Greenock Morton 4
Dundee 1
League Cup (Group 2)

Match Report

Brian Scrimgeour is in the middle of the Dundee defence in place of lan MacDonald.

Eric Sinclair plays with protection over the stitches in his leg wound and lain Ferguson is also fit. There is no Colin Jackson in the Morton side.

A depressingly small crowd sees Morton take the lead with a sensational goal in 35 seconds. A cross from the right is not cleared and the ball falls to ROONEY whose first-time, left-foot shot flashes into the net near Blair's left-hand post.

McLaughlin saves the home side a minute later by heading a Sinclair cross for a corner with Stephen in perfect position.

Morton battle into the downpour and their reply is 25-yard shot by Docherty.

The ball is again knocked away from Stephen in the home penalty area and when the action moves uphill Ferguson is left lying on the turf holding his left arm. After treatment the striker is able to continue.

Dundee, with rain on their back, are matching Morton in In nine minutes have the ball in the net. The referee appears to award a goal, then notices the linesman's flag is up. He awards a free.

The disappointed non-scorer is Ferguson and play has just restarted when he is booked for expressing his views over strongly to the linesman. Within a minute the Dundee striker hits a 25-yard shot which screams over.

McNeil, out on the left, crosses a fine ball which is headed out by Glennie, but only to Ritchie, whose shot is mighty close.

Sinclair is fouled 22 yards out and Fraser's free hits the wall. There is a chance from the rebound, but off side puts paid to it.

Dundee have a big slice of luck in 25 minutes when Mackie brings down Ritchie. It appears to happen inside the penalty area, but the referee gives the award on the line. Holmes' free-kick goes over.

Blair is the hero of the Dundee fans in the covered enclosure when he races 10 yards from his penalty box to knock the ball away from McNeil.

When Dundee look dangerous, an acrobatic overhead clearance by Cochrane lifts the threat.

Blair makes a fine save pushing a Docherty shot over the bar. Scrimgeour lashes the corner over the bar.

In the next home move, McNeil beats Scrimgeour near the by-line, but Stephen clears.

Ferguson takes a head knock in the centre circle, but recovers to take his place in a free kick set piece 25 yards from the Morton goal which ends with a soft shot from Mackie.

Glennie gives the ball away to Hutchison near the by-line and when the cross goes past the advancing Blair, McLelland has bags of time to clear.

Just on the break, Baines almost loses the ball to Ferguson, a few yards from goal.

Half-time Morton 1, Dundee 0.

Reflections- Dundee have not allowed that early disappointment to become a disaster and with any luck could have equalised.

Morton do it again! Within a minute of the kick-off they score a second shocker. This time it takes them 50 seconds to get the ball into the net. Andy Ritchie plays a big part when he loses and wins back the ball on the edge of the penalty area. Regain gobbles up the chance by hitting a first-time, right-foot shot into the net at the left hand posting control, he flicks to his right and COCHRANE

Dundee attempt to hit back, but Sinclair loses control in the penalty area. The ball goes to McGeachie, who shoots wide.

Docherty tries a 20-yard shot which is high.

The home side send on Higgins for McNeil.

Dundee have to survive a spell of pressure without McLelland, who is grounded by a painful ankle knock after a clash with Houston.

Dundee lose a third goal in 53 minutes to a piece of Ritchie magic. A bouncing forward pass does not look too dangerous with Glennie and McLelland providing cover for Blair, with RITCHIE the only Morton man in sight.

But the big man gets into the Durylee trio and touches the ball neatly into the net. Star man Ritchie takes a knock and is replaced by Gavigan. Dundee's injured McLelland gives way to Davidson with the Dark Blues playing four up front and three at the back.

Higgins fails with a great chance from Gavigan a cross.

In 70 minutes DOCHERTY races through alone to hit a rising shot into the net from a tight angle. Fleming replaces McGeachie, who has also been slowed by injury.

With a couple of minutes left, DAVIDSON cracks in a consolation goal for Dundee.

Final-Morton 4, Dundee 1.

Summing- Up Dundee coped fairly well with one early-bird goal, but two was too much. Their defence sprang leaks in alarming fashion.

Match report written by The Sporting Post