Duffy’s Ton up as Sons slump
MORTON manager Jim Duffy was delighted his side ground out a 1-0 win against Dumbarton at the Your Radio Stadium last night.
The visitors solidified their place in the play-offs when captain Thomas O’Ware nodded home with 16 minutes to go.
Ton stay in fourth place but moved four points clear of Dunfermline and Queen of the South, while Sons remain nine points behind Falkirk in ninth, the relegation play-off position.
And Duffy was glad his side passed a tricky test.
He said: “It was a magnificent result. We started the game a little bit slowly, we changed the shape a little bit and it took the players a little time to adjust to it.
“After 20 minutes I felt we started to settle into the game, we created a few chances.
“In the second half I thought we were in charge of the game, and there weren’t many goalmouth incidents but Tam [Thomas O’Ware] has come up with the goods.”
Dimitris Froxylias was the hero on Saturday for Dumbarton when he fired the Sons to their first cup final in 121 years, but he was brought back down to earth with a shocking miss inside seven minutes.
Andy Stirling did brilliantly down the right-hand side and found the Cypriot unmarked on the six-yard box, but Froxylias side footed over when faced with an empty net.
Ton’s first attempt on goal came after 17 minutes, Bob McHugh forcing goalkeeper Scott Gallacher into a save.
There was little action, but early in the second half Luca Gasparotto was forced off with a rib injury for Ton.
Duffy added: “Luca is away to hospital, it was a rib injury. We don’t know if there’s damage there but he literally couldn’t breathe. “
With both sides making a raft of changes, the game’s momentum began to grind to a halt.
But on 74 minutes, Ton grabbed the vital goal.
Michael Tidser’s corner found defender O’Ware, who nodded home his third goal of the season.