Morton 1 Dunfermline 1
Saturday, 22nd Sep 2018Ladbrokes Championship: Andy Ryan, Aidan Connolly and Malaury Martin start.Andy Ryan (68) 0-1: Scott Tiffoney (82) 1-1
Andy Ryan’s strike midway through the second half looked to have secured a decent away win but an error eight minutes from time allowed Morton yet another late goal against Dunfermline meant that it was one point apiece at Cappielow.
Eighth placed Dunfermline Athletic travelled west to Greenock to take on sixth placed Morton. Following the disappointment of the goalless draw at home to Alloa Athletic the previous Saturday, Allan Johnston made three changes to his starting eleven with Andy Ryan, Aidan Connolly and Malaury Martin coming in for Robbie Muirhead, Myles Hippolyte and Joe Thomson.
Jonatan Johansson the Morton manager made one change from the side that drew at Tannadice, 22 year old Jack Iredale starting in place of Chris Millar.
The home side kicked off playing west to east and Bob McHugh released an attempt on target within 20 seconds but Lee Robinson was ready to hold. The Pars in red shirts forced a free kick 15 yards inside the Morton half but when Martin lobbed the ball into the opposition box, the Pars attackers were blown up for showing too much aggression in trying to get on the end of it.
Ryan posed a dilemma for former Pars keeper Ryan Scully as a through ball died short of him and there was a scramble 30 yards out including Lee Kilday in which Ryan lost out. James Craigen forced a ninth minute corner but when Martin swung that in from the right it was just too high for the challenging Ryan.
The Fifers displayed a very lively opening ten minutes and had certainly been the better team at that stage. Morton earned a 12th minute corner but it was not the best and failed to take any attacking advantage from it.
Next minute Robinson pulled off a fine save turning around his left hand post a Iredale shot from a Regan Tumilty pass. The resultant corner was better but the Pars still cleared. When play switched back to the other end Connolly and Ryan combined at haste on the top of the box leaving Connolly with the cross from the left that Gregor Buchanan headed clear.
A Martin free kick in 21 minutes was neatly controlled by Faissal El Bakhtaoui and he laid the ball off for Louis Longridge but all that would result was a corner on the right that was duly defended. The visitors kept up the pressure with L Longridge and Craigen linking up on the right and El Bakhtaoui tried a shot from 25 yards out that was blocked by the back of Buchanan.
Robinson was shown a yellow card in 26 minutes when he picked the ball up outside the box and ‘Ton were awarded a free kick on the edge of the box right in front of goal. Michael Tidser got the shot on target but the wall did it job and the ball was deflected out right.
Two corners from the left caused the Fifers little problem but Jim McAlister did get a shot away but was well wide right. The Fifers almost got the breakthrough they were looking for from a 37th minute counter when Connolly sent El Bakhtaoui away. He fed L Longridge to his left and a desperate sliding interception was required to keep out his cross. When L Longridge won possession back he released a shot that Scully dived high to his left to keep out.
Jackson Longridge was shown yellow for his challenge on a Morton attacker and that gave Morton a chance from the free kick thirty yards out. Ross MacLean fired at goal but the wall again stopped the effort and the on loan Motherwell player was then shown yellow as he cut down L Longridge as he raced away with the ball.
It had been a fairly even first half with Scully’s save denying the Pars a half time lead. The visitors had shown greater urgency and at times linking up passes impressively.
Half time: Morton 0 Dunfermline 0
Jonatan Johannson made a change for the restart Scott Tiffoney a straight replacement for Jack Iredale at left midfield. Within 30 seconds Ryan made ground down the left to deliver a cross that Kilday headed away.
The Pars were awarded a free kick on the right when the Morton sub blocked Craigen. Taken short to Martin his cross was defended out to James Vincent and his header towards Mark Durnan at the left goalpost found him in an offside position.
El Bakhtaoui picked out L Longridge on the left and his angled ball in was blocked by Scully’s leg and only Andy Ryan ended up in the back of the net. The home crowd were growing increasingly unhappy as Dunfermline were playing the better football but again finding it difficult to penetrate a defence.
A Ryan cross from the left tried to provide El Bakhtaoui with an opportunity but with Buchanan in close attention his effort went wide. Then in 64 minutes a fine defence splitting pass from Connolly looked to have played in Ryan but as Scully blocked him the offside flag was raised.
Connolly switched the ball on to El Bakhtaoui and he in turn for Ryan but the striker smashed his shot over the crossbar. The striker had been receiving some good balls and in 68 minutes RYAN found the net, accepting a very neat diagonal ball from L Longridge on the right to sweep the ball low into the bottom right of the ‘Ton net. 0-1
The home side showed their frustrations with Tiffoney’s heated tete a tete with L Longridge and then Rory McKeown picking up a yellow card. Johannson brought on striker Gary Oliver and tried to get into better attacking positions.
Then a display of acceleration and skill on the left allowed TIFFONEY to cut in and hit a 82nd minute swerving shot on target that went through Robinson’s fingers. 1-1
Dunfermline immediately tried hard to redeem things but Morton were just as keen to find the winner. Few were leaving this match early and Durnan had to keep out a fine headed attempt by Johnstone in 90th minute.
In the end it was another draw, a much better point than the previous Saturday’s but as Allan Johnston would later point out his side needs to turn performances like this into three points.
SUBS NOT USED: Kerr Waddell, Ruaridh Langan, Ben Armour, Derek Gaston (GK).
SCORERS: Tiffoney (82)
YELLOW CARD: MacLean (43), Tidser (65), McKeown (74), Johnstone (90+3)
DUNFERMLINE: Lee Robinson: James Craigen, Lee Ashcroft (c), Mark Durnan, Jackson Longridge: Louis Longridge, James Vincent, Malaury Martin, Aidan Connolly: Andy Ryan (Myles Hippolyte 82), Faissal El Bakhtaoui.
SUBS NOT USED: Tom Beadling, Joe Thomson, Stuart Morrison, Lewis McCann, Robbie Muirhead Cammy Gill (GK).
SCORERS: Ryan (68)
YELLOW CARD: Robinson (26). j Longridge(42)
REFEREE: Euan Anderson
WEATHER: Sunny 13C
ATTENDANCE 2084
NEXT MATCH: Ladbrokes Championship (home) v Partick Thistle, Friday 28th September 2018, 7.45pm kick off at East End Park.
Half time draw was won by ticket no. 34955 for a prize of £447.30
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Preview Morton
Saturday, 22nd Sep 2018Ladbrokes Championship: (away) Saturday 22nd September 2018, 3.00pm kick off at Cappielow
Next up in the Championship is a trip to Cappielow to face Jonatan Johansson`s Morton. The 43 year old manager wants Morton to play a brave and exciting brand of football under his leadership but says it is also important to also ensure the fundimentals are sound in the short term.
Former forward Johansson has also expressed a desire to play in the opposition half and create plenty of chances – but insists his primary concern is on making sure his team is hard to beat.
Dunfermline have found everyone hard to beat of late with no wins in their last five challenges and no wins over Morton in the last five meetings as well.
Pars v Morton: The Full League Record
P | W | D | L | F | A
49 | 26 | 11 | 12 | 92 | 57 | At East End
48 | 18 | 12 | 18 | 59 | 59 | At Cappielow
TOTALS
97 | 45 | 22 | 30 | 151 | 116
Milestones v Morton (Away)
Last League Victory
25/03/17 | 1-0 | Championship
Last League Defeat
03/02/18 | 1-2 | Championship
Best League Victory
11/12/99 | 3-0 | Division 1
23/08/88 | 3-0 | Premier League
25/11/67 | 3-0 | Divison 1
Worst League Defeat
14/08/26 | 0-3 | Division 1
19/04/08 0-3 | First Division
Last Goalless Draw
04/12/93 | 0-0 | First Division
First Meeting
14/08/26 | 0-3 | Division One
Last Matches between the clubs
Only three wins over Morton in the last twelve meetings is not a great record. Dunfermline lost seven and drew two. The `Ton failed to make a play off place in last season`s campaign despite being unbeaten against the Pars.
Last Twelve Matches v Morton
17/03/18 | H | D | 0-0 | Championship
03/02/18 | A | L | 1-2 | Championship
20/01/18 | H | L | 1-2 | Scottish Cup
20/11/17 | H | D | 1-1 | Championship
09/09/17 | A | L | 2-3 | Championship
29/04/17 | H | W | 3-1 | Championship
25/03/17 | A | W | 1-0 | Championship
10/10/16 | H | W | 2-1 | Championship
17/09/16 | A | L | 1-2 | Championship
28/03/15 | H | L | 0-4 | League One
24/01/15 | A | L | 0-2 | League One
25/10/14 | H | L | 1-2 | League One
Last Meeting at Cappielow
Saturday 3rd February 2018
Morton 2 Dunfermline 1
This match was the debut for Tom Beadling and a debut start for James Craigen. At the midpoint of the first half Dunfermline were pushing up and the Morton defence were getting stretched. There was little surprise then when a patient build up ended up with Jason Talbot crossing from the left for BEADLING to drive home from the centre of the box. 0-1
Morton equalised in 37 minutes. Morris conceded a free kick on the right just 15 yards into the Pars half and Harkins sent another ball over from the setpiece. There were several Morton touches before the ball was knocked down by Gary Oliver for Michael TIDSER to smash a left footed shot past Lee Robinson from 15 yards. 1-1
Yet again the Greenock fans were treated to a last minute winner. Sub Bob McHugh broke down the right channel, Robinson came out to the edge of the box to try and get the ball but spilled himself into Morris. McHugh rounded the two of them and cut the ball back for OLIVER who picked his spot. 2-1
MORTON: Derek Gaston: Michael Doyle, Thomas O`Ware (c), Luca Gasparotto, Jack Iredale: Michael Tidser (Bob McHugh 71), Gary Harkins, Andy Murdoch, Frank Ross: Scott Tiffoney, Gary Oliver.
SUBS NOT USED: Mark Russell, Lewis Strapp, Darren Hynes, Ruaridh Langan, Ricki Lamie, Conor Brennan (GK)
DUNFERMLINE: Lee Robinson: Ryan Williamson, Callum Morris (c), Jean Yves M`Voto, Jason Talbot: James Craigen, Nat Wedderburn, Tom Beadling, Joe Cardle: Nicky Clark, Declan McManus.
SUBS NOT USED: Andy Ryan, Fraser Aird, Lee Ashcroft, Daniel Armstrong, Michael Paton, James Vincent, Cammy Gill (GK)
Form last six matches
DUNFERMLINE
Alloa Athletic (H) D 0-0
Boreham Wood (A) D 0-0
Inverness Caley Thistle (H) L 0-3
Ayr United (A) L 1-4
Hearts (H) L 0-1
Inverness Caley Thisle (A) W 2-1
MORTON
Dundee United (A) D 1-1
Partick Thistle (A) L 0-1
Ross County (H) W 2-1
Dumbarton (A) L 1-2
Alloa Athletic (A) W 2-0
Queen of the South (H) D 2-2
League Form
DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 8th
League Points: 4
League Record: P5 W1 D0 L4 GF5 GA12
Goal Difference: -7
Last Five League Match Form: WLLLL
MORTON
League Position: 6th
League Points: 8
League Record: P5 W2 D2 L1 GF7 GA5
Goal Difference: +2
Last Five League Match Form: DWWLD
Last time out
DUNFERMLINE (v Alloa Athletic): Lee Robinson: James Craigen, Lee Ashcroft (c), Mark Durnan, Jackson Longridge: Louis Longridge (Andy Ryan 64), James Vincent, Joe Thomson, Myles Hippolyte (Aidan Connolly 64): Robbie Muirhead, Faissal El Bakhtaoui.
SUBS NOT USED: Malaury Martin, Matthew Todd, Danny Devine, Cammy Gill (GK).
MORTON (v Dundee United): Ryan Scully: Lee Kilday, Gregor Buchanan, Ross Tumilty, Rory McKeown: Chris Millar (Charlie Telfer 79), Jamie McAllister, Michael Tidser, Ross Maclean (Kerr Waddell 65), Denny Johnstone (Scott Tiffoney 89), Bob McHugh
SUBS NOT USED: Jack Iredale, Ruaridh Langan, Ben Armour, Derek Gaston (GK).
Other Championship Fixtures
Alloa Athletic v Ayr United
Falkirk v Dundee United
Partick Thistle v Queen of the South
Ross CountY v Inverness Caledonian Thistle
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