Three things we learned as Morton lick their Falkirk wounds

An already wounded Greenock side didn't get any sympathy from John McGlynn's Bairns who moved six points clear at the top of the Scottish Championship and in style as a Brad Spencer brace, coupled with goals from Keelan Adams, Ethan Ross, Gary Oliver and Calvin Miller sent Ton spiralling to just a point above the relegation play offs.

And the 200-plus Morton fans in attendance learned a lot about the side that Cappielow boss Dougie Imrie has put together over the summer as he looks to take the club in a new direction.

But ultimately they also learned just how crippled their side is with so many players out injured at what is looking like the worst time possible..

Here are three things we learned as Morton fell to a crushing defeat to the hands of Falkirk.

Lack of confidence

Morton's confidence couldn't be any lower right now. Injuries are crippling Dougie Imrie's side and players are still being required to play through the pain barrier in a really tough time for the club.

They've lost three on the bounce for the first time this season and look well short of the side that punched well above its weight in the early parts of the campaign.

Falkirk were in complete control against Morton (Image: Gary Bradley) Morton's defence couldn't get close to Falkirk's front line in the box (Image: Gary Bradley)

All the good signs showed against Raith Rovers, Hamilton and Airdrie, even in the draws against Partick and Hamilton look to have evaporated as Falkirk didn't even need to get out of second gear to dismantle a side that were at sixes and sevens for much of a horrible afternoon.

Something needs to change and they need a spark ahead of a big week for the Cappielow side.

Imrie will be looking to get a reaction to start his side's recovery sooner rather than later and put a stop to what could be a horrible freefall.

Vulnerability

Without harping on, Morton looked susceptible whenever Falkirk got near their defensive third on Saturday.

Quick rotations, particularly involving the combination of Ethan Ross and Calvin Miller, had the defence at sixes and sevens. It left gaps in behind and allowed free runners to hit them where it hurt - which hasn't been the case for much of the season.

Falkirk picked Imrie's men apart quite easily on Saturday (Image: Gary Bradley) Imrie was disappointed to see his side concede from so many balls into the box (Image: Gary Bradley)

Balls into the box have suddenly become a huge problem for the Cappielow side, with eight of their last ten goals conceded coming directly from crosses or the second phase of play directly after.

The amount of changes to the back four won't have helped the cause in that time - but Imrie will be looking to shore up his defence sooner rather than later as his side continue to ship goals at an alarming rate.  

Bodies are returning

Whilst things are looking really bleak just now,one shining light from a difficult fortnight is that Dougie Imrie is hoping to welcome back bodies to his squad after being without as much as a whole team for the last couple of games.

To say that Morton have been down to the bare bones would be putting things kindly, with both first team goalkeepers, much of their defence and key figures in the middle of the park missing the trip to Falkirk.

Imrie will hope to have a bolstered squad over the coming weeks (Image: Gary Bradley)

Couple that with injuries to Austin Samuels and the absence of Lamar Reynolds, options off the bench were beginning to look scarce.

But now Imrie has been able to welcome back the likes of Samuels, Reynolds and Morgan Boyes, the latter two getting their first minutes in at least a month in the final half an hour against the Bairns.

When you factor in Iain Wilson's return from suspension, with the anticipated return of Ali Crawford, who's missed the last four games with a hamstring complaint, Imrie's squad is starting to fill out once more.

And we could be in for even more as Nathan Shaw gets closer to a competitive return and his first minutes of the season.