Morton 5 Dunfermline 0

cinch Championship: Lewis Martin and Coll Donaldson start. Gary Oliver (34) 1-0: Cameron Blues (40) 2-0: Gavin Reilly (45) 3-0: Coll Donaldson (og72) 4-0: Robbie Muirhead (79) 5-0:

This was the 20th fixture of the Championship campaign for both sides. Morton in tenth with 14 points were one point behind Dunfermline in ninth. With only two league wins each this season three points from this bottom of the league clash would be important to keep on the heels of Queen of the South and Ayr United.

Central defenders Lewis Martin and Coll Donaldson came into the Dunfermline side in place of Mark Connolly and Rhys Breen. These were the only changes from the side that drew on Sunday at Raith and there was still no Graham Dorrans in the squad.

The Morton side also showed two changes from the one that drew at Kilmarnock on 29th December, Lewis Strapp and Cameron Blues coming in for Kyle Jacobs and Mark Russell.

A pre match rain shower added more moisture to an already wet pitch but it was dry for the warm up and the 500 permitted fans were housed in the main stand. Ryan Dow took the kick off for Dunfermline who would attack the goal at the away terracing end in the first half.

First chance of the match came the home side’s way after just five minutes. A trademark Strapp thrown in from deep down the right was launched into the Pars six yard box and Alan Lithgow got a shot in but the ball was kept out at the near post.

The visitors were playing a great number of passes but not making much headway. An interception almost led to the opener but Owain Fôn Williams held the 14th minute shot from Blues after he had won possession to break. His opposite number Jack Hamilton then held a Steven Lawless attempt from a free kick 25 yards out on the right side.

Five minutes later a low ball in from left from Josh Edwards was touched on at the edge of the box by Paul Allan into Lewis McCann and on for Matthew Todd but his low shot was held by Hamilton.

In 29 minutes Edwards picked out Todd on the left and he produced a fine cross but just too high for Comrie at the far post. The Fifers were able to push up and there were promising crosses from Edwards before Dow popped a shot from 20 yards out but that cleared the crossbar.

Morton went ahead in 34 minutes, from a Darren Hynes cross Gozie Ugwu shielded the ball on edge of the Pars box and attempts to clear only set up Gary OLIVER to bulge the net. 1-0

The Pars were desperately unlucky were their next effort, Lawless’ shot being spilled by Hamilton but the keeper being able to scramble after the ball as it bounce to his right. Dow sent a header over the Morton bar but as the home side broke and scored. The 40th minute saw Morton double their lead. From a Jack Hamilton goal kick Ugwu rose to head the ball on and GAVIN Reilly knocked down for BLUES to net from 18 yards out. 2-0

Right on half time another Hynes ball into the Dunfermline box was headed over Fôn Williams by former Pars striker REILLY and it was 3-0. The home side certainly demonstrated the way to take their chances in what otherwise was a fairly even match.

Half time: Morton 3 Dunfermline 0

The rain pelted down as the second half got underway and first chance came after 70 seconds but Lawless’ free kick was well defended by the ‘Ton defence midway inside their own box. Just six minutes into the half John Hughes made his first substitution with Nikolay Todorov joining McCann upfront and Matthew Todd being the player withdrawn.

It was Morton who almost scored again however with Fôn Williams keeping out a Reilly attempt to finish a Strapp cut back. The Pars keeper very quickly thereafter touched a Brian McLean drive over his crossbar.

There were efforts by Edwards and Dow to get balls into the Morton box for the Pars strikers but when Todorov almost completed the task a Morton head beat him to the chance.

In 65 minutes Fôn Williams held a Ledger shot while at the other end Dan Pybus dispatched a shot high over the Morton bar. A strong run across field by Ugwu then set up Hynes with a chance but he blasted wide.

Yet another long throw from Strapp caused another goal for the home side, the left back celebrated his 100th Morton appearance as Donaldson’s attempt to head clear only ended up in the net. 4-0

Four became five seven minutes later in 79th minute as sub Robbie MUIRHEAD ran into space and lobbed the out running Dunfermline keeper 5-0.

Paul Allan had a shot in 85 minutes but that went wide left and at the other end Comrie blocked a stinger of a shot from Strapp.

Morton’s first home league win since March last year lifted them into eighth place and left the Fifers rooted to the bottom of the Championship table. The first time they had occupied last spot since the win at Inverness in November.

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