MORTON 3 Thomson (47), Harkins (73), Quitongo (90+3) DUNFERMLINE 2 Cardle (9), Higginbotham (pen 33)
MORTON produced a stunning comeback from two goals down as Dunfermline were knocked off the top of the table after a five-goal Cappielow thriller.
The Greenock side trailed at the break to a Joe Cardle goal and Kallum Higginbotham’s disputed penalty, but Robbie Thomson threw them a lifeline shortly after the break before Gary Harkins stroked a sensational equaliser. And fellow sub Jai Quitongo snatched the winner deep in stoppage time when he controlled a long ball and kept his nerve when clean through to fire his side to victory.
The performance and winner drew glowing praise from home boss Jim Duffy who said: “It was a nice way to win it because Dunfermline are flying and it was an outstanding game of football.”
On Quitongo, Duffy added: “He’s only 19 and we tend to forget that. He has blistering pace and power and when teams push up towards the end of the game he is a real threat.”
Morton made a bright start and should have taken the lead after only three minutes but Andy Murdoch managed to fire over the bar from only five yards out.
Instead, it was the visitors who opened the scoring following a mesmerising run by Cardle, the wide man dribbling into the box and leaving Derek Gaston helpless with a precise left-foot shot.
Dunfermline were presented with the chance to double their advantage in the 32nd minute when referee Kevin Clancy awarded a controversial penalty to the visitors.
Jason Talbot lowered his head to a bouncing ball in the Morton box and when Ross Forbes tried to hook the ball away he was adjudged to have made contact with a high foot and the ref pointed to the spot.
Higginbotham’s penalty found the bottom righthand corner despite keeper Gaston getting two hands to the ball.
Early in the second half, Morton were presented with a way back into the match thanks to a defensive blunder from Dunfermline captain Callum Morris.
His poor header back to his goalkeeper was intercepted by Thomson who calmly slipped the ball past Sean Murdoch.
And the Cappielow side were level midway through the second 45 through a superb freekick from sub Hawkins who nonchalantly stroked the ball into the top righthand corner from 25 yards.
Quitongo then missed an easy chance to put Ton ahead before atoning with that coolly taken winner.