Table-toppers Raith Rovers sent Morton crashing back to the bottom of the pile with a 1-0 win at Cappielow on Saturday.

After a goalless first half, Rovers midfielder Allan Walker netted on the hour mark to bring Ton’s short two-game unbeaten run to an abrupt end.

The home side were first to threaten when David MacGregor’s deep cross was headed out as far as Allan Jenkins, but the midfielder sliced a left-footed volley over the crossbar.

Both goalkeepers were then forced into action in an eventful two-minute spell that began in the 12th minute.

First, Colin Stewart flew to his right to deny Grant Murray after the experienced defender met Walker’s inviting corner with a powerful header.

Jamie Mole’s angled drive forced another good save from the Ton goalkeeper less than a minute later as the visitors turned the screw.

But the action quickly swung to the other end and ex-Morton stopper David McGurn took centre stage when he flung himself across goal to tip Darren Young’s controlled volley wide of the upright.

Gregory Tade’s pace was causing problems and the Frenchman showed MacGregor a clean pair of heels in the 20th minute, but he flashed a wild shot across the face of goal.

Iain Williamson came closer to breaking the deadlock seven minutes later when his low strike was pushed up into the air by Stewart. The ball appeared to be dropping into the net until Stuart McCaffrey got back to head the ball over for a corner.

The league leaders were looking more threatening and John Baird fired into the side-netting after Walker found him with a raking cross-field pass.

Morton rallied, and Brian Graham did superbly well to control Young’s intelligent pass then instantly flick the ball away from Laurie Ellis in the 39 minute, but he somehow contrived to miss the target from eight yards.

The half ended with Ton asking the more searching questions but they couldn’t find a way to break down Raith’s well-drilled defence and the sides went in level at the interval.

Michael Tidser was first to threaten in the second 45, but his curling effort was always rising and finished just over the crossbar.

The former Celtic youth demonstrated some much-needed battling qualities in the 60th minute when he slid in to steal possession in a dangerous position, but McGurn smothered his low cross.

It was then Stewart’s turn to pull off another strong save 30 seconds later when he parried a Baird volley from the edge of the box.

But the Ton number one was finally beaten in the 61st minute when Craig Wilson’s speculative effort deflected to Walker and the midfielder thundered a volley at goal.

Stewart got a hand to the shot but only succeeded in pushing the ball on to the post and into the net.

Tidser, Carlo Monti and Marc Smyth were all off target with long-range strikes as Ton launched a desperate late bid to restore parity.

The hosts almost found the goal they were searching for when Graham hooked a low shot at goal two minutes from time, but the ball flew into a ruck of players and deflected agonisingly wide of the upright.

Despite Ton’s late pressure, Raith held on for a win that ensured the sides would continue to sit at opposite ends of the table.