Match Report | Largs Thistle 2-1 Morton XI
Largs Thistle 2 – 1 Morton
Jamieson (27), Carter (30) – Rodgers (58)
A youthful Morton side lost 2-1 to local junior outfit Largs Thistle in a pre-season friendly at Barrfields tonight in what was John Sutton’s first public match as head of development squad.
The West Region Premiership outfit took the game to the Ton in the first half and opened the scoring through ex-Cappielow defender Nicky Jamieson on 27 minutes.
Towering centre-half Jamieson seemed as surprised as anyone when he found himself on the edge of the box and took a touch before blasting into the bottom-left corner after John Carter had picked him out.
Carter, a former Greenock Juniors and Queen’s Park forward, was asking questions down the right and hit the woodwork twice in the first half either side of netting his side’s second goal.
On 30 minutes, he ruthlessly punished the Ton for some sloppy play on the left by slotting under prone goalkeeper Daniel Farrell following a quick switch of play by Ryan McKie.
For their part, the visitors only real effort on goal in a one-sided half was a thunderous Alexander Easdale volley that crashed back off the underside of the crossbar and rebounded to safety.
The half-time break did them the world of good, however. They regrouped, took stock, and went back out and gave a better account of themselves in the second 45 minutes.
And forward Shaun Rodgers, who started the game up top and finished wide on the left, scored a fantastic goal to cut Largs’ lead in half on 58 minutes.
Fastening onto Ben Eardley’s intelligent reverse pass down the inside-left channel, the 16-year-old rifled a precise finish beyond goalkeeper Sean Graham and in off the right post.
It was a goal that was made to look simple by sharp movement, clear vision, and excellent execution, of both the final pass and the finish.
Substitute defender Gavin Watt came closest to an equaliser with a late header that home goalkeeper Murray Grayston did well to clutch at his left post.
The Cappielow kids had undergone a thorough examination in the first half but emerged with plenty of credit at the end of what is sure to prove a valuable workout for the season ahead.
Morton (442)
1. Farrell
2. Hynes (c) 4. Trialist 5. Durham 3. Eardley
7. Blair Docherty 6. R. Lyon 8. McGrattan 11. Purdue
9. Rodgers 10. Easdale
Subs used: 15. J. Lyon (for Purdue, 62),12. Watt (for Durham, 62), and 14. Brophy (for Blair Docherty, 62).
Largs Thistle (4411): Graham (Grayston, 70); Orr, Jamieson, Little, McMaster; Carter, Muir (Trialist, 70), Trialist, McKie (Trialist, 74); Harkins [Trialist] (Trialist, 74), Adam (Struthers, 74).
Subs not used: McVey.
Attendance: TBC
⭐️ Star Man: Shaun Rodgers
Images: Ross Cameron
