Gaffer Duffy savoured ‘outstanding’ derby success
Beaming Morton boss Jim Duffy told how he was actually able to savour his side’s Renfrewshire derby success such was the fantastic fashion in which they went about recording their 3-1 victory against arch-rivals St Mirren.
Goals from skipper Thomas O’Ware, Ross Forbes and Gary OIiver earned the Greenock men the regional bragging rights for the first time since way back in 1999.
It was a feat they achieved in spectacular style, and the usually stoic Duffy was even grinning from ear to ear as he waxed lyrical about his side’s near flawless performance against the Saints.
He told gmfc.net: “I’m absolutely delighted and I think in any football match it’s hard for a manager to actually enjoy them football as a fan, but I thought tonight, if you couldn’t enjoy that football, particularly in a derby, you’d have to be made of stone.
“So it was a fantastic performance in the first-half, absolutely outstanding, and the second goal typified it. If that goal is scored at any other level of football we’d be waxing lyrical about it for weeks and weeks.
“It was absolutely outstanding and had everything you want to see: the ball played on the floor, creativity and movement, imagination and awareness, finishing and the desire to get there.
“I can’t praise the team highly enough for the first-half performance. We started on the front foot and never let up. In the second half, without reaching the same levels, I still think we were by far the better team and thoroughly deserved the victory.
“It could have been more. Obviously Kudus [Oyenuga] had a fantastic chance, Jamie [Lindsay] has had a great save, there were a couple of blocks, but Gary Oliver’s goal in the second half was fantastic. It was a great finish and that’s his third in four games now.
“Overall, it was an outstanding team performance and I don’t think anyone can deny we were worthy winners. To win as comprehensively against a side with the resources and expectations St Mirren have was outstanding. Tonight was a top-class performance from every single player.”
It had been 17 long years since Morton had defeated their Paisley counterparts in a competitive fixture, and as a former Cappielow player and captain, the significance was not lost on Duffy.
He added: “For the supporters that was important. I fully understand that. The current crop of players and management staff can’t do anything about what happened over the last however many years.
“All we could do was try and do our bit just now and we did that in style tonight. The quality in which we achieved the victory should really have the fans waxing lyrical about the team.
“The players deserve an enormous amount of credit for that performance. I’ve been involved in a lot of derbies and very rarely do you get the quality of football we played. The players enjoyed the occasion rather than being threatened.
“We’ve played a few games against St Mirren in the last season or so and played pretty well and not got a lot out of it, so I think we more than deserved our victory tonight.
“The most important thing was getting the result. If it was a scrappy 1-0 we’d have taken it, but to do it with that quality was enjoyable for everybody. And not only do the fans get the bragging rights, they’ve also seen their team put on a performance they can be proud of.”
Image (main): Gary Bradley
Image (inset): David Bell
