A BLAME GAME FOR McKINNON

MORTON may have won the battle — but Ray McKinnon insists he’ll win the war and clear his name of any wrongdoing at his former club.

McKinnon returned to Cappielow yesterday for the first time since his controversial exit to Falkirk at the end of August.

His Bairns side slipped to defeat, after having goalkeeper Leo Fasan sent off early in the second half, and remain bottom of the Championship.

Morton, on the other hand, hadn’t won a game since McKinnon’s departure but Bob McHugh’s header in the 76th minute secured a first win for Ton boss Jonatan Johansson.

With extra policing and stewarding in place, the game passed off largely without incident. Bar the odd song and chant, it was fairly tame.

But, insisting the home fans haven’t heard the last of an apparent dispute with chairman Crawford Rae, McKinnon said: ‘They have only been informed by one side, that’s all they’ve been told. I will keep my dignity and keep quiet until the day comes when I do explain why it all happened.

‘When that day comes, I think there will be a different reaction towards me. That day will come soon, I can guarantee you that. Certain things will come out in the wash — and it won’t be me Morton fans will be pointing the finger at.

‘It is what it is. I understand their frustrations. They were great with me when I was here. It’s part and parcel of football, people move jobs.’

The drama around McKinnon wasn’t the only sub-plot of the day. Morton assistant Peter Houston was facing the club he came so close to leading into the Premiership, only to be sacked by the Bairns last year.

Elsewhere, Prince Buaben was

making his debut for Falkirk. The Ghanaian was Houston’s midfield enforcer for the Dundee United side that won the Scottish Cup in 2010. His involvement yesterday, though, was ended at half-time due to injury.

Only a lick of paint denied Morton’s Gary Oliver what would have been a contender for goal of the season on 25 minutes. Pouncing on a loose ball just outside the box, he unleashed a swerving half-volley that thumped back off a post.

That came just a few seconds after Zak Rudden squandered a decent chance to put Falkirk in front, dragging his shot wide of goal from inside the area after an error from Morton’s Gregor Buchanan.

It was Buchanan’s central defensive partner, Kerr Waddell, who almost created the opening goal after his Cruyff turn on the halfway line and raking crossfield pass found Michael Tidser, who shot straight at Fasan.

Jordan McGhee had a header cleared off the line for Falkirk, while his defensive partner Aaron Muirhead was lucky not to be sent off. Already on a booking, he stupidly kicked the ball away at a breakdown in play.

But, still, it all felt a little bit flat, the pre-match hype proving a little unfounded. That was until the game exploded into life just after the break.

Chris Millar dinked a lofted pass over the top of the Falkirk defence and, immediately, it became a foot race between Tidser and Fasan.

Tidser got to the ball first to knock it past the Bairns No1, only to be wiped out. Referee John Beaton had no option but to produce a red card.

McKinnon later said: ‘The ref actually said that he sent Leo off for handball. But he didn’t handle it. He did foul the player, I admit that, but that’s not what he was sent off for.

‘It was very strange and, to be honest, I thought the ref had a pretty poor game overall. In the build-up to their goal, they took a free-kick as the ball was rolling. You can’t do that.’

The goal finally came for Morton with 14 minutes remaining. Rory McKeown’s cross to the back post was headed back across the six-yard box by Waddell, for McHugh to nod home from close range.

‘We haven’t played overly badly, but it was important to stop the run and get our first victory together as a group,’ said Johansson. ‘It feels like a weight off our shoulders.

‘It’s not automatic that you win a game because you’re playing against ten men. You have to earn it.’