FOCUSED MORTON BREEZE PAST BRORA

MORTON last night produced a professional display with just one stutter against their spirited Highland League hosts to seal their Scottish Cup passage at the second attempt. The Cappielow side will journey to Perth to take on St Johnstone in the fourth round after goals by Reece Lyon, Jim McAlister and Nicky Cadden did the damage. Brora produced some quality football too but had only a Colin Williamson reply to show for it. Morton manager David Hopkin said: ‘They were a good team but we did a professional job. The main objective was to earn a place in the next round at St Johnstone.’ Having achieved one of the biggest results in their history in the draw at Cappielow, Brora were quickly up against it. Inside eight minutes, a spectacular Robbie Muirhead overhead kick was parried by the diving home goalkeeper Joe Malin. Just as Brora began to show a little adventure, they were caught out after 19 minutes. As a long ball sailed forward, home defender Williamson tried to nudge it back to Malin, but did not get enough on the passback. Lyon raced on past the outcoming keeper to find the empty net. Four minutes after the break, the Greenock men secured the tie. Luca Colville’s angled through pass split the home defence in two and McAlister lifted a 12-yard finish past Malin. Then a sweeping breakaway from the visitors after 53 minutes ended with Colville’s pass setting up Cadden for a powerful blast off Malin’s glove and in. Morton slackness at a corner allowed Williamson to net a consolation from close range for Brora after 65 minutes.