Derby day disaster in Greenock
WITH FOOTBALL IN COLD STORAGE WE TAKE A LOOK AT OLD ST
Morton ...............4
St Mirren............1
St Mirren suffered Renfrewshire derby heartache as a defensive horror show allowed Greenock Morton to run out comfortable winners at Cappielow.
Just four short months ago, it was Saints who turned over their bitter rivals 4-1, but Jim Duffy’s Morton were in no mood for a repeat performance and reversed the scoreline this weekend.
But for all Morton deserved the win, it was the Paisley side who were the architects of their own downfall after conceding two penalties succumbing to several defensive lapses.
Jack Ross stuck with the starting 11 that beat Falkirk 3-1 last weekend, meaning new signing Darryl Duffy had to settle for place on the bench.
Jack Baird endured a horrendous afternoon’s work, as his players clumsily gave away both spot kicks, which Micheal Tidser duly converted, before being ordered off.
The one positive for the Buddies, who were backed in tremendous numbers, was the wonder strike from Cammy Smith that pulled his side level.
And for all the defensive frailties – and there were many – St Mirren started the game brightly.
An early header from John Sutton, after a deep cross from Gary Irvine from the right, was easily plucked from the air by Morton keeper Derek Gaston.
Five minutes later, another header from Sutton flashed past the post, this time from a teasing Lewis Morgan cross from the left as the big Englishman caused major problems at the heart of the Morton defence.
It was Sutton again in the thick of it, shooting wide from the edge of the box after a neat knock down from Cammy Smith.
Gary McKenzie fouled Morton front man Jai Quitongo on the edge of the Saints box, and Forbes almost curled the free kick home, with Craig Samson delighted to see it fly above his crossbar.
A third Sutton header inside dropped just past the post, but the front man was clearly in the mood.
Despite the early Saints pressure, it was Morton who took the lead. Pacey Morton front man Jai Quitongo outstripped the St Mirren defence, as Baird dropped in while MacKenzie looked to play offside.
Baird desperately challenged the ’Ton number nine as he looked to bundle the ball home, but it was a clumsy attempt and referee Willie Collum pointed to the spot.
Samson was booked for his attempts to unsettle Morton penalty-taker Michael Tidser, but his efforts were in vain as the striker dispatched the spot- kick confidently.
St Mirren were still very much in the game and there was no hint of any heads going down, a problem that afflicted the team in the first half of last season.
The industrious Morgan was probing down the left flank giving opposing fullback Michael Doyle a torrid time. Just after the half hour mark, Morgan forced Doyle into a last-ditch sliding tackle to concede a corner.
But despite the graft, it was Morton who again looked likely to add to their lead. Quitongo again broke down the left and his smart cut back found Bob McHugh completely unmarked six yards from goal, but his shot produced a stunning one-handed save from Samson.
Morton were turning the screw as skipper Thomas O’Ware rose to bullet a header just past the base of Samson’s left-hand post.
Then up stepped Cammy Smith to dig Saints out of a hole.
A moment of magic from the winger put the Buddies on terms as he picked the ball up 30 yards out and drove at the heart of the Morton back line before unleashing an unstoppable strike high into the net just before the break.
It was the perfect time to equalise and surely had a major impact on the team talk gaffer Jack Ross was about to deliver.
Whatever he said went out of the window just four minutes into the second half as Morton took the lead from the spot and St Mirren were reduced to 10 men.
Morton’s Bob McHugh raced in on the Saints goal, chased by the luckless Baird who was caught completely on the wrong side of the Morton front man, as he shaped to shoot passed Samson.
Again the 21-year-old defender made a rash challenge to fell McHugh in the box, leaving Willie Collum with no option but to point to the spot and reach for his red card.
Tidser continued the feeling of déjà vu as he stroked home to give Morton the lead.
The lively John Sutton was sacrificed for centre half Gregor Buchanan as boss Ross tried to shore up his back line.
Strangely after going down to ten men, St Mirren perhaps enjoyed their most successful spell of the match.
They were still probing to get on terms with Smith and Reilly looking to make things happen in the absence of Sutton, but Morton were still dangerous as Quitongo continued to play on the shoulder of MacKenzie and Buchanan.
But it was the effervescent Quitongo who was to leave his mark on this game.
He burst down the right, outpacing Stelios in the process and this time McHugh made no mistake from the cut back as he rifled home past Samson to make it 3-1.
Morton’s Andy Murdoch rubbed salt into the wounds to add the fourth, following a neat move down the left on 77 minutes.
A dismal Morgan shot that trickled past the post in the dying minutes summed up the afternoon for the Saints as they made their way back to Paisley.