THE LONG wait for a new manager in the Greenock Morton dugout was over as the club announced the capture of Ian Murray during last week.
The former Raith Rovers manager experienced success in his previous role with the Fifers, running Dundee United close in a thrilling title race before somewhat surprisingly being let go the next season.
Murray now returns to management with the backing of Gary Miller as assistant manager and the addition of Bill Orr as first team coach, however Murray took in the weekend’s game against Partick Thistle from the stands ahead of his first day on Monday, January 5, with Miller taking the team for the trip to Firhill.
Although Partick were sitting pretty in second place, their form had faltered of late–failing to win in their previous four games in the league–and this was evident in the first-half.
The Jags looked tidy in possession, dominating the ball and causing confusion in the Morton defence with their rotations, but they failed to create any meaningful openings early on due to some stoic Ton defending.
And it wouldn’t be long before they found themselves behind as a swift attack from Morton allowed Michael O’Halloran in on goal, with the veteran squaring the ball to Michael Garrity who swept home in front of the jubilant travelling support.
Thistle aimed to respond quickly, and created their best chance from open play for Tony Watt, who volleyed the ball straight at James Storer from close range.
But the game continued in the same pattern, as Morton soaked up any Thistle pressure before springing quickly up the other end of the pitch.
O’Halloran showed on multiple occasions why he has played at a higher level, as two powerful runs through the heart of the Jags’ midfield created openings for the Ton–the first resulting in a Zak Delaney volley which was cleared off the line, before Eamonn Brophy slid Arron Lyall in across the corridor of uncertainty with the midfielder blazing his shot over the bar on the stretch from close range.
But persistence would pay off when Aaron Comrie’s bulldozing run down the right allowed the defender to the touchline where his deflected cross found Cameron Blues.
The midfielder had the presence of mind to head the ball down to Brophy who lifted the ball over the goalkeeper to give Morton a 2-0 lead going into the break.
But all the positivity from a solid first-half performance was quickly dispelled as Partick came out fighting in the second period.
Half-time sub, Kyle Turner, had the desired impact as he set up Ben Stanway for a shot–the midfielder cannoning a goal-bound effort off of his teammate before reacting quickest to the rebound for a tap-in after just five minutes.
Thistle began to turn the screw, with Morton relying on last ditch defending and some excellent goalkeeping from Storer to keep themselves ahead.
But when Logan Chalmers was hauled down in the box, prompting the referee to point to the spot, it all looked to be in vain.
Having won the pen, Chalmers stepped up from 12 yards, but his effort was tame and Storer only had to guess the right way to keep it out and retain the Ton’s lead.
The goalie nearly went from hero to zero moments later, though, as his throw went straight to a Partick player, before some calamitous defending allowed sole substitute Kyle Turner through one-one-one, only for the midfielder to sky his effort and spare the blushes of the Ton defence.
But the sub would eventually hit the target, as Turner’s pass inside the box was blocked but sat up nicely for him to curl into the far corner and level the game with 15 minutes left to play.
At this point in the game it was all Partick Thistle, with Morton’s counterattacking threat which was prevalent in the first period vanishing, and it took not one, not two, but three last ditch blocks in and around the six yard box to deny Partick a deserved third goal on the counter with minutes left in the game.
As the clock went into added time, it looked as if Morton were going to hold on for a precious point–despite looking good value for a win in the first-half–but Tony Watt’s dribble into the box and shift inside onto his right foot ensured the Ton left with nothing as the Glasgow side’s main man produced a moment of quality to find the far corner and complete the second-half comeback in the 94th minute.
The winner sparked wild scenes in Firhill as the home side kept pace with league leaders St Johnstone, whilst Morton remain only four points above ninth place Queen’s Park, who have two games in hand.
The defeat leaves new man, Murray, with an uphill task to turn around a rudderless Ton side, as his first game comes at home to another side struggling for form in Dunfermline this Saturday, January 10.
