DEFLATED Morton boss Dougie Imrie says it was a game of two halves as his side’s winless start to the William Hill Championship continued as they slumped to a 1-0 defeat to Queen’s Park.

Dom Thomas’ deflected first half strike was all that separated the sides in what was a disappointing afternoon in the shadows of Hampden for the Cappielow men, who suffered their first league defeat to the Spiders since 1962.

Despite his disappointment, though, Imrie insists his side should’ve been out of sight by half time after two great chances were squandered by firstly Niall McGinn and then Owen Moffat in quick succession.

“I thought it was probably a game of two halves,” he told the Tele. “Against the wind in the first half, we were very good. But goals change games.

“In the first half we had two really good opportunities to get in front.

“Niall McGinn is through one-on-one with Callum Ferrie and he makes a great save. Owen Moffat gets the rebound and then puts it wide, it was two good chances in one.

“I thought that we controlled the first half, and the stats showed that.

“I probably think the goal, conceding just before half time, leaves our players feeling jaded.

“They come in at half time a bit disappointed because they felt like they should’ve been in front. I believe that they should’ve been, and the goal kills our momentum.

“I thought we’d played some great stuff in the first half, especially with how I want the boys to play, and then in the second half, with the wind behind us, we just never got going.

“To be fair to Queen’s Park, I thought they were quite good after the break.”

Despite being left disappointed at his side’s second half performance, the Ton gaffer says that it’s part and parcel of football that you don’t get a complete performance over the course of the whole game.

Ton didn’t force Callum Ferrie into a save until the final ten minutes in a second half that saw any promising forays forward break down when trying to move the ball into the final third.

Arron Lyall stung the palms of the Spiders stopper late on, but Ton had counted themselves lucky to remain in the game after the efforts of Ryan Mullen at the other end - though Imrie says that his side should’ve been out of sight before half time.

“It’s part of football that sometimes you don’t have a complete 90 minute performance,” he continued.

“I thought in the second half we had some good opportunities but then it was just a case of picking the wrong pass.

“Credit to Ryan Mullen, he made some great saves. But if we’d have taken our chances in the first half then the game would’ve been done.”