Relentless Morton held by Accies despite first half blitz

Neither side could find the breakthrough – but that didn’t mean that there wasn’t a plethora of chances to document in an entertaining first league run out on Sinclair Street this season.

Michael Garrity, Owen Moffat and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas saw chances go begging at one end – whilst Ryan Mullen was on hand to keep Sean McGinty and Nikolay Todorov at bay at the other.

Owen Moffat was one of a handful of players to miss big chances (Image: alex craig)

Dougie Imrie was looking to build on last week’s opening day point against Partick at Firhill – as he welcomed his former side Hamilton Accies to Cappielow.

The New Douglas Park hero was in no mood for niceties though as he looked to claim his first three points of the league season. This saw him make one change to the side that kept their first clean sheet on the road since the end of February.

Veteran defender Kirk Broadfoot dropped out of the side and the squad entirely two days after celebrating a landmark 40th birthday. He was replaced by vice-captain Jack Baird who made his first appearance in three weeks, slotting in beside left-footed centre half Morgan Boyes as his back four looked to continue from where they left off.

Accies, on the other hand, were a side who’d been dealing with their fair share of turmoil in the build up to this one.

Wage rows, suspensions and disgruntled fans were three of the many clouds overshadowing the South Lanarkshire outfit in the build up to this one off the back of an opening day loss to title contenders Ayr United on the opening day.

John Rankin’s side would be without one time Ton man Lee Kilday and influential skipper Scott Martin, who was sent off in their opener. But most of the attention would be on Kilday’s defensive partner Sean McGinty following on from his infamous Cappielow exit.

Morton (4-2-3-1) Mullen, Ballantyne, Baird, Boyes, Delaney, Wilson, Moffat(King,82), Lyall(Reynolds,69), Crawford(Blues,76), Garrity(Gillespie,82), JET(Davies,69)

Subs not used: Woods, Gillespie, King, O’Boy

Bookings: Boyes(65)

Hamilton Accies (4-2-3-1) Albinson, Tumilty, McGinty, Maguire, McGinty, Hendrie(Longridge, 76), Barjonas(O’Connor, 76), MacDonald, Bradley(Williamson,67), O’Hara, Shaw, Todorov (Henderson,58)

Subs not used: Lyness, Murray, Newbury, Morgan

Bookings: Barjonas(28) Tumilty(45) MacDonald(82)

MoTM: Arron Lyall

Lyall was in top form (Image: alex craig)

Solid performance in the middle of the pitch, linked things up well and looks as if he’ll be a vital cog in the Imrie machine this season.

Ref: Dan McFarlane

ATT: 1866

Imrie had made it no secret that he wanted his side to be formidable at home this season in the build-up to this tie. And the only way to really cement that stance would be to have a fast start in front of an eager crowd looking to get a grasp on just what their new-look side could do after a fairly underwhelming cup campaign.

And he nearly got the fast start he wanted as former Livi man JET saw yet another chance go begging inside the first ten minutes, as he fired wide inside 115 seconds.

After initially dropping deep to pick up Ryan Mullen’s goal kick, the No.9 did well to link up with Ali Crawford down the right, who sent Michael Garrity scampering in behind McGinty.

JET went close in the opening minutes yet again (Image: alex craig)

He cut back for JET who took the ball in under pressure at the front post and fired wide whilst being bundled over.

Ton’s fast start would see Imrie up in arms inside six minutes as they had a huge penalty shout waved away, much to his dismay.

Michael Garrity looked to be clean through on goal after beating Barry Maguire and tearing into the box before being tripped, but whistler Dan McFarlane was unmoved.

The home side were looking like they meant business whenever they went forward as JET looked to really make an impact on the game.

His intelligence saw him beat McGinty and Hendrie to feed Lyall, before picking up the loose ball and feeding Moffat who was the spare man on the left, but the former Celtic kid could only curl over.

But Garrity would spurn the best chance of the lot with little over 20-minutes played. He capitalised on Maguire’s error, running through one-on-one with Albinson – but he got his finish horribly wrong, skewing wide from 12-yards.

WATCH as Morton are held by Hamilton

That was enough for Accies supremo Rankin, who looked to take his centre half out of the firing line and move him into the middle of the park, with Kyle MacDonald becoming a makeshift centre half.

And Imrie will have been wondering how his side weren’t in front with ten minutes of the first half remaining after some sensational footwork and strength from JET.

He did well to take the ball down and be fouled by McGinty but he did well to retain the ball, get back up and spin away from three men before working the ball into the box. It was eventually squared for Moffat who erratically fired over from six-yards.

Ali Crawford was the next to try his luck from distance after Owen Moffat was bundled to the floor – but his free kick was well held by Albinson, who plucked the ball out of the air as it arrowed towards the top left corner as the game somehow remained scoreless heading into the interval.

Accies hadn’t had a sniff inside the opening 45-minutes – but they’d have Mullen scrambling inside the opening minute of the second half.

JET’s poor touch saw Todorov pounce to play a neat combination with Todorov, who’s deflected effort was brilliantly palmed for a corner.

Ryan Mullen kept a second clean sheet in a row (Image: alex craig)

Rankin’s side were posing more of a threat after the interval and were unlucky not to get themselves in front inside 50-minutes after Kevin O’Hara reacted first to a second ball to volley over Mullen’s bar as Ton were slow out of the traps after the break.

But Ton were still a threat in behind, as Garrity proved. He was brilliantly fed by Crawford as he again got the better of Maguire, but he should’ve done better after cutting in to shoot straight at Albinson.

The game was there to be won and after it being described during the week that Ton would need to be ruthless in both boxes, it would nearly be a mistake that cost Imrie’s men all three points as Tumilty capitalised on Delaney error, leaving a cross and allowing him in behind to square across the face of goal in search of dangerman Oli Shaw. But Cammy Ballantyne, who issued that very cry, was brilliantly on hand to clear, being in the right place at the right time to sweep up and clear any danger.

As the game ticked towards the final whistle, the drama wouldn’t stop as there was a late penalty shout for Accies. Ben Williamson went tumbling under pressure from Boyes and Mullen, but again McFarlane was unmoved as the 1800 in Cappielow’s hearts were firmly in their mouths.

Imrie will be wondering how his side weren’t out of sight after such a dominant start that saw so many chances wasted inside the opening 45 minutes.

His Accies counterpart Rankin will be coming away with a wry smile as he knows his side shouldn’t have been in a position of being able to potentially come away with all the points, but both gaffers will be happy to be on the board, with Ton sitting a point off the top four after two games.