Match Report | Dunfermline Res 4-0 Morton Res
Dunfermline Reserves 4-0 Morton Reserves
Higginbotham (48), Muirhead (76), Sawers (89), Luke (90+1)
A subpar second half saw Morton concede four times as they suffered a 4-0 loss to Dunfermline Athletic in Reserve Cup Group D yesterday.
The tie, played at New Central Park, home of lowland league outfit Kelty Hearts, saw Robert Thomson step up his recovery from a hernia injury by making the starting line-up and playing a pre-planned 45 minutes.
During that first half, the Ton were the team on top and could count themselves incredibly unfortunate to go in at the break on level terms.
Thomson, himself, went close with an effort, doing superbly well to control with his chest on the move before pulling his final effort just wide of the target.
Wideman Jack Purdue went closer still on 28 minutes, drifting in off the left and sending a searing strike back across his body and against the inside of the left post.
The rebound broke to Blair Docherty, deployed in a relatively unfamiliar central midfield position, but his follow up was smartly blocked by Pars goalkeeper Cammy Gill.
The woodwork denied Ton again five minutes before the break when Nathan Durham controlled a Thomson knock down from a free-kick and rifled off a powerful half-volley that Gill managed to touch onto the left post.
Durham was left holding his head in his hands again on 48 minutes when his attempt to beat an uncoming striker with a piece of skill failed to come off and allowed Kallum Higginbotham to lob Danny Farrell.
The Pars had named a handful of first-team players in addition to Higginbotham, and striker Robbie Muirhead burst through the middle of the away defence and prodded past the prone Ton keeper on 76 minutes.
And, with the visitors switching to a 3-4-3 in a bid to salvage something from the game, the hosts added two late goals to give the final scoreline a harsh reflection after what was essentially a game of two halves.
On 89 minutes, substitute Lee Sawers drilled a measure finish inside the left post from inside the box before Brandon Luke slotted a cool finish past Farrell in stoppage time to round off the scoring.
Morton (442)
1. Farrell
2. Hynes (c) 5. Martins 4. Durham 3. Eardley
7. Brophy 8. McGrattan 11. Docherty 6. Purdue
9. Thomson 10. Easdale
Subs used: 12. J. Lyon (for Thomson, 46), 14. Black (for Durham, 77), and 15. Rodgers (for Brophy 77).
Booked: Eardley (51), Martins (63).
Dunfermline (442): Gill; Williamson (Robertson, 64), Jordan, Morrison, Martin; Higginbotham (Sawers, 64), Alan, Luke, Crosbie (Brown, 77); McCann, Muirhead.
Subs not used: Burt (GK).
Referee: Greg Soutar
Images: Craig Brown
