ARBROATH 0 MORTON 0
Dick Campbell was disappointed Arbroath were unable to secure their first league win of the season but the Lichties manager was happy to look on the bright side of the day.
He said: “We had some fabulous chances and should have won the game but we had a few players who didn’t have a good day. You need to score goals to win games and we didn’t. So there’s one or two changes I’ve still to try and we’ll see how that goes. But let’s be positive. We played a full-time team, didn’t lose and we are off the bottom of the league.”
Arbroath dominated possession from the start and Tom O’brien had a chance in the second minute but the defender’s header at the back post went well over the top.
Then Michael Mckenna created an opportunity with a dangerous ball into the box but Kris Doolan couldn’t quite connect.
Arbroath keeper Derek Gaston was first called into action on the half-hour mark when he gathered a Michael Ledger effort low at his left hand post.
The home side suffered a blow in the 38th minute when Jason Thomson had to go off after receiving a head knock. His replacement, Finland Under-21 international Miko Virtanen, created an opening for Doolan whose powerful shot was wide.
Morton were a little more adventurous after the interval and came within a whisker of taking the lead when Luca Colville’s stunning 20-yard free-kick crashed off the inside of Gaston’s right hand post before bouncing clear.
At the other end Colin Hamilton forced a save from Aidan Mcadams as the Lichties began to reassert control.
And the home side should clinched all three points 12 minutes from the end when Bobby Linn burst clear into the box but the usually reliable Arbroath winger blasted wildly over the bar with the goal at his mercy.
Morton boss David Hopkin had no complaints. He said: “Nine times out of 10 a free-kick would go in after hitting the inside of the post. If it had, I’m sure we would have held on to win. But I’m delighted with a point. Arbroath are a good side.”