Mccall fears for job after defeat
Thistle boss Ian Mccall admitted his job is on the line after slumping to a sixth successive defeat.
Mccall said: “It wasn’t a great game of football and we gave away a soft first goal. It’s just the way things are going for us. I’ve been under pressure before.
“I’m 100% confident we can turn it around and be in the mix come January. We have to win our next two home games.
“We have had key individuals out and they’re on their way back. One result can change things.”
Thistle made a positive start and after just three minutes Stevie Lawless and Stuart Bannigan combined to set up Jack Mcmillan, on the right, but he curled his 18-yard effort wide of the far post.
Morton, who began the day with a six-game unbeaten run since losing to the Jags at the start of October, had penalty claims waived away after 15 minutes after Jai Quitongo went down in a challenge from Olatunji Akinola.
Morton took the lead after 21 minutes with a goal of simplicity. Robbie Crawford whipped over a corner from the left and Efe Ambrose jumped unchallenged to power a header past goalkeeper Jamie Sneddon from six yards.
Five minutes later Sneddon prevented Thistle going further behind when he pulled off a terrific save, pushing away a Robbie Muirhead 25-yard free-kick.
Ton might have had a spot-kick five minutes from the interval when Crawford appeared to be tripped by Lee Hodson. Referee Graham Grainger turned down appeals, and booked Crawford, who chased him down the field in protest.
The equaliser came in the 58th minute for the Jags. Jack Mcmillan rolled the ball to the far post for Anton Dowds to fire the ball low into the corner of the net.
On the hour mark Sneddon produced an incredible save to turn over a header from Morton substitute Jaze Kabia.
Thistle almost went in front in 69 minutes but substitute Aidan Fitzpatrick’s long-range shot was deflected just wide.
But it was Morton who eventually got the winner in 79 minutes. Lewis Strapp darted down the left and drilled in a low cross for Cammy Blues to ram the ball home from eight yards.
Adding to Thistle’s woes, they were reduced to 10 men deep into stoppage time when Akinola was shown a straight red after a lastman tackle on Quitongo.
Ton head coach Dougie Imrie said: “It was another good performance. We’re in a good place at the moment, but we will keep our feet on the ground and not get carried away.
“I thought we controlled the game until they changed their shape and put us under a bit of pressure.
“Overall I thought it was a convincing victory.”
MORTON:
(4-2-3-1) Schwake 6; Strapp 7, Baird 8, Blues 7, Muirhead 7, Quitongo 7, Ambrose 7, Crawford 6, Mcgrattan 6 (Kabia 51, 4), Gillespie 6, Grimshaw 6. Unused subs – Pignatiello (Gk); Hynes, Mcgregor, King, Lithgow. PARTICK TH:
(3-4-1-2) Sneddon 7; Mcmillan 6 (Smith 74, 4), Milne 6, Brownlie 6, Turner 6(Weston 81, 4), Bannigan 7, Dowds 7, Lawless 7, Hodson 6, Akinola 6, Mullen 6 (Fitzpatrick 58, 4). Unused subs – Mitchell (Gk), Stanway, Lyon, Mackenzie.