3 days Ago
And many a Morton fan will be hoping for the same after Michael Garrity's 92nd-minute winner stunned the 3,508 supporters inside Stark's Park on Saturday. You'd have been forgiven for thinking that lightning had struck twice for a totally different reason when Dylan Easton levelled from the penalty spot with 10 minutes to play as the Greenock men surrendered a two goal lead for the second time this season. But instead, and with a six-game losing streak hanging over their heads, Imrie's side dug deep and showed up when it mattered most to claim all three points and prove that despite their new playing style, Imrie's characteristic grit and determination still run through the side.
Here's three things we learned as Morton fought back to get all three points against Raith Rovers. Just 12-months ago Morton crashed out of the SPFL Trust Trophy in a quarter-final penalty shoot-out defeat to Airdrieonians at Cappielow. But the performance put in that day left fans with plenty of positives to take moving forward.
That 0-0 draw could so easily have been a win, and that was the game that sparked a massive resurgence from Imrie's men over the winter months. There were also shades of that famous afternoon at Tannadice back in Janaury: a number 9 in the right place at the right time to net not once but twice in the first half, before typically doing things the Morton way and wasting a two goal advantage. But in the embers of injury time an emphatic finish took all three points from the jaws of defeat when momentum meant it was just one way traffic.
This side have now shown they've got the same character as teams of previous seasons - can they now go on a similar run? And he got one. Whilst many a Ton fan may have been longing to keep George Oakley for the robustness of his game, Stuparevic offers a totally different kind of focal point. He can pin his man with ease, but he can also link the play up with his superior technical ability, in a way that allows Imrie's side to move up the pitch with an element of pace about them.
His two finishes showed great attributes as well: power being the most prominent, as his left-footed effort flew through Kevin Dabrowskl, before easing former Coventry City man Fankaty Dabo off his case to nonchalantly nod the ball home for his second. He'll know himself that he should've claimed the match ball before half time, but his performance against Rovers have shown just the heights that he can hit in a Morton top. Raith came out of the traps flying after the break ,and with a point to prove after falling two goals behind in what felt like the blink of an eye.
And whilst Ton surrendered a two goal lead thanks to Zac Delaney's own goal and Jack Baird giving away a penalty, on another day Raith could've been out of sight but for the efforts of an inspired Ryan Mullen and his colleagues in the Ton backline. It wouold have been easy to try and hold on for a point for dear life after Easton netted his spot-kick, but instead, Imrie's side managed to take a breath and start again as Rovers, perhaps naively, chased the game. And their resilience paid off as they claimed all three points in devastating fashion Now the question is simple: can Morton build on Saturday's success and claim back-to-back wins for the first time this season when Partick - weather permitting - come to Cappielow on Saturday?.
