HUGHES SINKS TO THE BOTTOM WITH PARS
DUNFERMLINE fans will find it hard to swallow John Hughes’ assertion that this hammering could be the best thing that’s happened to the team this season. If he meant it was a wake-up call, the supporters will be wondering why the players weren’t already alive to the prospect of beating a Morton side who were the league’s lowest scorers prior to Saturday’s rout. By contrast, the Cappielow faithful will be wondering where it’s all gone right after swapping places with their visitors at the foot of the table. New boss Dougie Imrie is breathing new life into the Greenock side after a draw at Kilmarnock was followed by this romp in his first home game in charge. But what about a Dunfermline side who hoped Hughes could do likewise? They were all at sea by half-time, three down to goals from Gary Oliver, Cameron Blues and Gavin Reilly. Their day was summed up when new signing Coll Donaldson headed into his own net before Robbie
Muirhead lobbed in a fifth for the hosts. ‘There’s a real embarrassment about it,’ admitted Hughes. ‘In terms of the fundamentals — the desire, putting your body on the line for the cause, pride in wanting to win — I think we’re just a little bit short. ‘This might be the best thing that’s happened to us. Since I came in, we went up, plateaued and now we’re down. If this brings us together with a siege mentality, next week gives us the fuel to prove it. If you can’t do that, you shouldn’t be pulling the strip on.’ Morton boss Imrie said: ‘It’s a massive win. If we play like that most weeks, we’ll be fine.’
HAMILTON shrugged off a number of pre-match positive Covid tests to fight back twice and earn a valuable draw. Scott Tiffoney’s free-kick put the Jags ahead at half-time — only for Andy Ryan to equalise from the penalty spot after 55 minutes. Zak Rudden restored Partick’s lead but Mihai Popescu’s volley gained parity for Hamilton again. An eight-point gap remains between Ian McCall’s Jags in fifth and Accies in sixth.