Morton bid to beat Partick and keep fine form going

The Greenock men cemented their status as the form team in the Championship last Saturday with a sensational 3-2 victory over title-chasing Dundee United at Tannadice.

It was a wonderful afternoon for the players, staff and the travelling support which was sent into dreamland by hat-trick hero George Oakley's magnificent last gasp winning goal.

Dougie Imrie and his players thoroughly deserved the wild celebrations which followed after a rollercoaster 90 minutes which stretched their unbeaten run to seven matches.

Ton were forced to do without talisman Robbie Muirhead after his treble against Ayr and were also without injured central defensive rock Jack Baird, while skipper Grant Gillespie was on the bench, in favour of Alan Power.

Despite those changes, they'd stormed into a two goal lead by the time 37 minutes were on the clock thanks to Oakley, who the United rearguard simply couldn't contain.

The first was notably fashioned by youngster Michael Garrity, pitched in by the manager out of nowhere just a few days after returning from a successful loan spell with Annan Athletic.

His teasing cross was expertly met by a perfect glancing header from Oakley and it was another delivery from that side of the pitch which doubled his tally and the away side's advantage, when Lewis Strapp stole possession, surged forward and drilled a perfect ball low across the face of goal for the big striker to stab home.

With Ton putting themselves in such a strong position and having defended so stoutly over the last month, they'd have backed themselves to be able to defend the lead.

They'd worked in training on dealing with danger from Dundee United putting crosses into the box, but unfortunately it was to be their undoing as they shipped headed goals by Kai Fotheringham and Louis Moult.

The players would have been kicking themselves at half-time but the manager was able to settle them and the second 45 minutes saw them put in some shift.

They had to weather the expected early storm from the Tangerines but were able to repel it and then gradually grew back into the game as the home side ran out of ideas.

Seconds after Jim Goodwin's men had been reduced to 10 with a second booking for Craig Sibbald, Oakley delivered the dramatic coup de grace, shaking off a foul by Kevin Holt to spin off him and lash home a half volley off the post to sparked bedlam in the away end behind the goal.

Over the piece Morton deserved the win despite the bleating from the home supporters and United's manager after the game.

They were without key players, playing against a side with a comparative embarrassment of riches when it comes to resources, one which had only conceded seven goals all season and lost just once.

Yet they defied all of that and the setback of losing a two goal lead to rally, displaying tremendous character to come through the pressure they were put under and then have the composure to take all three points.

It would be remiss not to highlight Oakey's exploits, astonishingly following Muirhead's perfect hat-trick with a second in consecutive games.

The quality and variety in the execution of his goals was sublime - similar finishes in the top flight or down in England would have pundits salivating for days on end.

The big fellow has been a massive influence in the team's resurgence, producing complete all-round performances and giving a masterclass in how to lead the line.

The final footnote from such a memorable match has to be the predictable post-match reaction from another defeated opposition manager doing Morton a disservice with their sour grapes.

Goodwin did at least manage, albeit through gritted teeth, to give them a morsel of credit but still couldn't stop himself from bemoaning his players being 'bullied' and trotting out all the usual tired tropes: "We know how Morton want to play the game...very physical...you know you are going to be in for a battle...a long ball punted up the pitch...a 70-yard kick up the park by the goalkeeper..." - on and on it went.

To then follow it up by saying 'rough and tumble' is "what Morton do, that type of team" is not only unprofessional and demeaning but a bit rich as well, given the extremely combative way the man played the game before hanging up his boots.

The immediate observation that came to mind listening to this stuff was that if Morton are as crude, one-dimensional and rough-house as is claimed, it should be easy for all the self-congratulatory exponents of total football to play around them.

It seems not, at least for Dundee United anyway, with their one point out of six against them so far.

The other thought is that in the two meetings between the teams this season, United have each time committed more fouls (15-12 and 13-11) and twice had a man sent-off - go figure.

The suspicion is that Imrie and his players will quietly enjoy the bitterness and use it to galvanise themselves as the important games come thick and fast.

Tomorrow's gives Ton a chance to eat into the 10-point gap between themselves and third-placed Partick and they certainly do not want the deficit to grow.

But it will undoubtedly be a tough test, with the visitors seeing them off twice already this term and having been given renewed hope of reeling the top two in by last weekend's results.

Hopefully there will be a large turnout to back the home side, who deserve some extra support for the fine run they are on.