Morton 0 - 2 Ross County: Morton lack spark as Staggies make it five wins in a row

THERE was precious little clear blue water to be seen by the Clyde on a rain-lashed afternoon at Cappielow but Ross County still have some at the top of the First Division after grinding out another victory to extend their unbeaten run to nine games.

With a minimum of fuss, Derek Adams’ men grabbed a goal in each half, the second arriving just on full-time courtesy of an embarrassing fumble by Morton goalkeeper Colin Stewart as he flapped the ball into his own net. It was no game for the purists but there can be no arguing that the Highlanders are sending out a serious message of intent to the chasing pack.

“We haven’t lost since 13 August and have now won five on the trot,” said a quietly content Adams afterwards. “We knew we had to keep them quiet today and we did that. We’ve also got players who are very good at playing on the counter attack”

The league-leaders’ game plan was evident right from the off as they took a cautious approach to committing too many players forward. Morton enjoyed the bulk of the possession but, as recent results would suggest, they looked a pale shadow of the side that opened this campaign in carefree, free-scoring fashion. Peter MacDonald seemed forlorn in the lone striker role for the hosts and suffered from a chronic lack of supply from his team mates.

It wasn’t made any easier for the former St Johnstone striker by the fact that the County defence was at its obdurate best, with Grant Munro in outstanding form. Goalkeeper Michael Fraser didn’t have make a save of any consequence throughout the entire 90 minutes.

A dour first half was enlivened by one moment of ruthlessness by Adams’ men as they put away the only genuine opportunity that fell to either side prior to the interval. A well directed through ball from Iain Vigurs picked out Colin McMenamin, who had time to look up to see Stuart Kettlewell advancing through the middle and the latter applied a clinical finish as the low cross landed at his feet.

A brief flurry of activity at the start of the second half was about as good as it got for Morton but the closest they came to finding the back of the net was a clearance by County’s Grant Evans which swerved just wide of his own goal. This anxious moment apart, the visitors held the proceedings in their grip, while searching for a decisive second strike.

The ever industrious Michael Gardyne must have thought he had found it when he pounced on a loose ball in the home penalty area but his curling effort glanced fractionally off target. Vigurs then tested Stewart’s concentration with a well-drilled ground shot but the Morton goalkeeper smothered the ball competently.

All three substitutes were used by the hosts but there was no discernable improvement. Instead it was County who continued to threaten on their increasingly menacing breaks. Mark Corcoran saw a net-bound shot ricochet wide of target before the points were wrapped up in bizarre fashion. Stewart pulled off a great save to deny Kurtis Byrne but then undid all his good work by spilling the rebound off the crossbar into the net.

“I thought the two teams cancelled each other out,” said Morton manager Allan Moore, “but what made the difference was the quality of the balls they put in the box.