If at first you don't succeed

 

It's the second time of trying to get this match played (postponed from Boxing Day) and that will be the same for another handful of games as a combination of snow, ice, Scottish Cup and covid19 have decimated our campaign. We will be playing catch-up for the foreseeable future with postponed Championship games against Arbroath, Queen of the South, Raith Rovers and Alloa to come, not to mention cup games against Buckie Thistle and possibly Ross County.

Our last game was a 1-1 draw with Dunfermline on 29th December. Almost one month ago. Morton drew at Ayr that day and the same 1-1 scoreline at Alloa four days later. They have drawn with the Pars since then and went down 2-1 at Dumfries last Saturday. Not the most profitable period for Morton, but at least they have been active.

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Live Streaming from Ton TV £14

Kick Off 6:30 - Cappielow

Official Preview

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Latest Team News

Kai Kennedy is now at Raith Rovers and he will be a big miss. Lewis Toshney and Kevin McHattie are not ready for action after long term injuries. Robbo has hinted that there are a couple of new niggly injuries that may require rest with a busy schedule coming up. I wonder if Wallace Duffy, Aaron Doran and David Carson might have benefitted from the enforced lay off and will be looking to get involved with the squad

Morton

Morton team v QotS: McAdams, Ledger, Fjortoft, McGinty, Strapp (Oliver 78′), McAlister, Lyon, Salkeld, Colville, Nesbitt, Orsi

Given the amount of Previews wasted recently, that's all your getting. Meh!

After losing to Raith Rovers on Saturday, the Jambos gained ample revenge by pumping Raith 4-0 at Stark's Park tonight. Hendry of Rovers was sent off before the break.

Oh Toddy: how did he not get a touch and put it in?

Great save by Morton keeper

Corner last chance here for us

That was very disappointing. I appreciate that we had the disadvantage of a long lay off. However, a team that can't hold on to, far less increase, a lead against opponents playing the great majority of the game with ten men is not a team that is likely to be challenging for promotion.

1 minute ago, Robert said:

Oh Toddy: how did he not get a touch and put it in?

Same with Vincent early on in the game

utter sh*te

Waste of money

That sums our season up. Ahead, playing well, opposition goes down to 10. And we can’t win.

Good game overall, but we under performed badly again in the second half.

Yes, the pitch was poor and we have not played for a month, but that game was there for the taking.

 

Now need a win Saturday. Opportunity missed tonight for a variety of reasons. 

Just now, jed5697 said:

Now need a win Saturday. Opportunity missed tonight for a variety of reasons. 

Saturday will be tough against QoTS as they have hit a bit of form this month. Scoring 10 goals and seem to have a decent player in Connor Shields

Really disappointing that we can't see out a game against a team with only 10 men for over an hour😒

I know it’s a long drive down and the weathers not great, but that was good enough. Unable to hold on to the lead against 10 men! What have they been doing these past weeks.👎

Lost all drive and focus at beginning of second half and just couldn’t get it back. No urgency nor anyone driving the team on. Have 10 man team the confidence to come forward and they could easily have won that. Can’t say I was impressed by that line up. 

31 minutes ago, WYNESS101 said:

Saturday will be tough against QoTS as they have hit a bit of form this month. Scoring 10 goals and seem to have a decent player in Connor Shields

Yes and these are their loaned players. Rangers striker is the boy who had a good game against us in challenge cup. Also Fitzpatrick on loan from Norwich scored against Morton in their last game. And don't forget they also have George Galloway to appear and distract the players 🤣

Aye it's awfy disappointing. Morton deserved their point for fighting hard but we looked vulnerable every time a ball came into our box.

Queen of the South on Saturday, let's hope we can start picking up points.

Struggling to think of much positive to take from that. It's hard to be too critical given the prolonged break from match action but even so some of the same old faults were evident. The continued softness at defending crosses (from set pieces especially) remains. There was precious little creativity from the wide players and some of the crossing was absolutely woeful. Maybe the heavy pitch didn't help.

With a number of games coming up over the next couple of weeks we need to get back up to full speed quickly if we are to take advantage of our games in hand.

The whole defence was poor today, looked shaky and disorganised.

Thought Welsh and Vincent were very good in the first half. Vincent dropped out of it big style in the second. Sutherland was very impressive. Mackay did okay, Doran was quiet apart from the lovely through ball for McKay who took it well.

Second half was infuriating. We slowed play right down and starting playing long angled balls. 

Credit to Morton. They battled and deserved the point. Our players looked at times with 11 v 11 a much much better team. We start coasting in the second half and it costs us dearly. Poor attitudes from some of the players in my opinion.

Wonder what the manager’s instructions were at half time?

Disappointing I guess....mind you playing against 10men, seems to be a surprisingly difficult thing for teams to do, certainly ones that I support. Palace have only once beaten a team with 10men, and recently Aston Villa smashed us 0-3 despite having 10 men for the entire 2nd half, on the other hand I've seen Palace win more games with 10 men than lose. Not sure what the reason is

Obviously having not played for a while that could be a factor, but we have hardly been setting the league alight before then, and maybe Kai Kennedy is a bigger loss than we realise. We need to get a format than we can work with and need some momentum. Why are we so soft at defending set-pieces?

Struggling for positives after that. Would like to say however that I enjoyed the coverage and the banter between the commentators. Well done Morton for that

Aye, I enjoyed the commentators - was Andy Ritchie the summariser? I came to the game late.

13 hours ago, Stirling Observer said:

The whole defence was poor today, looked shaky and disorganised.

Thought Welsh and Vincent were very good in the first half. Vincent dropped out of it big style in the second. Sutherland was very impressive. Mackay did okay, Doran was quiet apart from the lovely through ball for McKay who took it well.

Second half was infuriating. We slowed play right down and starting playing long angled balls. 

Credit to Morton. They battled and deserved the point. Our players looked at times with 11 v 11 a much much better team. We start coasting in the second half and it costs us dearly. Poor attitudes from some of the players in my opinion.

I felt Sutherland kept getting dragged back to hold the ball up and when we crossed the ball in the box he was trying to get forward to win the ball. 

Is Sutherland getting used as a Poacher or Target man ?

Well Robbo not slurring his words in the post match interview. Very scathing 

 
Robbo’s post match review bang on but he had a chance to change things with the subs. Don’t think they worked though - Vincent needed to come off. No idea what MacGregor has done wrong to be sitting on bench for 82 minutes. 

Edited January 28, 20215 yr by FrontRow
Repetition

Cooled down a bit after that performance and I'm prepared to cut them a bit more slack...cannot be easy not playing for a month - almost like pre-season again.

Roll on Saturday .

Part of me wonders if some selections were made with the upcoming rush of games we have. MacGregor not starting was an odd one.

Credit should go to Ridgers who pulled off a couple of excellent saves to keep us in it. Overall though still a very rusty and sluggish performance.

18 hours ago, FrontRow said:

... nor anyone driving the team on.

That came to me during the game.  No one on the pitch reading the game, assessing how it was going, reacting to the ebb and flow, influencing the team.  Just 11 players doing their own things, and not able or not having the vision to adapt when it was needed.