Match Report
After a bitterly cold winter there were the first signs of spring as Thistle travelled to Greenock for the third of four successive away matches. Two changes were made to the side that lost 1-0 against Ayr in Thistle's last outing. Jackie McNamara naturally faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines following his leg break at Somerset Park and his absence paved the way for a return to the side for Ian Maxwell. There was a return too for Mark Corcoran who was drafted in from the start in place of Chris Erskine who dropped to the bench.
Morton have found themselves embroiled in a battle with Ayr United to avoid the end of season play-offs but they recorded a morale boosting win midweek and they started this match in confident fashion. As early as the 4th minute of a first half that they dominated they had the Thistle defence on the back foot. A sharp turn from Donovan Simmonds took him clear of the Thistle defence but when left with just Jonny Tuffey to beat he dragged his shot wide of target.
That early chance set the tone for the first half. In the sixth minute slack defending from Thistle allowed Steven Masterton room inside the Thistle box but he wasn't able to keep his shot down.
Indeed for all the pressing that Morton did in the first half in terms of direct saves to make Jonny Tuffey wasn't overly extended. He did, however, have to deal with no fewer than 8 first half corners all of which were of sufficient quality that Tuffey, or his defenders, were unable to relax.
Simmonds early chance aside Morton's best chance game in the 29th minute when a cross from the Morton right presented Jim McAlister with a free header inside the Thistle box. McAlister though was stretching to reach the ball and as a result he wasn't quite able to direct his header on target and the ball crept past Tuffey's right hand post.
It was only in the latter stages of the first half that Thistle looked a threat themselves and they were a shade unfortunate not to find a goal in the closing five minutes of the half.
Firstly, Simon Donnelly saw an effort, as the ball bounced around the Morton box, cleared from virtually the Morton goal line with Cuthbert beaten. Mark Cororan sent a dipping shot just over the bar before in the 41st minute Thistle had their best chance yet.
Liam Buchanan and Paul Cairney combined well with the latter's cut back being collected by Mark Corcoran who saw his shot blocked by the legs of a diving Cuthbert.
Though Thistle had ended the first half on a positive note it was Morton that once again were asserting the pressure in the opening stages of the second half.
In the 51st minute Jonny Tuffey had his first direct save of the afternoon to make. Steve Masterton's right wing cross was met by the head of Donovan Simmonds and his header had looked as if it would dip in only for Tuffey to touch the ball over the bar. From the corner that followed Stephen McKeown knocked the ball against his own post before the danger was cleared.
On the hour mark Thistle really should have been in front. Liam Buchanan gathered the ball at the left corner of the Morton box and his run took his to the bye line. His cut back was right into the path of Paul Cairney who with the goal gapping knocked the ball wide of goal.
While the game wasn't dull by any means neither side were creating much in the way of clear cut chances, Cairney's miss notwithstanding, but in the 76th minute a Tuffey clearance that went nowhere in particular was collected by Allan Jenkins but he sent his shot wide of target.
Thistle have had rotten luck in front of goal and that continued in the 83rd minute. With sub Martin Grehan prominent great play presented Liam Buchanan with a great chance at the back post but he could only lift his shot into the side netting.
The game was deep into injury time when Morton scored the game's winning goal. Jim McAlister shooting from the corner of the box past Tuffey and into the net.
