 Media report |
It was the late, late show for Partick Thistle on Friday as a 90th minute goal saw the Jags come from behind to win 2-1 against Greenock Morton at Cappielow in the Scottish Championship. Both sides came into the game in need of points, with Thistle looking to keep the pressure up on St Johnstone ahead of next week’s top of the table clash at The Wyre Stadium at Firhill. The team showed one change from Sunday’s Scottish Cup exit at the hands of St Mirren. Dan O’Reilly was suspended after his red card in the 0-0 draw against Arbroath a fortnight ago, with Cale Loughrey making his first start for the Jags in his place.
The first opening of the game fell the way of ex-Morton man Alex Samuel who burst into the hosts’ box from the left-hand side. He tried to drill a low shot across goal but saw his effort saved by Murray Johnson. A trio of corners up the other end shortly after helped Morton find their footing in the game, but Thistle kept their resolve to ensure they didn’t concede. On ten minutes, Ts’oanelo Lets’osa managed to find the back of the net for Thistle, rounding Johnson to fire into an empty goal, but the offside flag had been raised well before he buried it and the away support didn’t even bother to cheer. Morton did threaten at times in the opening twenty minutes, but lacked a clinical edge. Thistle had to contend with multiple balls thrown into the box, with Loughrey in particular doing well to clear the danger on multiple occasions. Midway through the first half, Ben Stanway decided to go for another long-range effort after his spectacular goal last week in Paisley, but the attempt glided over the bar. A minute later though, it would be the Ton who opened the scoring. The ball went wide on the left to Michael Garrity who waited for the underlapping run of Zak Delaney before squeezing a pass through to the ex-Inverness man. Delaney got his head up to pick out Cammy McPherson in the centre and the midfielder simply steered the ball into the waiting net to put the hosts in front. Ian Murray’s side looked to build on their goal advantage, creating multiple chances to double the lead. Thistle again struggled to contain Morton down the left-hand side, with Michael Garrity whipping a dangerous cross into the box from the wing. The ball deflected as it made its way to Owen Moffat at the back post, but Clarke was able to snuff the effort out with confidence.
On 32 minutes, Garrity had a go himself, from the edge of the Thistle box, but the shot went straight into the hands of a waiting Clarke. Moments later Thistle would create their best chance since the opening few minutes of the game when Ben Stanway got the ball to Alex Samuel just inside the Morton box. The Welshman spun his man and rifled a low shot towards the far corner but saw the ball fly wide. Shortly thereafter, with 37 minutes on the clock, the match took a considerable turn in the Jags’ favour when Reuben Lopata-White was sent off. Cale Loughrey played the ball in to the feet of Alex Samuel who in turn fed it through to Paddy Reading who’d made an impressive run down the inside left channel to break through the home side’s backline. Caught wrong side of the Thistle left-back, Lopata-White provided a nudge in the back which sent Reading to the turf and forced referee Ross Hardie to point to the spot. After a moment of deliberation, Hardie would brandish a red card in the Leeds loanee’s direction to rub salt into the Morton wound. Tony Watt looked set to take the spot kick but passed the responsibility on to Ben Stanway as an ankle injury picked up earlier in the match became unbearable. Stanway’s truncated run up encapsulated his business-like approach to the 12-yard task as he blasted the ball past Murray Johnson despite the ‘keeper getting a touch on it with his right hand. In the aftermath of the equaliser, the injured Tony Watt was replaced by Ethan Ingram who was stationed on the right flank for the last few minutes of the first period.
The Jags came out raring to go in the second half, buoyed by their equaliser, with Fitzpatrick coming close with a header almost immediately after the restart. Having switched roles with Ethan Ingram at the break, Ben McPherson looked threatening to start the second 45 minutes. His cut back found Alex Samuel seven yards from goal but the striker’s low shot was well saved by Murray Johnson’s feet. More pressure arrived in the Morton box with a slew of shots from the likes of Reading, Samuel and Stanway either needing saved or narrowly missing the target. On the hour, Mark Wilson rang the changes. Kyle Turner replaced Robbie Crawford in midfield whilst Cale Loughrey made way for Ricco Diack, as Thistle went back to a front two in an effort to squeeze Morton further. A man down, the Ton fortified themselves, sitting deeper and deeper as the half wore on. That being said, they looked dangerous during their rare forays forward and Zak Delaney was very close to re-establishing a lead with a header on 63 minutes. As the clock ticked away, Thistle started to huff and puff with chances drying up.
The Jags knew that a draw did little for them and would leave gaps open in their pursuit of a winner. With 13 minutes to play, the visitors made one final change when Cammy Logan came on for a limping Paddy Reading. Thistle would finally break Morton’s resolve in the final minute of regulation time. With both sides tiring, Samuel managed to get the ball under his spell in the box despite Morton’s best attempts to clear. He spun on his axis and blasted the ball home across goal to spark delirium amongst the Red and Yellow Army on the uncovered steps behind the goal. There was one late chance for Morton to bite back when Lee Ashcroft lost his footing at an inopportune moment as he tried to see the ball out for a goalkick. His slip allowed Kian Taylor to cut the ball back past Josh Clarke to the unmarked Arron Lyall who took aim with only Ethan Ingram to beat, however, the on-loan Dundee defender blocked heroically to keep his side ahead. By claiming that last-gasp victory, the Jags cut the gap at the top of the table to five points and put pressure back on St. Johnstone who face a Saturday afternoon clash with Ross County before coming to The Wyre Stadium at Firhill next Friday night.
 Reaction |
Thistle manager Mark Wilson (speaking to the BBC):
I was just saying to Alex [Samuel], I thought we had one last chance in us. He put it away great and obviously I'm delighted. We weren't at our sparkling best but still got the job done. Ethan does unbelievable - it's a great clearance. Every time we play Morton we concede first and have to drag ourselves back in.
Morton manager Ian Murray (speaking to the BBC):
Very tough. The players put so much into the game. It all changes on a refereeing decision. I can't say too much because I'll be in trouble. It's never a penalty kick. The players were excellent tonight. When I see commitment like that, we'll be fine.
Grant Gillespie
Kian Taylor
