Waddell believes Morton ‘can do a Livi’
A year ago today, Livingston lost 1-0 at home to Queen of the South. They had won only one of their previous six games and nobody was tipping David Hopkin’s newly-promoted side to reach the top flight on their shoestring budget.
Yet that’s what happened and Morton centre-half Kerr Waddell believes the Greenock club can follow their example and return to the elite division for the first time since 1985.
Jonatan Johansson’s men hadn’t won at home since November 3 until Waddell’s volley proved enough to defeat leaders Ross County and lift them up to fourth place at Cappielow on Friday evening.
Now the 20-year-old, on a season-long loan from Dundee, claims Premiership football is within their grasp.
“It was a massive win and that’s twice we’ve beaten them this season, which proves what we’re capable of,” he insisted.
“We’ve started 2019 really well but we need to build on this now.
“I think we can push for the play-offs because if we can beat County we can beat anyone.
“We’re putting pressure on the teams around us now and we can relax after our win and watch what everyone else does. Then we’ll need to go and get another result at Alloa next weekend.
“We should be looking at Livingston, who came from nowhere to win promotion through the play-offs last year.
“That’s something we can emulate. We’re within touching distance at the moment and, if we can keep picking up results then you never know what might happen.”
Waddell was also relieved that Friday’s fixture was shown live on BBC Alba.
“My mum couldn’t make it to the match so it was brilliant the cameras were here and she could see my goal on TV,” he grinned.
“I always think that there’s a chance I’ll get on the end of something and I’m glad I did.
“The boys in the dressing room claimed the ball had gone in off my shin but I don’t think it did – I got a decent contact on it.”