Morton (A) April Fools Day

[tm4tj]

The Quest for Points Goes On

 

With only seven games left to salvage something from an error strewn season, we go searching for that elusive three points from Morton, something we have yet to achieve this season. Two wins and a draw so far against Dougie Imrie's team. The 4-0 loss at Cappielow at the end of October prompted the start of 'Ridgersgate'. How ridiculous does that look now given Mark's stunning performance last Friday in the ten man win over Partick Thistle. Not one of Billy Dodds' better decisions made in the heat of battle as Morton cuffed us and resigned Mark to the naughty step at half time and over the next seven games until Partick put five past Cammy on Xmas Eve. That period saw us win two points from a possible fifteen. It's just as well they don't do that to managers as Doddsy would have been sitting in the stand for months. However, all has hopefully been forgiven and Mark produced the performance of the season on telly to remove any lingering doubts about his ability. 

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Match/Ticket/Supporters Bus Info

Semi-Final Tickets On Sale Now

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Venue H2H v Morton

Pld

Won

Drn

Lst

For

Agst

+ / -

Home	21	12	5	4	48	20	+28
Away	18	10	3	5	35	23	+12
Neutral	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	39	22	8	9	83	43	+40

Overall we hold a massive advantage home and away over Morton, but recent games show that the trend is changing as we only have one win in the last five encounters. It took a late strike from Ethan Cairns to salvage a point last time in a 2 - 2 at the Caledonian Stadium. Calvin Miller had put Morton ahead early in the first half before Billy Mckay levelled around the hour. Robbie Muirhead looked to have given Morton all three points ten minutes before the end before substitute Cairns scored his first goal for the Caley Jags to share the spoils.

Last 10 Competitive Meetings v Morton

2 - 2 (H)

0 - 4 (A)

0 - 1 (H)

1 - 0 (A)

0 - 1 (H)

6 - 1 (A)

1 - 1 (A)

1 - 1 (H)

2 - 0 (H)

4 - 1 (A)

 

Pos Team Pld W D L F A Pts Arbroath v Ayr United Friday Night 1. Queens Park 30 16 6 8 58 39 54 2. Dundee 29 14 8 7 47 32 50 3. Ayr United 30 14 7 9 56 38 49 4. Partick Thistle 30 13 6 11 49 40 45 5. Morton 29 11 10 8 41 35 43 6. Inverness CT 29 10 9 10 40 41 39 7. Raith Rovers 28 10 8 10 39 37 38 8. Arbroath 29 5 13 11 26 41 28 9. Cove Rangers 30 6 8 16 34 65 26 10. Hamilton Ac. 28 6 7 15 25 47 25

FRIDAY 31ST MARCH 7:45

Arbroath 2-0 Ayr United

SATURDAY 1ST APRIL 3:00

Cove Rangers v Partick Thistle

Dundee v Accies   

   Morton v Inverness

 Raith Rovers v Queen's Park

Last Time Out

A rousing backs to the wall performance from the Caley Jags earned a 1-0 win over Partick Thistle. After Jay Henderson nicked the ball off of a Partick player, he danced down the wing before delivering a terrific pin point ball into the box for Nathan Shaw to slide in and convert. Sean Welsh was wrongly sent off with forty minutes remaining and Partick besieged the Inverness penalty box. However, Mark Ridgers was in tremendous form to deny the eager Partick attack time after time and 1-0 it was for the hosts. Ridgers had pulled off a worldy save in the first half to deny a stunned Brian Graham and was unbeatable on the day. That ensured Inverness' last five results look like this L D W L W 

 

Morton dropped points at Gayfield after George Oakley scored his sixth goal in eight games for the Cappielow side. However keeper Brian Schwake blundered to allow Sean Ardakwa to tap in. That fumble was not lost on Morton manager Dougie Imrie who told BBC Sport: "I think for large parts of that game we were by far the better team. I'm lost for words. I thought my players were superb to a man. The amount of chances we created - I don't know how we didn't win that. "He's [Schwake] a young goalkeeper in the game trying to make a name for himself. He has to be switched on and his concentration levels have to be high. That's not the first time this season he's cost us points."  (Naughty step for you m'lad) Morton Last Five W D L D D 

This season Morton hold the Indian Sign over us. A 0 - 1 at the Caledonian Stadium followed by the 0 - 4 game at Cappielow before the 2 - 2 draw back in Inverness at the beginning of February. Time to sort it out guys.

Latest Team News

Just when we thought things were getting better we lost Danny Devine to injury in the warm up last Friday. The previous game Roddy MacGregor was injured in his second appearance since returning from months out. Potentially, Sean Welsh could also have missed out but we appealed that, and given the secret society within the refereeing circles then I wasn't holding my breath. However, miracles do happen, the spell has been broken and he is now free to play at Morton. Unless of course he is injured. Zak Delaney filled in for Devine last week and did well after an early booking. We also found out that Ben Woods is a real thing after he came on as a substitute in the second half. Thankfully Robbie Deas has not shown any adverse reaction on his return to action and likewise Scott Allardice. 

So, it sounds like MacGregor and Ram plus the long term Walsh and Sutherland will be unavailable. Danny Devine? Your guess is as good as mine.

Morton starting XI v Arbroath: Judging by wee Dougies reaction to the Gayfield fumble then Schwake could be on the naughty step for Morton. Jai Quitongo has been out recently but could be near to a return to the squad.

1Schwake

 

23Grimshaw 5Baird 4O'Connor 6Waters

 

14Crawford 8Blues

 

9Muirhead 30Crawford 21Gillespie

 

22Oakley

George Oakley seems to have had a new lease of life since joining Morton. I wonder what, or who was holding him back at Inverness? Six goals in eight games since leaving Inverness. Hmmnnn?

On a sad note, Ian Manning the former club physio has passed away. RIP Ian. Condolences to family and friends.

 

[Robert]

I can’t explain why but I fancy us for three points tomorrow.

With Ayr losing tonight, we need a win to keep our play off chances alive and keep pressure on the teams we are trying to catch.

Hopefully we see MacGregor get some game time before the semi. I’m not surprised at Dodds’ comments about Ram. It was obvious he was playing when not fully fit for some weeks before he dropped out of the squad. Hopefully he recovers soon. 

Edited March 31, 2023 by Robert

[+Gringo]

Really need a great performance today and grab the three points. My heart says yes we will, my brain is still full of doubt though. Imrie seems to know how to play against Caley and can motivate his side better than Doddsy. We've not beaten them in three attempts this season taking only one point from nine. Now would be a good time to put that right. Agg score is currently 7-2 to them so a 5-0 win should level things up for the season 

[CaleyHedgehog]

C'mon ICT. Keeping the faith - one win at a time.

 

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Three points from any score or any performance appreciated. I would take a point though.

[tm4tj]

[caley100]

Allardice !!!!!   1 up  brilliant.  

 

[Peleistheman]

Great goal from outside the box, Scott Alladyce. Keep on top lads.

[Peleistheman]

Carson won it for us. Good 3 points.

[Yngwie]

It’s a pity today’s other results all went the wrong way as far as we are concerned, but this was another really good win for us. Well done ICT. 

Edited April 1, 2023 by Yngwie

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

The Fat Lady gargles but sits down and my "Happy Clapper" group rejoice in the face of the detractors. And if anyone was going to be the most favoured player to keep the push going it is David Carson. Dont give a feck what Doddsie says as I have a feckin double poured already.AND if you look at the table and the fixtures I would say that the game against Raif is the biggest of our season so far and is three points that would be gladly claimed. SO SO proud of this team. And Falkirk aint exactly on form either 

[Caley Mad In Berks]

Well done lads, another vital win, especially as the other results today did not help us at all, worsening our goal difference, which could well be crucial at the end.

I'm worried by the number of penalties we concede, I've lost count by now but there seems to be one almost every game lately.

But this was a good 3 points.

[Naelifts]

Keeping in touch.......by our finger nails

[DWH]

Yup, reckon we need to take more or less full points from our remaining matches : little margin for error.at this stage.

If we squeeze into 4th, I fancy our chances against whoever finishes 2nd and 3rd and then hope to go one better than last year................

Always was a glass half full type....!!

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

The Mantra should be "Ross County Await" 

[tm4tj]

 

Pos Team Pld W D L F A Pts Table after todays games 1. Queens Park 31 16 6 9 58 41 54 2. Dundee 30 15 8 7 54 32 53 3. Ayr United 31 14 7 10 56 40 49 4. Partick Thistle 31 14 6 11 54 40 48 5. Morton 30 11 10 9 42 37 43 6. Inverness CT 30 11 9 10 42 42 42 7. Raith Rovers 29 11 8 10 41 37 41 8. Arbroath 30 6 13 11 28 41 31 9. Cove Rangers 31 6 8 17 34 70 26 10. Hamilton Ac. 29 6 7 16 25 54 25

Next weeks games

Apr 4th 2023

Raith Rovers - Hamilton Ac.

Apr 7th 2023

Partick Thistle - Queens Park

Apr 8th 2023

Ayr United - Morton

Arbroath - Dundee

Hamilton Ac. - Cove Rangers

Inverness CT - Raith Rovers

Apr 11th 2023

Dundee - Raith Rovers 

Inverness CT - Arbroath 

Morton - Hamilton Ac.

[CaleyHedgehog]

Well done boys.

This is when Caley Thistle are at their best - making up for past mistakes and missed chances, when they are really under pressure. 

I'll be on holiday for the next couple of games, but I'm confident that we will win both - I never let the glass get below half full.

[Jaggernaut]

A terrific three points from a fixture we have struggled with this season. We seem to be having a good run of form just now, so let's keep it going against Raith next week. Well done all.

[RiG]

After a poor first half the second half showing was much better and we got a deserved win. Morton were really poor for most of the game apart from when they got a lift after their equaliser. Criminal miss from Crawford in the first half and Ridgers had to look alive to deny a well struck shot but apart from that it was pretty dull.

Wonderful strike from Allardice to open the scoring from about 30 yards with a sumptuous volley. Looked like an utterly bizarre penalty decision to allow Morton to steal their way back into it and they almost went 2 - 1 up when Muirhead lashed a free kick from miles out off the bar with Ridgers well beaten. Fortunately Carson bundled his way through the home defence right at the end to sclaff a shot beyond the despairing Schawke to give us a big three points.

Standouts for us were Allardice, Carson and Shaw.

[ICTPaisley]

3 hours ago, tm4tj said:

 

Pos Team Pld W D L F A Pts Table after todays games 1. Queens Park 31 16 6 9 58 41 54 2. Dundee 30 15 8 7 54 32 53 3. Ayr United 31 14 7 10 56 40 49 4. Partick Thistle 31 14 6 11 54 40 48 5. Morton 30 11 10 9 42 37 43 6. Inverness CT 30 11 9 10 42 42 42 7. Raith Rovers 29 11 8 10 41 37 41 8. Arbroath 30 6 13 11 28 41 31 9. Cove Rangers 31 6 8 17 34 70 26 10. Hamilton Ac. 29 6 7 16 25 54

Next weeks games

Apr 4th 2023

Raith Rovers - Hamilton Ac.

Apr 7th 2023

Partick Thistle - Queens Park

Apr 8th 2023

Ayr United - Morton

Arbroath - Dundee

Hamilton Ac. - Cove Rangers

Inverness CT - Raith Rovers

Apr 11th 2023

Dundee - Raith Rovers 

Inverness CT - Arbroath 

Morton - Hamilton Ac.

I think all eyes has to be on that Friday night game between Partick and Queens. We really need an away win there to have any chance of catching the playoffs.

[Robert]

11 hours ago, ICTPAISLEY said:

I think all eyes has to be on that Friday night game between Partick and Queens. We really need an away win there to have any chance of catching the playoffs.

I agree but think the team we need to have in our sights is Ayr. They’ve only taken 7 points out of 21 so have slipped back from Queens Park and Dundee.

Morton are also on a bad run with 3 points out of 15.

I think it is between Ayr, Morton, Raith and us for fourth, so next Saturday’s game against Raith is a must win (they will probably overtake us on Tuesday) as is our game in hand the following Tuesday against Arbroath.

If we can pull that off we will be very much in the mix.

As always with us, it is a very big if!!

Well done to the guys for getting the result yesterday. 

[tm4tj]

 

[Yngwie]

18 hours ago, RiG said:

Fortunately Carson bundled his way through the home defence right at the end to sclaff a shot beyond the despairing Schawke

Watching the highlights, it looks like his shot was struck cleanly enough but took a deflection off the defender.

[Robert]

I agree. Good finish by Allardice. Hard to see exactly what happened at the penalty (watching it on a phone).

We seemed to ride our luck a bit before Carson’s winner.

[Robert]

The club’s report:

https://ictfc.com/match-report-greenock-morton-1-2-ictfc-01-04-2023