray got on the end of the thrown in - which seemed to be aimed for Lee Robinson - but failed to punish the sleepy Ton defence. Clyde claimed that rumours circulated their ground suggesting that Thistle had pulled back not one but two goals on us and some Clyde fans have suggested that their players eased off believing they were staying up. Well Thistle hadn't and the celebrating Clyde fans must've felt like they'd been mugged when the real score filtered through.
The joyous scenes at the end were mostly stimulated by relief but I also think that there's a real optimism that Davie Irons has the managerial ability to get us up the right end of the table next season. Roll on 2008 / 2009.
Morton (3-5-2):
1. Robinson - 7
2. Harding - 8
3. Walker - 8 (12. Weatherson - 79 mins)
4. Millar - 7
5. Greacen (c) - 8
6. McGuffie - 7
7. Finlayson - 7 (16. Jenkins - 85 mins)
8. Paartalu - 8
9. Wake - 9
10. Russell - 7
11. McAlister - 7
Subs Not Used:
14. McLaughlin
15. Keenan
20. McGurn
Harding Greacen Walker
Finlayson Millar Paartalu McGuffie McAlister
Russell Wake
Booked: Robertson, Rowson, Harkins.
My man of the match: Brian Wake
Sponsor's man of the match:
Matchday Programme (Click to enlarge)
Watch the highlights here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/scotland/7376371.stm
BBC match report: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_div_1/7364831.stm
Greenock Telegraph match report: http://www.greenocktelegraph.co.uk/articles/2/23318
Greenock Telegraph match reaction: http://www.greenocktelegraph.co.uk/articles/2/23322
Partick Thistle match report: http://ptfc.co.uk/pressbox/match_reports.asp?id=216
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