Dunfermline 0 Morton 0: three clean sheets in a row for Ton

Neither side could find the breakthrough in a game where both keepers were kept on their toes when required. But Morton would have to dig deep and suffer a barrage of second half pressure in the Kingdom of Fife to ensure that they'd come away with a third clean sheet in as many games.

Ton had to be at their defensive best to hold a rampant Dunfermline (Image: Gary Bradley)

And it would've been forgiven to think that the game would've panned out a hell of a lot different considering the mood in the camp.

After all, there was a sense of confidence amongst the Ton support heading through to a sun-kissed Fife.

They'd watched their side comfortably dispose of Airdrieonians, Raith Rovers and Hamilton Accies in the last month, keeping three clean sheets and scoring five goals in the process.

And Dougie Imrie's vision of how he wants his side to go about their business looks to be coming into fruition as their passing game looked to be taken to a new level against Accies in Lanarkshire last time around.

And the upturn in form had coincided with the arrival of Serbian striker, Filip Stuparevic. With two goals in his opening two starts - he made the journey to Fife a man in form and firmly in the hunt to keep his run going.

But there had been some slight disruption in the build up to the game as injuries ravaged Imrie's squad.

Dunfermline Athletic(4-2-3-1) Oluwayemi, Comrie, Hamilton, Young, Otoo, Chalmers, Clay(Ngwenya,61), Ritchie-Hosler, Wighton(Cooper,66), Todd(Wotherspoon,61), Kane

Subs not used: Mehmet, Benedictus, Fisher, Fogarty, Sutherland,

Bookings: Clay(40) Kane(70) Comrie(84)

Scorers:

Morton(4-2-3-1) Woods, King(O'Boy,77), Baird, Broadfoot, Delaney, Blues(Davies,74), Lyall, Garrity(Wilson,60), McGinn(Gillespie,74), Moffat, Stuparevic

Subs not used: Murdoch, Crawford,

Bookings: Broadfoot(50)

Scorers:

Ref: Ryan Lee

MoTM: Gary Woods - The veteran stopper had to pull out all the stops to keep Dunfermline at bay

Gary Woods was at his best for Ton (Image: Gary Bradley)

ATT: 4645

This saw him make just one change to the side that beat Hamilton. Zac Delaney came back into the side after missing out on last week's win through suspension. He replaced Cammy Ballantyne who was struggling with a calf issue.

He was joined by Austin Samuels, Morgan Boyes and Lamar Reynolds who missed out on the squad all together.

Perhaps in one positive for Imrie, his squad depth was coming to the fore as he looked to utilise every inch of his 24-man squad.

Dunfermline on the other hand were teetering a fine line. Off field issues have plagued the start to their season, but they were starting to look up the way after a few positive results, particularly at home against the likes of Ayr United, Raith Rovers and more recently, Kelty Hearts - but Ton were looking to spoil the party.

And they could've been ahead inside just four minutes but for the grasp of Tobi Oluwayemi. Arron Lyall's free kick from deep picked out Jack Baird's back post run. He made no mistake in heading back across goal to match the run of Alex King, but his header was held at the near post.

The hosts looked fragile whenever Ton went forward in the opening stages and Stuparevic should've done better when presented with an opportunity with 10-minutes on the clock.

Cameron Blues' quick switch of play created a quick overload on the right hand side. He slipped in Owen Moffat, whose drop of the shoulder saw him beat Ewan Otoo and get a shot away, with Oluwayemi parrying the shot into the direction of the No.9. But he couldn't keep his rebound down.

Owen Moffat was a livewire against his former side (Image: Gary Bradley)

The hosts would have their first threat towards goal with little under ten minutes of the first half remaining. A Joe Chalmers corner saw Chris Kane compete with Jack Baird for a header, which he'd get too first. But his headed effort cannoned off of Baird and trickled past the post for a corner.

He'd get another sniff a couple of minutes later after splitting Baird and Broadfoot, to meet Ritchie-Hosler's early cross. But Gary Woods was equal to the effort, spreading himself at the front post.

The biggest scare of the lot though, would come from Matty Todd. He opted to shoot from distance and watched his effort from the edge of the box flash wide of the mark.

There were calls for Kirk Broadfoot to be sent for an early bath, little after the half time break. His reckless lunge into Kane Ritchie-Hosler left the Pars winger crumpled on the deck. It looked late, but whistler Ryan Lee opted to brandish only a booking.

Ton were slow out the traps in the second half as the hosts looked to try and up the ante. It wasn't a pretty watch at all as Gary Woods was a relieved man to see a Chalmers curler whistle just past the left hand post.

Ton had their backs against the wall for much of the second half (Image: Gary Bradley)

But their defensive prowess would really be called into question with little under 20-minutes to play and some brilliant positioning from Zac Delaney would keep the scoring level.

Alex King was having a torrid time at right-back as the home side looked to take advantage of him being on the wrong side of the pitch.

Kieran Ngwenya did well to feed Ewan Otoo in behind, on the underlap. He would try his luck and arrow an effort towards the bottom right corner, which deflected into the path of Ritchie-Hosler at the back post, who somehow two close-range efforts brilliantly blocked by the young Irishman, who was in inspired form to keep his clean sheet intact.

There was a growing fear that as time went on, a local prodigy would come back to haunt his side. 

Pars sub Josh Cooper, who'd made one Ton appearance as a teenager, looked dangerous as he hoped to prove a point to his former employers. And he thought his moment would come with little over 10-minutes to play. Racing in behind Broadfoot to get a shot off on Woods' goal, but the veteran stopper was more than equal to it.

Chris Kane should've had the game won for the hosts in the closing stages, but for the cat-like reflexes of Woods. It looked all but certain that the former St Johnstone man would find the bottom left corner as he got beyond Broadfoot to meet a Ritchie-Hosler delivery into the penalty area.

His downward header looked destined to find the back of the net, as he arrowed it off the floor to heighten his chances, but Woods somehow got there to shovel the ball clear.

Ton had a couple of chances late on but couldn't make the most of their chances (Image: Gary Bradley)

Ton would threaten in the closing stages, as Stuparevic looked to combine with teenage midfielder Logan O'Boy. 

The academy graduate was slipped in behind a retreating Sam Young, before cutting back in onto his right foot and aiming for the bottom left corner. But Oluwayemi was equal to the effort as the spoils were shared at East End Park.

Whilst it wasn't the glitz and glamour of the performance that'd been put in eight days prior, an injury depleted Morton side will have been pleased to pick up what could turn out to be a valuable point on the road.

It keeps the wheels in motion as they now prepare for yet another away game next time around as they look to go and back up their Challenge Cup performance at New Douglas Park, when they go head-to-head against Hamilton yet again.