Morton 5 Dunfermline 0
Saturday, 8th Jan 2022cinch Championship: Lewis Martin and Coll Donaldson start. Gary Oliver (34) 1-0: Cameron Blues (40) 2-0: Gavin Reilly (45) 3-0: Coll Donaldson (og72) 4-0: Robbie Muirhead (79) 5-0:
This was the 20th fixture of the Championship campaign for both sides. Morton in tenth with 14 points were one point behind Dunfermline in ninth. With only two league wins each this season three points from this bottom of the league clash would be important to keep on the heels of Queen of the South and Ayr United.
Central defenders Lewis Martin and Coll Donaldson came into the Dunfermline side in place of Mark Connolly and Rhys Breen. These were the only changes from the side that drew on Sunday at Raith and there was still no Graham Dorrans in the squad.
The Morton side also showed two changes from the one that drew at Kilmarnock on 29th December, Lewis Strapp and Cameron Blues coming in for Kyle Jacobs and Mark Russell.
A pre match rain shower added more moisture to an already wet pitch but it was dry for the warm up and the 500 permitted fans were housed in the main stand. Ryan Dow took the kick off for Dunfermline who would attack the goal at the away terracing end in the first half.
First chance of the match came the home side’s way after just five minutes. A trademark Strapp thrown in from deep down the right was launched into the Pars six yard box and Alan Lithgow got a shot in but the ball was kept out at the near post.
The visitors were playing a great number of passes but not making much headway. An interception almost led to the opener but Owain Fôn Williams held the 14th minute shot from Blues after he had won possession to break. His opposite number Jack Hamilton then held a Steven Lawless attempt from a free kick 25 yards out on the right side.
Five minutes later a low ball in from left from Josh Edwards was touched on at the edge of the box by Paul Allan into Lewis McCann and on for Matthew Todd but his low shot was held by Hamilton.
In 29 minutes Edwards picked out Todd on the left and he produced a fine cross but just too high for Comrie at the far post. The Fifers were able to push up and there were promising crosses from Edwards before Dow popped a shot from 20 yards out but that cleared the crossbar.
Morton went ahead in 34 minutes, from a Darren Hynes cross Gozie Ugwu shielded the ball on edge of the Pars box and attempts to clear only set up Gary OLIVER to bulge the net. 1-0
The Pars were desperately unlucky were their next effort, Lawless’ shot being spilled by Hamilton but the keeper being able to scramble after the ball as it bounce to his right. Dow sent a header over the Morton bar but as the home side broke and scored. The 40th minute saw Morton double their lead. From a Jack Hamilton goal kick Ugwu rose to head the ball on and GAVIN Reilly knocked down for BLUES to net from 18 yards out. 2-0
Right on half time another Hynes ball into the Dunfermline box was headed over Fôn Williams by former Pars striker REILLY and it was 3-0. The home side certainly demonstrated the way to take their chances in what otherwise was a fairly even match.
Half time: Morton 3 Dunfermline 0
The rain pelted down as the second half got underway and first chance came after 70 seconds but Lawless’ free kick was well defended by the ‘Ton defence midway inside their own box. Just six minutes into the half John Hughes made his first substitution with Nikolay Todorov joining McCann upfront and Matthew Todd being the player withdrawn.
It was Morton who almost scored again however with Fôn Williams keeping out a Reilly attempt to finish a Strapp cut back. The Pars keeper very quickly thereafter touched a Brian McLean drive over his crossbar.
There were efforts by Edwards and Dow to get balls into the Morton box for the Pars strikers but when Todorov almost completed the task a Morton head beat him to the chance.
In 65 minutes Fôn Williams held a Ledger shot while at the other end Dan Pybus dispatched a shot high over the Morton bar. A strong run across field by Ugwu then set up Hynes with a chance but he blasted wide.
Yet another long throw from Strapp caused another goal for the home side, the left back celebrated his 100th Morton appearance as Donaldson’s attempt to head clear only ended up in the net. 4-0
Four became five seven minutes later in 79th minute as sub Robbie MUIRHEAD ran into space and lobbed the out running Dunfermline keeper 5-0.
Paul Allan had a shot in 85 minutes but that went wide left and at the other end Comrie blocked a stinger of a shot from Strapp.
Morton’s first home league win since March last year lifted them into eighth place and left the Fifers rooted to the bottom of the Championship table. The first time they had occupied last spot since the win at Inverness in November.
SUBS NOT USED: Lewis McGrattan, Alex King, Lewis McGregor.
SCORERS: Oliver (34), Blues (40), Reilly (45), Donaldson (og 72), Muirhead (79)
DUNFERMLINE: Owain Fôn Williams (c): Aaron Comrie, Coll Donaldson, Lewis Martin, Josh Edwards: Dan Pybus, Paul Allan, Ryan Dow, Matthew Todd (Nikolay Todorov 51): Steven Lawless, Lewis McCann
SUBS NOT USED: Kyle Macdonald, Kevin O’Hara, Craig Wighton, Reece Cole, Leon Jones, Deniz Mehmet (GK)
REFEREE: Kevin Clancy
WEATHER: Changeable 7°C
ATTENDANCE 429
NEXT MATCH: cinch Championship (home) v Hamilton Academical, Saturday 15th January 2022, kick off 3.00pm at East End Park
Half time 50/50 draw winner no.064936 won £127.50
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Preview Morton
Saturday, 8th Jan 2022cinch Championship (away) v Morton, Saturday 8th January 2022, 3.00pm kick off at Cappielow Park.
Just when Dunfermline are looking for three points it would seem that a match away in Greenock might not be the best opportunity. Both last season’s visits to Cappielow ended goalless, the first match there last season was also drawn and the Pars have not won in their last nine matches there.
Going into the 20th fixture of the Championship campaign Morton have 14 points and Dunfermline 15. Both sides have only won two league matches this season so it will be tenth v ninth with a target of three points to keep on the heels of Queen of the South and Ayr United.
Milestones v Morton (Away)
Last Victory
25/03/17 | 1-0 | Championship
Last Defeat
11/01/20 | 2-3 | Championship
Best Victory
11/12/99 | 3-0 | Division 1 23/08/88 | 3-0 | Premier League
25/11/67 | 3-0 | Division 1
Worst Defeat
16/02/80 | 0-5 | Scottish Cup
Last Goalless Draw
23/03/21 | 0-0 | Scottish Cup
First Meeting
14/08/26 | 0-3 | Division One
Last time at Cappielow
Morton 2-2 Dunfermline
Sat, 31st Jul 2021
Pars manager Peter Grant made three changes as Deniz Mehmet, Paul Watson and Graham Dorrans started.
The first goal was scored by Morton midway through the first half. Following a ball launched from his own half by Strapp, Ugwu challenged a Graham header back to his keeper and although Watson cleared off the line Willie Collum pointed to the spot. Gary OLIVER stepped up to convert low into the left corner. 1-0
The second half started with the goal that Dunfermline badly needed. In fifth minute of the half Macdonald made ground down the right and crossed a good ball that sat up nicely for Edwards to smash on goal. Jack Hamilton pulled off a great save but could not hold, the ball rebounded off Strapp’s chest and TODOROV snapped up the chance to net. 1-1
Two corners from the right were a prelude to the Pars second. eventually converted. The second corner caused mayhem in the ‘Ton six yard box, and it was O’HARA who crashed the ball home for the 74th minute goal. 1-2
The home side would equalise however with nine minutes remaining. Sub Lewis McGRATTAN’s cross from the right side of the Pars box sneaked into the far side of the goal of the post but with the assistance of a wicked deflection. 2-2
MORTON: Jack Hamilton: Michael Ledger, Darren Hynes (Lewis McGrattan 73), Alan Lithgow, Lewis Strapp: Cameron Blues, Kyle Jacobs (c), Lewis McGregor (Mark Russell 61): Gary Oliver: Robbie Muirhead (Reece Lyon 75), Gozie Ugwu
SUBS NOT USED: Michael Garrity, Alex King, Chris Stafford, Chris Wylie (GK).
DUNFERMLINE: Deniz Mehmet: Aaron Comrie, Paul Watson, Ross Graham: Kyle Macdonald, Graham Dorrans, Dom Thomas (c)(Reece Cole 63), Josh Edwards: Kevin O’Hara, Nikolay Todorov (Dan Pybus 86), Craig Wighton (Kai Kennedy 75)
SUBS NOT USED: Rhys Breen, Vytas Gašpuitis, Paul Allan, Owain Fôn Williams: (GK)
Twelve Matches v Morton
Five of the last twelve matches between the sides have been drawn, three of them with no goals. Four of the twelve were lost and three were Dunfermline wins.
06-11-21 (H) L 1-3 Championship
31-07-21 (A) D 2-2 Championship
23-03-21 (A) D 0-0 Scottish Cup
13-03-21 (H) W 1-0 Championship
15-01-21 (A) D 0-0 Championship
12-12-20 (H) L 1-2 Championship
11-01-20 (A) L 2-3 Championship
07-12-19 (H) W 3-1 Championship
05-10-19 (A) D 1-1 Championship
05-04-19 (H) L 0-1 Championship
26-01-19 (A) D 0-0 Championship
01-12-18 (H) W 3-0 Championship
Recent Form
Morton have drawn three and lost three of their last six games. The Greenock side have won only once at home this season when they defeated Clyde 2-1 in the Premier Sports Cup. Their last win was at East End Park, 3-1 on 6th November and their sole home league win of 2021 was against Queen of the South on 20th March.
Dunfermline have lost three, won one and drawn two of their last six matches. The Pars win at Inverness was their only away league win in 2021 but 2022 did start with a shut out and a point away to Raith.
Last six matches
DUNFERMLINE
Raith Rovers (A) D 0-0
Arbroath (H) L 0-3
Queen of the South (H) D 3-3
Hamilton Academical (A) L 0-1
Partick Thistle (A) L 0-1
Ayr United (H) W 3-0
MORTON
Kilmarnock (H) D 1-1
Arbroath (A) L 1-2
Inverness Caley Thistle (H) L 1-6
Inverness Caley Thistle (H) D 1-1
Ayr United (H) D 2-2
Queen of the South (A) L 1-2
League Record
DUNFERMLINE
League Position: 9th
League Points: 15
Goal Difference: -13
League Record: P19 W3 D8 L6 GF18 GA31
Last Six Match Form: WLLDLD
MORTON
League Position: 10th
League Points: 14
Goal Difference: -14
League Record: P19 W2 D8 L9 GF17 GA21
Last Six Match Form: DLLDDL
Last Time Out
DUNFERMLINE (v Raith Rovers): Owain Fôn Williams (c): Aaron Comrie, Mark Connolly, Rhys Breen, Josh Edwards: Dan Pybus, Paul Allan, Ryan Dow, Matthew Todd (Kevin O’Hara 67),: Steven Lawless, Lewis McCann
SUBS NOT USED: Lewis Martin, Kyle Macdonald, Craig Wighton, Nikolay Todorov, Dan Pybus, Deniz Mehmet (GK)
MORTON (v Kilmarnock): Jack Hamilton: Michael Ledger, Brian McLean (Cameron Blues 64), Alan Lithgow (c), Mark Russell (Lewis Strapp 41): Kyle Jacobs (Robbie Muirhead 64), Reece Lyon, Darren Hynes, Gary Oliver, Gavin Reilly, Gozie Ugwu.
SUBS NOT USED: Jaakko Oksanen, Lewis McGrattan, Alex King, Alex Easdale.
Referee will be Kevin Clancy, his first Dunfermline match since the Premier Sports Cup match at East End Park against Stenhousemuir. It will be the whistler’s first visit to Cappielow for four years.
Other Championship Fixtures
Ayr United v Arbroath
Hamilton v Partick Thistle
Inverness Caledonian Thistle v Raith Rovers
Queen of the South v Kilmarnock
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