Hibernian 3 - 4 Morton

Hibernian 3 - Keenan (80), Shiels (85), Pinau (91)
Morton 4 - Russell (29, 115 pen), Masterton (66), Harding (118)

Att: 14874

What a match! Morton progressed to the next round of the Co-Operative Insurance cup after coming out on top in this seven goal thriller at Easter Road.

Davie Irons went with a 3-5-2 formation for the first time this season. Peter Weatherson and Kevin Finlayson dropped out of the starting eleven that played against Dundee on Saturday. Stevie Masterton and Allan McManus came in. The team lined up as you would expect except Irons decided to put Shimmin in midfieldwhere he sat in front of the midfield in an attempt to stifle Dean Shiels.

The Morton support were in dreamland in the 29th minute when Iain Russell scored to put us one nil up (totally against the run of play; Kevin Cuthbert had been in inspiritional form pulling off numerous saves up to this point) when he rounded McNeil and, from what looked an impossible angle, hooked a shot that evaded Ian Murray on the line.

Stevie Masterton made it two with a Beckham-esque free-kick. A 30 yarder that sailed into the postage stamp top corner. He more than justified his tag as dead ball specialist with this screamer. 30 yard effort that

We looked to be holding our lead in the face of increasing Hibs pressure until, with ten minutes to go, former Chelsea kid Joe Keenan unleashed a thunderbolt from his left foot to make it 2-1. One of those shots you know is going in as soon as it leaves the player's foot.

It seemed inevitable that Hibs would score again. The inevitable came just five minutes later. Northern Ireland internationalist Dean Shiels waltzed past a couple of tired Morton challenges to slot past Cuthbert and send the game into extra time.

A Hibs win in extra time had more inevitability about it than their equaliser. Everyone around me was commenting on how knackered the boys looked after the shift they'd put in. More than one person thought we were looking at a repeat of Aberdeen's 7-3 win aet around ten years ago. Steven Pinau seemed to have confirmed our fears one minute into extra-time when he side footed high past Cuthbert to finish off a superb passing move by Hibs.

We were all wrong. An Allan Jenkins volley was blocked by a combination of Shiels' ribs and elbow and referee brines pointed to the spot to hand us an unlikely lifeline. Iain Russell looked the coolest man on the planet and he stepped and beat Hibs substitute keeper Grof high to his right. Excellent penalty.

Before we even had a chance to settle down in anticipation of the impending penalty shootout we scored a winner. Erik Paartalu looked to have fouled - assaulted if you're Mixu Paatelainen - Chris Hogg on the edge of the Hibs penalty area. Brines gave the decision our way - about time we benefited from a dodgy decision. Peter Weatherson stepped up and smashed the free-kick at goal, Grof cleared with his feet but the ball fell right into Ryan Harding's path and he slotted home from close range to send the Ton fans wild and his old club crashing out of the League Cup.

This will go down as on of the great nights in Morton's recent history. Well done lads! Let's take that performance into our league campaign and we'll soon be moving up the league.

Morton (3-5-2):

1. Cuthbert - 9
2. Shimmin - 8
3. Walker - 6 (15. Weatherson - 46 mins)
4. McManus - 7
5. Paartalu - 7
6. Harding - 7
7. McGuffie - 7
8. Masterton - 8 (12. Jenkins - 85 mins)
9. Wake - 8 (14. Newby - 110 mins)
10. Russell - 9
11. McAlister - 9

Subs Not Used:

16. McAnespie
20. Stewart

Booked: Paartalu, McManus

Cuthbert
Harding McManus Walker

Shimmin
McGuffie Paartalu Masterton McAlister
Russell Wake

Hibernian: McNeil (Grof 43), van Zanten, Hogg, Murray, Stevenson, Shiels, Keenan, Rankin, Morais (Zemmama 46), Fletcher, Nish (Pinau 73).

Subs Not Used: Campbell, Canning.

Booked: Stevenson, Hogg, Pinau


My man of the match: Iain Russell

Sponsor's man of the match: Iain Russell


Matchday Programme (Click to enlarge)













Greenock Telegraph match report

highlights and interview with Paatelainen from hibernianfc.tv

Tontastic Pictures

BBC match report

hibs.co.uk match report

hibs.co.uk match reaction

Under-19s Draw With Partick

Morton U-19s 2 - Greig (19), McKay (41)

Partick Thistle U-19s 2 - Begg, McDougall

Allan McManus' Morton under-19s team drew 2-2 with Partick Thistle on Sunday (24.08.08).

The team included first team squad members Darren McGeough (pictured), Liam Kerrigan and Lee Mitchell.

Full Line Up: McWilliams, McMahon, Shepard, Greig, Melville, Mitchell, Kerrigan (Stibbs 80 mins), McKerral, McKay, McGeough, Gordon (Smith 74 mins)

Unused Subs: Kane, Little, Cannon

http://www.gmfc.net/News/&action=fullnews&id=36

http://ptfc.co.uk/pressbox/news.asp?id=1817

Dundee 1 - 0 Morton

Dundee 1 - Paton (28)
Morton 0 -

Att: 4032

An Eric Paton header consigned Morton to the their second league defeat in a row.

Davie Irons went with a four-four-two formation in what must've been an attempt to shore up the defence for a trip to take on the league leaders on their home patch. Peter Weatherson was restored to the starting line-up at right-back and Alex Walker came in at left-back. Allan McManus was dropped to the bench; presumably as a result of some shambolic defending the week before. Kevin Finlayson came in at right midfield while Jon Newby and Stevie Masterton joined McManus on the bench.

None of the above worked.

This was a dire performance made all the more disappointing when you consider that Dundee are a shadow of the side they were last season. The match was so bad, in fact, that I can only pick out three incidents of note.


In the tenth minute Kevin Finlayson hobbled off injured to be replaced by Allan Jenkins.

The second incident was Dundee's goal which arrived in the 28th minute. Eric Paton darted along the six yard box to meet Freddy Daquin's cornner with a bullet header that flew past Kevin Cuthbert. This was a terrible goal that would never have been conceded if Paton's marker - I'm not sure who it was, that's how bad the marking actually was - had bothered to track his runner rather than let him go.

Finally, there was Jon Newby's miss. The Englishman latched on to Gary MacKenzie’s poor header back to Rab Douglas in the Dundee goal but his finish was poor and Douglas' save was comfortable. 'Ton manager Davie Irons felt that Newby should've scored. He told the Tele's Roger Graham: "Newby had to do better with it. Rab [Douglas] came out and made the decision for the player, but he has not executed it."

Two final points I'd make are that, one, I don't think Peter Weatherson should play at right-back again. He isn't a defender and has been found out playing there in the first division. David O'Brien gave him torrid time the last time we played at Dens Park and Peter couldn't handle him this time either. In fact, Spoonsy was booked for a foul on O'Brien.

And, two, I'd kill for a player like Paul McHale. The Dundee playmaker makes his team tick. He sprays passes all over the park and basically controls the game. It would be nice to see a guy like him drop off to collect the ball from our defenders rather than watch Ryan Harding fire aimless balls at Iain Russell all afternoon.

It's no wonder crowds are dipping. People just aren't going to pay the kind of admission prices first division teams are charging to watch football of this calibre.


Morton (4-4-2):

1. Cuthbert - 6
2. Weatherson - 5 (16. Newby - 78 mins)
3. Walker - 6
4. Shimmin - 7
5. Paartalu - 6 (15. Masterton - 78 mins)
6. Harding - 6
7. Finlayson (14. Jenkins - 10 mins - 6)
8. McGuffie - 6
9. Wake - 6
10. Russell - 6
11. McAlister - 6

Subs Not Used:

12. McManus
20. Stewart

Booked: Weatherson

Cuthbert
Weatherson Shimmin Harding Walker
Finlayson McGuffie Paartalu McAlister
Russell Wake

Dundee: Douglas, Paton, Malone, McHale, MacKenzie, Williams, Daquin (Gilhaney 63), Pozniak, McMenamin, Antoine-Curier (Deasley 81), O'Brien.

Subs Not Used: Cowan, Davidson, Roy

Booked: McMenamin.


My man of the match: Paul McHale (Dundee)

Sponsor's man of the match: Eric Paton (Dundee)


Matchday Programme (Click to enlarge)













Greenock Telegraph match report

Greenock Telegraph match reaction

Tontastic Pictures

BBC match report

dundeefc.co.uk match report

Brian Wake A-Z

Brian Wake is the latest Morton player to feature in Sunsport's weekly A-Z interview.

The introduction to the article says: Brian Wake helped Hamilton Accies to get to the SPL and would love to do the same with Morton. Here the English striker reveals how he was conned into posing in Speedos for a football hunks' calendar and he tells SunSport's Ronnie MacKay about his Planes, Trains and Automobiles bedroom experience with Ryan McGuffie.

You can read Brian's answers by clicking on the images below.

Challenge Cup Opponents Decided

Morton will face Queen Of The South at Palmerston in the quarter finals of the Alba Challenge Cup.

Our opponents were confirmed when Queens beat Dunfermline 2-0 at East End Park last night.

The tie will be played on Sunday the 7th of September.

Dunfermline Athletic 0 - 2 Queen Of The South

Director's Family Donate Scottish Cup Medal

The family of former Morton director Duncan Campbell (pictured, left) have donated his 1922 Scottish Cup winner's medal to the club.

The club now have the item on display at Cappielow according to a news item on http://www.gmfc.net/.

It's interesting to note that Campbell received a medal in his role as a director.

Campbell is standing second from left in the second from back row in this 1922 Scottish Cup winners team photograph (click to enlarge).

gmfc.net - 1922 Scottish Cup Winner's Medal on show at Cappielow

Alex Renfrew

On the 26th of July 2008 former Cappielow stadium manager and Morton fan Alex Renfrew passed away.

The news was met with great sadness - a thread posted on the greenockmorton.org unofficial messageboard to inform fans of his passing was flooded with moving tributes.

I didn't know Alex and never met him so I can't add anything to what's already been said but after reading an excellent obituary in the Morton programme for the St. Johnstone match (09/08/08) I thought I would post it so other fans who don't buy the programme or don't live locally could read it.

Click on the image below to enlarge

greenockmorton.org - 'Alex Renfrew' thread

Morton 1 - 2 Livingston

Morton 1 - Wake (31)
Livingston 2 - Davidson (10), Griffiths (12)

Att: 2502

Two goals in the first fifteen minutes ended Morton's unbeaten start to the season.

The first of Livi's quick fire double was scored by 19 year old midfielder Murray Davidson. Leigh Griffiths - who was a thorn in Morton's side all afternoon - collected a Dave Mackay free-kick and laid the ball into Davidson's path who shot home from the edge of the box.

It was two minutes later. A cross appeared to be sailing out at the back post but Allan McManus inexplicably decided to head the ball right into the middle of his own box were a grateful Griffiths was on hand to volley past Kevin Cuthbert. Inexcusable defending by anyone's standards, never mind from your captain and most experienced player.

Brain Wake gave us some hope on the half hour. He took the ball into feet from a thrown in, turned his man before slipping the ball through McPake's legs and curling a stunning effort round Martini and in off the post.

Tony McParland - who was with us on trial in the summer (why didnt we sign him Davie?) - put in an excellent performance on Livingston's right where he terrorised Jim McAlister all afternoon. This was further evidence, if it were needed, that McAlister is wasted as part of a four man midfield playing behind three strikers. He only came into the game after Jon Newby was substituted and this shows that, in a 3-4-3, he should either play as part of the front three or not at all.

Allan Jenkins introduction seemed to spark the team into life and and we proceeded to dominate for the last half an hour or so but the equaliser never came. Wake had a glorious chance to make it 2-2 in the 60th minute. Ryan McGuffie slipped a ball inside and with only the goalie to beat Wake shot straight at him - he really should've scored.

We had a few chances towards the end but didn't deserve to get anything out of the game so there can be no complaints on that front. However, there can be complaints about the performance and the worrying tendency for the defence to miss out the midfield and punt aimless balls forward.

The doubts are well and truly creeping in after this one.

Morton (3-4-3):

1. Cuthbert - 6
2. Shimmin - 7
3. Harding - 6
4. McManus (c) - 5
5. Paartalu - 5
6. Masterton - 5 (14. Jenkins - 77 mins)
7. McGuffie - 6 (15. Weatherson - 83 mins)
8. Russell - 6
9. Wake - 7
10. Newby - 6 (12. Finlayson - 62 mins)
11. McAlister - 6

Subs Not Used:

16. McGeough
20. Stewart
Booked: Masterton

Cuthbert
Shimmin McManus Harding
McGuffie Paartalu Masterton McAlister
Russell Wake Newby

Livingston: Martini, MacKay, Talbot, McPake, Fox, Innes, McPartland, Davidson (Millar 82), Quinn, Griffiths, Hamill.

Subs Not Used: Cave, MacDonald, Smith, Jamieson

Booked: Fox, McPake


My man of the match: Anthony McParland (Livingston)

Sponsor's man of the match: Ryan Harding


Matchday Programme (Click to enlarge)













Greenock Telegraph match report

Greenock Telegraph match reaction

Tontastic Pictures

BBC match report

livingstonfc.co.uk match report