Ecstasy after Morton bounced back to snatch last grasp win

A stunning Filip Stuparevic double saw Ton in easy street inside 25-minutes in the Kingdom of Fife.

But it looked like it would turn from there as Neill Collins' side fought back in a rampant second half performance to get themselves back on level terms to set up a grandstand finish with ten minutes to play.

It was a dramatic win for Imrie's men (Image: Gary Bradley)

It looked like Morton's run of six games without a win would turn into seven in the closing stages before out of nowhere the work rate of Jordan Davies and Michael Garrity combined to snatch a late but vital win for the Cappielow men.

All roads led to Kirkcaldy as Ton looked to end a barren run of six games without a win.

The mood in the Ton camp was fairly low following on from from their SPFL Trust Trophy exit to hands of Livingston last Tuesday night.

Goals from Stevie May and Reece McAlear were the difference for David Martindale's side on a night where Ton yet again failed to make their chances count when it really mattered.

And Cappielow chief was left in disbelief at some of the performances that certain players and that led to him making two changes to the side that lost out in West Lothian.

Raith Rovers(4-1-4-1) Dabrowski, Dabo, Hanlon, Dick, Stevenson(Murray,74), Brown, Byrne, Jamieson(Matthews,74), Easton, Pollock(David,58), Hamilton(Gibson,46)

Subs not used: McNeil, Freeman, Fordyce, Matthews, Montagu,

Bookings: Brown(62)

Scorers: Easton(80, PEN)

Morton(4-3-3) Mullen, Blues, Baird, Boyes, Delaney, Gillespie, Wilson, King(Shaw,60), Moffat(Garrity,65), Lyall, Stuparevic(Davies,52)

Subs not used: Woods, Broadfoot, Samuels, O'Boy

Bookings: Blues(38) Mullen(55) Baird(87)

Scorers: Stuparevic(6,25)

Own Goal: Delaney(58)

MoTM: Filip Stuparevic

Filip Stuparevic led from the front against Raith Rovers (Image: Gary Bradley)

Ref: Dan McFarlane

ATT: 3508

This saw Zac Delaney return to the starting line up along with skipper Grant Gillespie who slotted in at right-back in the hope of getting a reaction.

And it looked as if Imrie would get the reaction he was looking for as Ton got themselves in front inside just six minutes after Filip Stuparevic netted his third goal in eight games.

Those who'd been doubting the new direction that Imrie was looking to take his side were soon silenced as Ton sliced their Fife counterparts open with ease.

A line splitting pass from Morgan Boyes found Cammy Blues, who'd stood up Shaun Byrne well to then turn and play a great ball in behind for Arron Lyall to race in behind, competing with Lewis Stevenson who was the last line of the Rovers defence.

Lyall did well to coax the Hibs legend into committing to a tackle, which saw him fake a shot and lay the ball of for Stuparevic on the edge of the six yard box.

Filip Stuparevic netted his third and fourth Morton goals (Image: Gary Bradley)

And the No.9 made no mistake in giving every ounce of conviction in his body to rocket the ball through Kevin Dabrowski and into the net to get his side's noses in front.

The Greenock men would get the breathing space that they so craved midway through the first half as Stuparevic was the right man in the right place at the right time to nod in his and his side's second.

Alex King's in-swinging corner caused confusion in the box and this saw the Cappielow No.9 ghost into the middle of the six yard box to glance the ball into the bottom left corner to put his side firmly in control of the tie.

Like any team who'd lost six on the bounce - it was crucial that they managed phases of the game. The priority for Imrie's men was to not give away any cheap goals.

And Ryan Mullen would have to be on top form to keep his sheet clean as he stopped two stunning efforts from nestling in the back of the net.

Rovers front man Jack Hamilton was looking to prove to be focal point at the top end of the pitch and he was causing problems with his off the ball runs. He'd beat Gillespie and cut in onto his right foot, to try and curl an effort towards goal - but Mullen was more than equal to it.

And he was on hand moments later to keep out Scott Brown's half volley from eighteen-yards as the Rovers skipper's strike looked destined for the top right corner. But again Mullen was quick enough to parry the effort out for a corner.

Rovers were well on top and they were looking likely to half the deficit. And they thought they did with 35-minutes on the clock.

Everyone in the stadium thought that Hamilton had made the hosts' pressure pay after Mullen looked to have made a hash of a simple cross into the box, which saw the former Livi striker look to bundle the second ball over the line.

And it looked like the ball had crossed the line but for the efforts of Baird and Mullen who looked to scramble the ball into the keeper's grateful grasp and both whistler Dan McFarlane and his linesmen were unmoved.

It just wasn't Hamilton's day as the goal he so desired continued to evade him. He was left with his head in his hands minutes later after watching his first time effort crash off the post.

And his day would be over after 45-minutes after coming off worse in an areal duel with Jack Baird.

However the Ton centre-half's header set off Stuparevic on a devastating run that saw him brilliantly beat Hanlon to then race into the box one-on-one with Dabrowski at a favourable angle. He tried to poke the ball over the onrushing keeper but he managed to smother the effort.

The Greenock men would suffer a blow early into the second half as talisman Stuparevic was forced off with what looked to be a head-knock. This saw birthday boy Jordan Davies come on to replace him - but his introduction looked to be a turning point as Raith looked to try and force their way back into things.

Raith swung the momentum early in the second half (Image: Gary Bradley)

And they'd get their reply just shy of the hour mark through Hanlon, after Grant Gillespie was judged to have fouled Lewis Gibson on the left hand side.

This allowed Dylan Easton to whip in a wickedly flat free kick across the face of goal, in which Hanlon obliged to meet with his thigh to power the ball home, in off of Delaney from close range.

Ton were on the ropes as Rovers chased the game and the Stark's Park magician Easton thought he'd done enough to level the tie with 15-minutes to play.

Dylan Easton levelled things up with 15 minutes to play (Image: Gary Bradley)

A Rovers corner was half cleared as far as the playmaker on the edge of the box, where on the left hand side of the 'D' he shifted the ball onto his left foot to fire back across goal which Mullen gratefully watched sail agonisingly wide of the mark.

But he'd get his goal five minutes later from the penalty spot, in dubious circumstances after Lewis Gibson looked to take note from Kirkcaldy teammate Lewis Vaughan and throw himself to ground in the penalty area under pressure from both Morgan Boyes and Iain Wilson.

Despite a lengthy delay as stopper Ryan Mullen received treatment, Easton would make no mistake from 12-yards as he sent the Ton keeper the wrong way to set up a grand stand finish.

Michael Garrity netted his fourth of the season to snatch it at the death (Image: Gary Bradley)

It was a rollercoaster afternoon on the east coast of Scotland and an afternoon full of emotions and it went from agony to ecstasy for the Greenock men who from the clutches of what looked to be an impending defeat, snatched a victory deep into injury time.

Some good running from Jordan Davies down the right saw him get away from the attention of Liam Dick and into the box.

He picked his head up to see two bodies advancing into the box in support of the Welshman who made no mistake in squaring across the face of goal and into the path of Michael Garrity who completed the easy task of finishing into an empty net.

A sigh of sheer relief came across the Ton dugout and a sense of vindication overcame the likes of Morgan Boyes and Ryan Mullen who looked to enjoy their moment in front of the Penman Stand.

Garrity's fourth goal of the season ensured that Imrie's men put an end to a run of six games without a win and moved within a point of their Kirkcaldy counterparts who lie in sixth place in the Scottish second tier.