MORTON-CLYDE 2-0 (League One)

MORTON 2 - Jenkins 18; Masterton rig. 69
CLYDE 0

Note: Cappielow Stadium, Greenock, 2.168 spettatori; espulso Hutton (C) al 68'.

At the end of the afternoon this was a more comfortable win than might have been expected before the match began.

A Clyde side who have shown great battling qualities in their fight for survival in the First Division, in the end went down almost as if they had become resigned to losing the points.

It was a key victory for Morton whose priority was to make sure they remain in this division. Statistically, they may not be safe, but in reality it would take a revival of Lazarus proportions from both Clyde and Airdrie to overtake the Greenock side now.

It was Clyde who began the sharper of the two sides, though it was a false dawn. The first real save of the match came in 10 minutes when Stevie Masterton whipped in an excelent free kick from wide on the left, forcing Hutton to tip the ball over for a corner.

Clyde replied with a McLaren shot from the edge of the box which flew narrowly wide of the left post, but Morton returned to the attack, Higgins just getting a foot in to deny Grady at the expense of a corner.

The opening goal, when it came, did so with surprising simplicity and excellent execution. Ryan McGuffie slipped a neat pass left to Allan Jenkins and the big fellow smashed home a perfectly struck left foot drive from 25 yards low inside the right post.

He has become a very important player for Morton in the last few games and he was at the forefront again, in 29 minutes, when his drive from 30 yards took a deflection and was diverted for a corner.

Morton were now dominant and, when a Masterton drive was blocked, James Grady got on the end of it to stab a shot from an angle inside the box just wide of the right post.

Another top drawer Masterton free kick from wide on the left bent just over the crossbar, then a wicked delivery from the right this time caused panicinthe visitors’ box before flying past the goal for a byekick.

After the break, Clyde brought on MacLennan and Tade for Trouten and Kettlewell in an attempt to add more firepower. Soon after, in a tactical switch, Erik Paartalu replaced Ryan McGuffie, Paartalu dropping into the sitting midfield role to allow Masterton to get forward more.

In 58 minutes there was joy in the home stands and terraces when Ton skipper Stewart Greacen appeared to give them a second goal which their play deserved. Masterton struck a free kick from deep on the right, Greacen timed his run forward perfectly between two defenders and powered a header low into the right side of the goal.

Unfortunately for him, the linesman’s flag went up for offside, presumably against someone other than the Morton captain who had run from behind at least two defenders. The suggestion was that Paartalu may have been in an offside position to Greacen’s left, though how he could have been interfering with play is a mystery.

In any event, it was no goal. Five minutes later Hutton was called on again to to deny Masterton from yet another free kick. This time the midfielder bent a superb strike round the defensive wall from 35 yards, Hutton having to dive full length to tip the ball round the post for a corner.

The goalkeeper was then booked for a foul on Grady who was almost immediately replaced by Brian Wake.

A minute later, the 67th of the game, came the decisive moment of the match. Peter Weatherson was facing away from goal, and some 17 yards out, when he rose to head glance the ball on, only for Hutton, in a moment of madness, to barge through him from behind.

It was a clear penalty, and also earned the goalkeeper a second yellow card, quickly followed by the mandatory red.

There was some delay before Clyde goalkeeper Peter Cherrie came off the bench to replace striker Scott Gemmill. As he pranced on the goal-line, Masterton strode up and delivered an exquisite drive low into the left corner of the net, a perfect penalty kick.

Morton were not finished yet and the irrepressible Jenkins sent in another high velocity shot which was diverted just wide of the left post.

With just over 10 minutes to go Stewart Greacen almost brought the house down when his acrobatic attempt at an overhead kick from a Masterton delivery soared just over the crossbar. Had that gone in he may as well have picked up the Player of the Year trophy there and then.

A minute later Erik Paartalu’s header from a Masterton left wing corner struck the woodwork, and there was only one team in the game.

Weatherson then neatly came off his marker at the near post only to head over from the inevitable Masterton corner.

Clyde were strangely muted and by this time the only question mark was whether or not the hosts could add a third goal.

It almost came in the final minute of play. Jim McAlister did the hard work in creating space for himself with a determined run, but his attempted chip was struck too firmly and the ball past over the target.

For Morton it was a win which all but ensured their place in the divisionand carried them up to fifth place.

It was also three points which ought to allow them to play freely in the weeks to come, even given the incredible competitiveness of this league.

Morton: Cuthbert, McManus, Walker, Masterton, Greacen, Jenkins, Finlayson, McGuffie (Paartalu 53), Weatherson, Grady (Wake 66), McAlister. CT: Davie Irons.
Unused: Cannon, Russell, Smith.

Clyde: Hutton, Stevenson, Waddell, Higgins, Gibson, Lithgow, Trouten (MacLennan 46), Wilson, Gemmill (Cherrie 69), Kettlewell (Tade 46), McLaren. CT: John Brown.
Unused: Brown, O'Reilly.

Arbitro: S. Conroy