Shover’s Tiff for Imrie
Ton gaffer clashes with Jags star Scott then lets rip at ref
Dougie Imrie claimed that ref Alan Muir stole the show and should never have been in charge of the match in the first place.
The last time the teams met the Morton boss was sent to the stand by Muir for penalty protests – and he got a yellow card yesterday after a touchline spat with Scott Tiffoney.
Imrie reckons the controversies of that 2-1 loss for Ton at Firhill should have ruled Muir out of the Cappielow clash. He dished out 11 yellow cards – including one for Imrie – in yesterday’s stalemate.
Six Jags players were cautioned, with Tiffoney booked in a flashpoint with Imrie which drew both benches into a barging match.
Brian Graham and Jack Baird also squared up in a heated penalty-box exchange. Imrie enjoyed the battle but couldn’t believe the veteran whistler got so card happy.
Imrie said: “It was a good game with two teams going at it but, once again, Mr Muir wanted to make it about himself. There weren’t 10 bookings in the game. I don’t think there was one bad tackle.
“He was the same referee as the last time in January. He gave one penalty to Thistle and there was another he didn’t give to us.
“In my eyes, I don’t see why you’d put the referee under that pressure by giving him the same fixture next time. But that’s only my opinion and it doesn’t count .” Imrie exchanged words with Graham and Kyle Turner as the teams trooped off after a tetchy affair.
The point took Jags above Ayr into third. Morton remain outside the play- offs in f ifth. Thistle might ref lect on a point ga ined, considering they lost both central defenders to first-half injuries.
Boss Kris Doolan is praying they don’t suffer serious setbacks with Aaron Muirhead and Fulham youngster Connor McAvoy.
Muirhead was hurt making a vital intervention to stop Calvin Miller galloping clear on David Mitchell in the fifth minute.
He soldiered on for a spell but had to be replaced by Kevin Holt, who partnered McAvoy until the loanee was stretchered off after appearing to twist his knee.
“They’re both going for scans,” reported Doolan. “Connor’s knee was in a lot of pain. They’re two big losses and huge players for us.”
Morton’s best effort was a ninth minute set-piece as David Mitchell got down well to force away Robbie Muirhead’s 20-yard drive.
Tiffoney ghosted in behind for the best Partick chance of the second half but Brian Schwake’s near-post block denied him. That missed opportunity came on 74 minutes and, despite more sweat and toil, neither side created a better one.
“We got another clean sheet so I think it’s a good point,” added Doolan. “I can see Morton taking points off teams from now until the end of the season.
“It was a really tough game, a battle, and we stood up to that. We just couldn’t quite put it together in the final third.”