MATCH STATS
STAR MAN: JACK BAIRD produced a masterclass in defence as well as posing a threat in the air at every set-piece.
MORTON 5
Baird (8), Kabia (16), Gillespie (23), Muirhead (48, 54) HAMILTON ACCIES 0
Morton climbed to sixth in the Championship, just three points off the top, after a devastating display that sent Accies crashing to a third successive defeat.
Head coach Dougie Imrie beamed: “This league is mental with crazy results. It’s a really competitive league. To a man, they were outstanding.
“There has been good performances this season but that was the best. Our finishing was great and we took all five and could have been more.”
Ton made a spirited start and almost went in front after five minutes when Grant Gillespie whipped in a deep cross from the left for Jack Baird to send a looping header on target, but Accies defender Matthew Shiels backpeddled to clear off the line.
Accies didn’t learn their lesson and three minutes later Baird’s aerial threat was to prove effective when he powered a header from a Jaze Kabia corner from the left past goalkeeper Ryan Fulton to give the Greenock men the lead.
Accies went two down in 16 minutes with a goal of sheer simplicity. Brilliant play and composure in defence by Liam Grimshaw set up Gillespie to launch a long ball downfield. The Accies rearguard were all at sea as Kabia produced a superb first touch to run through and slide the ball beyond Fulton.
The points were wrapped up in 23 minutes. Lewis Strapp made a lung-bursting run down the left, cut the ball back for Kabia to lay the ball into the path of Gillespie who ripped a low shot into the net from 18 yards.
Three minutes after the restart Accies conceded a fourth. A horrific blunder in defence by substitute Fergus Owens let Robbie Muirhead through to slot the ball past Fulton.
Number five followed in 54 minutes when a Robbie Crawford shot deflected into the path of Muirhead to tap home.
Rankin said: “It wasn’t good enough being out-fought and out-thought with a team who had more desire. We made two changes in the first half and any of the 11 could have come off.
“We never laid a glove on Morton. We never looked like scoring or had a threat.
“That’s three defeats in a row. It was the poorest performance of the season. We have players in that dressing room because they have played in the Premiership think they are Premiership players. They need to get their finger out.”