Shimmin Surprised By 1st Division

When season 2007/08 came to a close for Morton I decided to use a couple of my free Saturdays to take in some lower league matches in England. I watched Carlisle United v Bournemouth and Darlington v Rochdale. I was distinctly underwhelmed by the quality of football played and discussed this with my pals. We came to the concluson that there were plenty of teams in the Scottish First Division who could cope in Coca Cola League 1. Carlisle were still in with a chance of promotion to the Coca Cola Championship on the day we watched them and ended up in the play-offs. However, they were no better than the Hamilton Accies or Dundee sides I'd watched play against Morton. In fact, I'd go as far as to say they weren't as good.

I've often read pundits and players suggesting that the Scottish First division is, in terms of the standard of play, the equivalent of the English Conference (now rebranded the Blue Square Premier). So it was refreshing to read Morton defender Dominic Shimmin (pictured, above left) suggest that this was not the case and, in doing so, support the assessment I made after watching the matches mentioned previously. In Saturday's Scottish Sun an article by Gareth Law (pictured, below) quotes Shimmin as saying: "I played at a few levels in England and I'd say the First Division isn't too different to League One or League Two - I didn't think it would be as high. But people don't give it as much credit as it's due. There is a lot of talent here - and it is only going to benefit me by playing in Scotland."

Dominic might be impressed with the Scottish First Division but I can't help but feeling that he won't be plying his trade at this level for too long.

Morton 1 - 1 Dunfermline Athletic

Morton 1 - Wake (60)
Dunfermline Athletic 1 - Campbell (89)

Att: 2156



A late equaliser, a shocking refereeing decision and some crucial misses cost Morton a much deserved three points.

Davie Irons set the team up in a 4-4-2 formation. Ryan McGuffie - who it later turned out had a hamstring injury - was left out of the squad and Peter Weatherson came in in his place. Peter moved up front to partner Brian Wake.

In recent weeks Morton have been something of a one dimensional team. We set up with one up front and proceed to hit him with all manner of long balls. This approach has been causing growing frustration and after Tuesday's extra-time defeat at the hands of Caley Thistle Trust board memeber Bryan Purdue posted a poll on the Morton unofficial messageboard asking when it was okay to use the long ball. Fellow user Nach0king posted this simple yet enlightened response: "When it works". I thought that against the Pars we made the long ball work. This, I believe, was all down to one man - Peter Weatherson. Much has been said about his attitude but one thing that has never been in doubt it his ability. Peter can do what Brian Wake can't. He can receive a long ball on his chest, his thigh or on his instep and cushion it perfectly. Then he quickly readjusts his body to move the ball on. He also has the vision and presence of mind to pick out team mates with a well weighted pass. For the first twenty to thirty minutes Weatherson made the long ball work and we looked a constant threat.

We had our chances and should have put this match beyond Dunfermline. The first of three guilt edged chances fell to Jim McAlister in the twentieth minute. Brian Wake played the ball into his path, Jim didn't even have to break his stride but slammed his shot high into the side netting. The whole of the Cowshed, believing the ball was rippling the net on the right side of the posts, jumped in unison only to realise their mistake when Jim held his head in his hands. This really should've been one-nil Morton.

Shortly afterwards Brian Wake missed another sitter. Jim McAlister skipped past a couple of challenges on the edge of the box and unleashed a shot that Paul Gallacher failed to grasp. The parry fell to Wake who, somehow, managed to hit Gallacher instead of putting the ball into the empty net.

Morton seemed to lose momentum towards the end of the half as Dunfermline came back into the game. However, the visitors failed to create anything of note and the teams went in level at half-time.

The first major incident in the second-half turned out to be the game's main talking point. Stevie Masterton sent in an inswinging corner from the left. It was unclear just who got a touch but the ball appeared to hit the crossbar and come down over the line. I was standing at the old away end of the Cowshed and even from that far away it looked a certain goal. A picture on the back page of today's Greenock Telegraph shows that the ball was, quite conclusively, over the line. Referee Steven Nicholls later explained that he didn't give the goal because Morton players didn't claim for it. I also found it strange that our players didn't seem too annoyed but that still shouldn't be the basis on which a referee makes a decision. My brother later informed me that Allan Jenkins was warming up behind the goal at the time and made a hand gesture to the Morton bench that suggested the ball was well over the line.

The players quickly shrugged off the disappointment and got back on the front foot. This refusal to feel sorry for themsleves was rewarded when we scored from a similar situation minutes later. It was the sixtieth minute that Masterton put over a corner from the opposite side, Dominic Shimmin flicked on and Wake strecthed to hook a shot into the top corner from close range.

We really should have put the game to bed five minutes later but this time it was Iain Russell who turned sinner. Jim McAlister won possession and burst forward. The winger went to pass to Wake but his pass was woefully underweighted and this seemed to take the impetus from the move. However, Wake recovered the situation with an excellent pass that put Iain Russell one-on-one with Gallacher. The former Brechin man took some time to compose himself and then with the goal at his mercy he blazed his finish high and wide at the near post. Russell seemed to have a lot of time to pick his spot which made his decision to take his shot on his weaker left foot inexplicable. The angle begged for the Russell to curl a right-footed effort round Gallacher and into the far corner. Why he thrashed at the ball with his left I'll never know.

You just knew that those three sitters would come back to haunt us and they did with only one minute left on the clock. The goal is bit muddled in my head but what I remember is a Dunfermline player skinning Ryan Harding and unleashing a cross-cum-shot that Kevin Cuthbert somehow managed to push up onto the bar. Chris Smith came charging in to clear put flew over the top of the ball. This left Ryan Campbell - on loan at Dunfermline from Hibs - with a tap in at the back post.

Dunfermline had a couple of chances to win it at the end but the Morton defence held firm for a point.

It's easy to point at the referee in this sort of situation as his decision was shocking but you also have to look at the chances we missed. If McAlister, Wake or Russell put their chances away the disallowed goal wouldn't have mattered. These hard luck stories are exactly the sort of things you often hear coming from the manager and players whose team have played well but failed to win and whose teams often find themselves relegated at the end of the season.

Morton (4-4-2):

1. Cuthbert - 7
2. Walker - 7
3. Smith - 8
4. Shimmin - 8
5. Paartalu - 7
6. Harding (c) - 6
7. Russell - 6 (12. Jenkins - 84 mins)
8. Masterton - 7
9. Wake - 6
10. Weatherson - 7
11. McAlister - 8

Subs Not Used:

14. Finlayson
15. McManus
16. McAnespie
20. McWilliams

Booked: Paartalu

Cuthbert
Walker Shimmin Harding Smith
Russell Masterton Paartalu McAlister
Wake Weatherson

Dunfermline: Gallacher, Scott Thomson, Wilson (Woods 21), Phinn (Campbell 74), Shields, McCann, Harper (Wiles 64), Glass, Bayne, Kirk, Burke.

Subs Not Used: Bell, Reidford.

Booked: Glass, Woods.


My man of the match: Jim McAlister

Sponsor's man of the match: Jim McAlister


Matchday Programme (Click to enlarge)














Greenock Telegraph match report

BBC match report

Tontastic Pictures

dafc.co.uk match report

dafc.co.uk match reaction

Sunday Mail match report

McAlister Wants More Goals

Jim McAlister scored his first goal of the season on Tuesday night and now he wants to add to his tally. The midfielder told the Greenock Telegraph's Russell Steele: “I got six last season and hopefully I can go on now and get more goals. It’s easier when you have a bit more freedom to get forward like I did the other night.”

Going by the article McAlister seemed to relish the space he was given and expanded on this by saying: “It’s actually a bit easier [playing against an SPL side]. You get more time on the ball and can go and express yourself. It’s not 100 miles an hour, and it’s more enjoyable. You feel you have a point to prove in every game, but maybe even more so against an SPL side.”

Hopefully his goal on Tuesday is the first of many this season

Greenock Telegraph - McAlister sets his sights on Pars defence (25.09.2008)

Gowzer Frustrated At Parkhead

In an article in today's Scottish Sun Paul McGowan - the Celtic striker who spent a very successful year on loan at Morton during season 2006/07 - has told of his frustration at his lack of first team football at Parkhead.

McGowan told The Sun's Paul Hughes: “It’s frustrating because all I want to do is play first-team football. I thought I did well during the summer but now I’ve gone back to reserve football and I’ve got to just accept that. It’s hard though because a couple of years ago I was playing with Morton and I was scoring goals in the first team every week. All I can do is keep scoring goals and hope the manager notices me but I’ve got to be realistic."

I know his loan spell ended over a year ago but I still believe there's a chance he'll end up at Cappielow. Douglas Rae seemed determined to secure his signature and made a couple of substantial bids that were rejected by Celtic. In his programme notes the following week Rae said that he would wait until McGowan's contract expired and then bring him to Cappielow. I also spoke to McGowan at the supporter's title party in the Sports Centre after the last game of the season and he said he really hoped Celtic would let him join Morton.

One of the major stumbling blocks could be that his stock has risen in the time between his loan spell ending and the present day. It would be more than likely that we would face stiff opposition for his signature. However, I cling to the hope that the fact he enjoyed his time at Morton could swing it in our favour as he's exactly the type of player we need right now.

In his season with Morton Paul's record in all competitions was: 43 starts, 1 substitute appearance, 16 goals. He was nominated for the 2006/07 SPFA 2nd Division Player of the Year.

The Scottish Sun - Mac hates being held in reserve (24.09.2008)

Paul McGowan profile

Morton 1 - 2 Inverness Caledonian Thistle

Morton 1 - McAlister (34)
Inverness Caledonian Thistle 2 - Hastings (79), Imrie (111)

Att: 2023

Richard Hasting's equaliser ten minutes from time and Dougie Imrie's extra-time volley sent Morton crashing out of the Co-Op cup.

Davie Irons decided to revert back to the 4-5-1 formation he's used in recent weeks. This meant that Iain Russell moved to the right wing and Kevin Finlayson was back on the bench.

So far this season Morton have been something of a cup team. We can't win in the league but always seem to rise to the occasion in the cup - the performance and result in the previous round seemed to epitomise this. We matched Hibs throughout and showed tremendous resilience to come back from 3-2 down to win 4-3 in extra-time. On Tuesday night we matched another SPL team but this team the main reason for that is that they weren't up to much either.

Our opening goal semed to take everyone by surprise. Not because it was against an SPL team or against the run of play or scored by a defender who never scores but because it came from one of Erik Paartalu's long throws. These throws looked like they could become a potent attacking weapon for us but over time it became evident that we weren't taking advantage of them - until Tuesday. Erik hurled the ball in from out on the right, Brian Wake flicked it on and Jim McAlister arrived just in time to stick out a knee to knock the ball past Ryan Esson.

After we took the lead I expected Caley to come right at us looking for a quick equaliser but the expected pressure didn't materialise. The Morton box belonged to Dominic Shimmin; the former Arsenal defender had everything under control.

Instead of capitalising on our lead we reverted to type and started aiming hopeless long balls at Brian Wake; who for all his hard work just doesn't have the ability to make the ball stick and allow people to get up in support. In saying that the problem isn't Wake, the long balls are the problem and that's where the manager comes in. Does he actually send his team out with instructions to hit Wakey as early as possible no matter where they are? After the Queen Of The South game Irons asked the fans to be patient but I think it's getting to the stage that patience is running out. Mine's certainly is but I'm not the kind of guy they need to worry about - I'll be there regardless - what they have to worry about are the floating fans who aren't going to waste their hard earned cash watching a team humping long balls to a lone striker.

Caley showed up our defensive frailties with an equaliser ten minutes from time. Ross Tokely advanced down Morton's left and easily evaded Ryan McGuffie's half hearted attempt at a block earning him the bit of space he needed to cross to fellow full-back Richard Hastings to nod home. The goal was a carbon copy of Partick Thistle's opener on Saturday and like that goal the defending at the back post was woeful.

The Canadian international's goal sent the game to extra-time. This was as uneventful as the regulation 90 minutes and the game appeared to be heading to a penalty shoot out until one time Morton target Dougie Imrie volleyed Adam Rooney's neat knock down past Kevin Cuthbert. Game, set and match.

My match report might be a little harsh as we were only ten minutes away from another cup win against another SPL team but the style of football we play would, in the words of friend of mine, get football stopped. Add the shocking football to a lack of results and I think it's easy to understand the negativity. However, I'll end on a positive note by saying well done to Jim McAlister, Dominic Shimmin and Kevin Cuthbert who are three players who can really hold their heads up high after their performances on Tuesday.

Morton (4-5-1):

1. Cuthbert - 8
2. Walker - 6
3. Smith - 7
4. Shimmin - 8
5. Paartalu - 6
6. Harding (c) - 6
7. McGuffie - 6 (16. Finlayson - 81 mins)
8. Masterton - 7 (12. Jenkins - 75 mins)
9. Wake - 6
10. Russell - 6 (14. Weatherson - 85 mins)
11. McAlister - 8

Subs Not Used:

15. McManus
20. McWilliams

Booked: Paartalu

Cuthbert
Walker Shimmin Harding Smith
Russell Masterton Paartalu McGuffie McAlister
Wake

Inverness C.T.: Esson, Tokely, Munro, Cowie (Vigurs 70), Richard Hastings, Duncan, Duff, Black (Rooney 90), Imrie, Wood, McAllister (Wilson 45).


Subs Not Used: Djebi-Zadi, Fraser.

Booked: Tokely, Wood.


My man of the match: Kevin Cuthbert

Sponsor's man of the match: Jim McAlister


Matchday Programme (Click to enlarge)














BBC Highlights (From 0:33 onwards)

Greenock Telegraph match report

BBC match report

Tontastic Pictures

ictfc.premiumtv.co.uk match report

ictfc.premiumtv.co.uk match reaction

I'm On Setanta Sports

Last night I watched Kettering Town play Burton Albion in the Blue Square Premier. The match was live on Setanta Sports and featured Jon Newby - who is currently on loan at Burton from Morton.

Newby started the match - his second start in a row - but didn't offer much. He was substituted in the 62nd minute shortly after putting a header wide of the post.

Since joining Burton Jon has made three substitute appearances (versus Wrexham, Stevenage and Weymouth) and two starts(versus Rushden & Diamonds and Kettering), he is yet to score.

His loan deal expires in January.

Jon Newby profile

Jon Newby - Burton Albion profile

Partick Thistle 2 - 1 Morton

Partick Thistle 2 - Harkins (37), Maxwell (66)
Morton 1 - Russell (44)

Att: 3368

Played seven, won none, drew three, lost four - unacceptable Davie.

Morton attempted to build on recent results against Queen Of The South by lining up with a 4-4-1-1. The difference from the recent 4-5-1 was that Iain Russell played in behind Brian Wake, in a slightly withdrawn role, rather than on the right of midfield. Kevin Finlayson took Russell's place on the right and Allan Jenkins' place in the starting line-up.

As you will have read elsewhere we were okay in the first-half. We didn't look any better or worse than Thistle but that isn't saying much. The Jags might be up challenging but they were a poor outfit which makes the defeat all the more depressing. Week in, week out we are treated to appalling football. The sum of which seems to be long balls up to Brian Wake or even more annoyingly to no one. There's no creativity, no ideas, no pace, no one prepared to take responsibility and nothing that could be described as good football.

In the last two matches we have kept two cleansheets and the manager seemed convinced that if we remained solid at the back we could take confidence from it and start getting it right at the other end. However, if we defend like we did at the first goal we could have Ruud Van Nistelrooy and Fernando Torres up front and we'd still lose matches. Mark Roberts picked the ball up on the left where Alex Walker should have been but he was posted missing - as he was most of the match - as a result Dominic Shimmin came across to cover but couldn't get close enough to Roberts. This gave the former Kilmarnock and Airdrie man enough time and space to clip a ball to the back post where Greenock boy Gary Harkins arrived unmarked to nod home an easy header.

As I said we probably didn't deserve to go in behind so Iain Russell's equaliser in the 44th minute made sure the half-time score was a fair reflection of the game. Alex Walker clipped the ball in from the right and it landed perfectly for Iain Russell to take a touch and smash the ball into the roof of the net from close range.

The second half was worse. It was one of the most disjointed and disorganised Morton performances I've seen in... well I was going to say a long time but the Airdrie game was only a couple of weeks ago. The midfield was non-existent - Erik Paartalu might as well have been on the bench - and the only reason we weren't treated to another Airdrie fiasco was thanks to a great performance from Dominic 'The Dominator' Shimmin. The big Englishman was outstanding and must be asking himself what he's doing playing at this level.

Ex-St. Mirren defender Ian Maxwell headed home what turned out to be the winner in the 66th minute. Maxwell arrived unmarked at the back post to head a Stephen McKeown corner past Cuthbert. In his post match analysis Davie Irons said: “One of our players has been allocated to pick up their scorer Maxwell. He gives me excuse that he’s dragged to the ball. I say, that’s not your job; your job is to ensure Maxwell does not get a head to it. He’s not done it." I don't like the way Irons passes the buck, often blaming his players publicly, but his assessment appears to be correct. Looking at Tontastic's pictures (see picture below, click to enlarge) it looks as if Erik Paartalu has let Maxwell go and Iain Russell has had to come off the post to try and stop him from scoring. Whoever it was it was criminal defending.

Iain Russell had a chance to equalise shortly afterwards but dragged his shot wide when the ball fell to him six yards from goal. He really should have scored but I don't like to criticise him too much because he was one of our only decent performers on the day and over the season so far.

For me, one specific moment encapsulated the drastic situation we find ourselves in at the moment. We were given a free-kick right on the edge of the box and Davie Irons almost had a heart attack trying to get the linesman's attention so he could get Stevie Masterton on to take the free-kick. It was also sad to note that Masterton taking a free-kick on the edge of the box was about the only thing that created a buzz in the Morton end all afternoon such was the lack of excitement generated by our general performance in open play. We are a boring, stuffy long ball team and the football we are serving up explains the fact that crowds at Cappielow are dropping significantly. People will point to the credit crunch but no other first division team's crowds have droppped quite like Morton's.

This simply isn't good enough and if we don't begin to show a drastic improvement very soon Davie Irons will start to come under some heavy pressure from the fans and the Chairman - if he isn't already.

Morton (4-4-1-1):

1. Cuthbert - 6
2. Walker - 4 (12. Jenkins - 75 mins)
3. Smith - 6
4. Shimmin - 8
5. Paartalu - 5 (16. Masterton - 75 mins)
6. Harding (c) - 6
7. Finlayson - 6 (14. Weatherson - 66 mins)
8. McGuffie - 6
9. Wake - 6
10. Russell - 7
11. McAlister - 6

Subs Not Used:

15. McManus

20. McWilliams [Trialist]

Booked: Walker, Harding

Cuthbert
Walker Shimmin Harding Smith
Finlayson McGuffie Paartalu McAlister

Russell
Wake

Partick Thistle: Tuffey, John Robertson, Twaddle, Storey, Kinniburgh, Maxwell, McKeown, Rowson, Gray (Donnelly 46), Roberts (McKinlay 75), Harkins (Chaplain 64). Subs Not Used: Hinchcliffe, Turner.

Subs Not Used: Hinchcliffe, Turner.

Booked: Rowson.

My man of the match: Dominic Shimmin

Sponsor's man of the match: Ian Maxwell (Partick Thistle)

Matchday Programme (Click to enlarge)














Greenock Telegraph match report

Greenock Telegraph match reaction

BBC match report

Tontastic Pictures

ptfc.co.uk match report

Live Match Announced

BBC Alba have announced that they have chosen the Partick Thistle versus Airdrie United semi-final as their live match.

Ross County manager Derek Adams had said that he thought the Ross County versus Morton semi-final had a good chance of being the live match because the Gaelic language is strong in Dingwall and the Black Isle. Those in charge at the channel must've decided that the other semi-final would draw a larger viewing audience.

SFL - Alba Challenge Cup