SAINTS SPARK INTO LIFE AND POWER CLEAR
MORTON came within three minutes of earning a Scottish Cup reprieve their efforts and commitment probably deserved as a power failure threatened this Scottish Cup fourth-round tie before St Johnstone ran out comfortable winners.
Referee Nick Walsh was reportedly ready to pull the plug following a system failure that rendered the floodlights inoperable.
But, after the referee had granted a 20-minute extension to the interval, power was restored in the nick of time, according to Saints boss Tommy Wright.
Goals from Callum Booth, Murray Davidson and Stevie May secured Saints’ place in the last-16 draw.
‘I’m pleased,’ said Wright. ‘The most important thing was getting through to the next round and we scored three quality goals.
‘Callum’s was a great strike and a great way for us to start the game, and Murray’s was an incredible header, while Stevie showed pace and composure before a wonderful finish.
‘That was the difference, the extra bit of quality we had. You don’t know, sometimes in games like these what you’ll get and our performance was good at time and patchy at others.’
Booth hit the target inside three minutes when he unleashed a blistering 25-yard drive into the top-right corner of the net.
The full-back pounced after Drey Wright’s cross had been deflected into his path, giving Danny Rogers no chance whatsoever of making a save.
It was the 28-year-old’s first goal since signing for the club in September after being forced to bin a two-year deal with Bury following their expulsion from the English Football League.
But if the Saints players imagined that Morton would fold on the back of such a hammer blow, they got a shock.
Indeed had the visitors shown more composure, they might have led at half-time, having created at least as many scoring opportunities as their opponents, with Luca Colville and Reghan Tumilty blowing their best opportunities.
And when Davidson scored with a looping header from Wright’s corner 12 minutes into the second half, Morton sensed that they were fighting a lost cause.
That was confirmed when May added a third goal in the 74th minute, a fine solo effort.
Cappielow boss David Hopkin reflected: ‘We had four or five really good chances to get back into the game and, in that first 15 to 20-minute spell in the second half, we had to score. But I am proud of my players.’