SHIRE 0 MORTON 4

Those arriving at Firs Park in the hope of a cup upset will have left the ground after the match sorely disappointed.

First Division Morton eased themselves into the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup with a competent performance in beating a Shire team who competed valiantly but just did not have the necessary quality required to eliminate their loftier opponents.

The home team did keep Morton at bay until five minutes after the interval but they rarely showed enough enterprise to suggest Morton were in for an uncomfortable evening.

There was a surprise for Shire fans before kick-off when Stephen Oates, normally a centre-half, was included in midfield for his first start of the season as a straight replacement for the injured Andrew Brand.

The rest of the team was unchanged from Saturday's narrow 3-2 home defeat against Stranraer.

They began cofortably enough and the defence managed to hold the line well against the threat of Morton strikers, Michael Gardyne and Chris Templeman.

In fact, the visitors made a very tentative start managing no better than a couple of long-range efforts which flew wide of goal and it wasn't until the 16th minute that Darren Hill was called on to make a save.

After 20 minutes Gardyne squandered the game's first real opportunity, shooting straight at Hill when well-placed. Shire did a good job of keeping Morton in front of them and the visitors' frustration at being limited to long-range efforts showed when Stevenson hit a 20 yarder high, wide and handsome.

Joe Savage was ploughing a lone furrow up frony for the home team but was unlucky with a great slalom through the Morton defence which ended with a near post drive that Robinson had to push wide with his legs.

Morton ended the half strongly and a lovely cross into the box had to be headed behind for a corner by Carl Thywissen from under his own crossbar with Templeman lurking not too far away.

Shire could feel proud of their efforts to go in at the interval all square but they could not keep things going in the second half.

There were just four minutes played after the interval when Jamie Stevenson fired over a free-kick from wide on the right which was nodded in at the back post by the unguarded Templeman.

Shire withdrew the ineffective Sean Simpson and replaced him with Kevin Struthers and within a minute the striker had made a great run into the box but the Morton defence did well to clear the danger.

Derek Ure, having a fine game wide on the left, tried his best to the leway but his effort from the 18 yard line was blocked and the moment was gone.

Worse was to follow on 61 minutes when Weatherson's cross was flicked towards goal by Templeman and the ball was accidentally knocked over the line by the inrushing Gordon Moffat.

That left Shire facing a barrage of Morton pressure and keeper Darren Hill only stopped his team falling further behind in 66 minutes  with a brilliant fingertip save from Gardyne's half-volley.

It appeared the home team had weathered that storm and a 2-0 defeat would have been disappointing but creditable in the circumstances.

Oates had done a sterling job in an unfamiliar role but sustained a knock and had to be withdrawn after 80 minutes.  His replacement was the youngster, Ryan Carr.

With seven minutes the young substitute's misplaced pass straight to Stevenson allowed the Morton midfielder to thread through a defence-splitting pass to Bobby Linn who outpaced the tiring Moffat to shoot low into the net to make it 3-0.

That was disappointing enough, but worse was to follow two minutes later. This time the ball was launched across the face of goal from wide on the left by Jim McAlister and Templeman was unmarked at the far post to nod it over the line.

Shire : Hill, Moffat, K. McBride, King, Thywissen, Kelly, Donaldson, Oates(Carr 80), Savage, Simpson(Struthers 60), Ure(Doyle 71).

Morton : Robinson, Weatherson(Shields 86), Walker, Harding, Greacen, Keenan, Graham(Linn 71), Stevenson, Templeman(Coakley 86), Gardyne, McAlister.

Referee : B. Winter

Attendance : 488.

 

 

 

 

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