KERRIFIC SCALP
Waddell volley seals Ton’s double over County as their title surge stalls
KERR WADDELL’S fierce finish left County sick of the sight of Cappielow and put a dent in their title charge.
The on-loan Dundee defender’s lethal second-half volley saw Morton complete the home double over the table-topping Highlanders.
Staggies, with just one loss in their previous 19 games, were left stunned after carving out a string of chances with midfielder Michael Gardyne the main creative force.
But they lost the plot and any hope of a comeback in an ugly late flare-up.
Gardyne waded in when the ball was held in the Staggies dugout and he appeared to grab Chris Millar by the throat as Ton’s midfielder confronted the County bench.
Players and officials from both sides got involved before ref Willie Collum booked Gardyne and Millar and sent County co-boss Stuart Kettlewell to the stand .
He was followed by Marcus Fraser who copped a second yellow for heated protests to Collum after he ruled out Ross Stewart’s last-gasp goal for a foul on Ton No.1 Derek Gaston.
Morton launched the first raid in four minutes with Scott Tiffoney surging through the middle before unleashing a stinging shot that cannoned off the face of Staggies defender Callum Morris.
Collum gave a free-kick for handball but Jim McAlister’s set-piece came to nothing.
Staggies had only lost twice all season, with their last away defeat at Cappielow in August, and they were determined not to suffer the same fate.
They came close to the opener in 17 minutes when Gardyne cut into the box on the left in a slaloming run.
He unleashed a near-post shot that Gaston blocked brilliantly before Gardyne blazed the rebound over.
Rory McKeown mis-hit an angled shot hopelessly off target at the other end after a fine run and delivery by McAlister.
Ton keeper Gaston then got caught in no man’s land coming off his line and was bailed out by Waddell who was on hand to clear Don Cowie’s looping goalbound effort.
The Cappielow men were giving as good as they got and Waddell clattered Ross Stewart to win possession and stride forward in 38 minutes before shooting tamely at keeper Scott Fox.
Staggies midfielder Gardyne was certainly in the mood and posed a constant threat to the Ton defence.
However, it was home skipper McAlister who looked set to break the deadlock at the start of the second half only for Keith Watson to superbly slide in and block his shot six yards out and leave the winger clutching his head in despair.
Gaston then kept out County with a fine flying save to tip away a 20-yarder from Gardyne.
But Ton finally took the lead with a fabulous strike from Waddell in 66 minutes.
He raced in to meet an inviting free-kick from deep on the right by sub Michael Tidser and his 10-yard volley exploded high past Fox. The home side weren’t content to sit on their lead and striker Bob McHugh burst clear on the right in 78 minutes only to blaze off target.
Staggies stuck on ex-Morton frontman Declan McManus to howls of derision from the home support as they chased an equaliser.
Gardyne tried to catch out Gaston with a snap-shot but the goalie grasped it at the second attempt.
And in stoppage time Fraser walked after Stewart had the ball in the net only to be ruled out for an elbow on Gaston who needed treatment before being replaced by Ryan Scully.
MORTON: Gaston (Scully 90), Kilday, Buchanan, Waddell, Telfer (Iredale 63), Millar, McAlister, McHugh, Tumilty, Tiffoney (Tidser 28) and McKeown. Not used: Thomson, Strapp, Armour, Lyon. ROSS COUNTY: Fox, Fraser, Morris (Paton 63), Draper, Gardyne, Lindsay, McKay, Watson, Cowie (Mullin 60), Stewart and Grivosti (McManus 80). Not used: Munro, Keillor-Dunn, Wallace, Kelly. Referee: Willie Collum.