Morton 3 Saints 2
Team : Cuthbert, Lawrie, Stanic, Mensing, McManus,
James, Hardie, Sheerinho, Savo, Jason, Ryan
Subs : Halliwell, Peaso, Jackson, Dyer, Pamela
Saints headed back west for the second time in 4 days (surely breaching some UN Health Organisation regulations on the way) for what was set to be a tougher game than the previous weekend's encounter with the luvvies of Partick. Unfortunately we not only lost to a decent side but managed to ensure a big chunk of our defeat was down to our own failings with too many players performing well below par and others not taking their chance. Defensively we were simply shocking at times and there are some players who need to take a good look at themselves - Saints had a decent travelling support tonight and we were badly let down. Owen made few changes to the Saints side.
Savo had been doubtful prior to kick-off with a calf knock but both he and Hardie made the starting eleven. The only changes from Saturday were Ryan starting in place of the cup-tied McLaren while the Cat returned between the sticks. No Dazza on the bench either (it being a midweek tie) but Dyer and Jacko stepped up.
From the off, Saints looked sharp with a first minute corner flicked over the bar by Kevin James. But Morton were a tougher prospect than Partick with Millar and Stevenson in midfield causing all sorts of problems - Ryan looking sharp to clear an early home corner. But eight minutes in and Hardie was fouled just inside their half. Goran's freekick sailed into the box where James and Savo were caught up trying to win the ball. It eventually broke free on the right to Simon Mensing. He turned his marker and when we were all expecting a pass, he let rip with a cracking 25yd shot into the net.
Morton pressed right back with Millar given room to get into the box before Stanic made a great tackle conceding a corner. That was only half-cleared with Saints adjudged to have committed a foul on the edge of the box (not the first controversial decision by referee Somers tonight). The final freekick went well over the bar. Morton were causing plenty of problems and Car-Crash Lawrie got in on the act in the 13th minute, losing possession on the wing. The cross was headed behind then the resulting corner ended in another free header going just wide of the Cat's goal.
We were being cut open defensively far too easily and even when we got the ball, Saints were guilty of taking too long to do anything as we were closed down too easily - Hardie, Stevenson and McManus all looked slow. It was 20 minutes in before we tried to threaten but a corner came to nothing and a subsequent break ended with Ryan hesitating too long on a cross. It was poor stuff after the form we'd shown on Saturday. Another Morton freekick saw the wall only partially do it's duty and when the cross came back in, the Cat missed the ball with Mensing clearing the danger. The Cat managed to punch the next corner clear as Saints were again pressed back, not helped by James looking groggy for a few minutes after a head knock.
We were unable to create any clearcut chances. A freekick on the half- hour mark saw Sheerin get into the box, but Hardie was too slow to get on the end of his cross. Another Sheerin cross a minute later ended in a Savo header going wide, while back at the other end, it was hearts-in- mouths stuff with the Cat resorting to punching the ball and a powerfully struck low drive that went right across the Saints goalmouth.
With the half-time trek to the bogs looming for the Saints fans, we finally had something to get slightly excited about. Savo had a decent shot held in the 40th minute and two minutes after that, Jason (who was about our only real threat) linked well with Sheerin on a run. Scotland had only a defender to beat, he elected to square the ball to Stevenson who, needless to say lost it. Ryan saw a shot held just after that though and then Jason had an angled drive spin across the goal. The half finished with more attacks from the home side with the Cat having to deal with a couple of corners and then Millar beaten Stanic before shooting wide.
Owen rang the changes at half-time. Ryan was hooked with Mensing moving to the right to strengthen that wing and cover for Lawrie's inability to put in a tackle.. Sheerin moved inside with Stanic on the left wing and Dyer coming off the bench to go to left-back. It didn't make much difference. Jason had an early turn and shot held before Morton drew level four minutes after the restart. A home freekick went out for a corner. The ball was swung in and Harding rose up unchallenged at the back post to head past the helpless keeper. You could almost see the Saints' players heads go down.
Worst was to come although before that we had the entertainment of Lilley going to ground in the box for the second time - still no cards from Mr Somers despite signalling that the striker had dived. Saints had the ball in the net as well courtesy of a Hardie drive but the whistle had already gone for a foul from Mensing. Morton took the lead in the 54th minute as Saints stood off them. Add to that a slip by Sheerin in the box and suddenly they had room to get past and send a low cutback in which McGowan fired in low past the keeper.
Lilley picked up a booking for a late foul on McManus (making the earlier non-bookings for diving all the more annoying) while Saints struggled to piece together any decent moves. Peaso came on for Savo on the hour mark and two minutes later the sub got onto the end of a good Goran cross only for his header to be saved. A freekick a minute later into the Morton goalmouth saw shots from Peaso, Mensing and James all blocked. For all that though we looked disjointed and it was Morton who came closer with a long-range Millar effort going just over the bar in the 70th minute followed by another shot going just wide a couple of minutes later after Hardie and Lawrie both lost the ball.
James saw a header go wide from another good Goran cross before Owen's last throw of the dice saw Jacko replacing the unfit-looking Hardie for the last 15 minutes. Jason had a drive cleared off the line with eleven minutes remaining but a minute later we drew level. Morton had a corner which was cleared as far as Dyer who hoofed the ball long finding Jason. Scotland took his time controlling the ball and beating his man, waiting on support before sending it to Jackson on the right - he got to the byeline and send a low cutback across goal where Mensing met it at the back post to blast it into the roof of the net.
The game had a real end-to-end feel about it now with chances for both sides although there were plenty of tired legs. There was major controversy though in the 86th minute which incensed the Saints fans. The ball found Jason who set up Peaso. His shot was only cleared back out to Jason who ran into the box only to be brought down - up steps Somers and not only denies us the stonewall penalty but also books Scotland which given the leniency shown to Lilley on two earlier occasions made the Saints support furious especially given the chance we had to win the game.
Mensing picked up a daft booking a few minutes later for a shove but with everyone set for extra-time up came Lady Luck to piss on our hopes. Morton were pressing and the ball came down their left wing. So in steps Lawrie into the middle of the feckin park allowing McGowan (who had only scored one bloody goal so obviously wasn't a danger) to stroll unchallenged up to the edge of the box where he sent a low curling shot past Cuthbert. UN-BLOODY-CHALLENGED!!! Christ knows why we were that surprised - it's not as if Car-Crash Lawrie and Co had put many crunching tackles in over the previous 90 minutes. Anyway 3-2 them, McGowan "celebrates" by taunting the Saints fans and the pissiness of the evening strikes home - even late rallies by Sheerin and Peaso failed to test the keeper.
Not a nice performance and to be fair over the 90 Morton shaded it - which makes it all the more galling since we know Saints are capable of a lot more. The right flank's weaknesses were badly shown up and too many players were less than 100% fit. As for MoM, Mensing gets it for two good goals and a Cherry-esque gutsy performance in the middle of the park ahead of Scotland and Stanic.
Still there's always the CIS Cup to give Saints a chance to redeem themselves a bit!
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