Match Report: Morton U-20s 3-0 Albion Rovers U-20s

Morton Under-20s 3 – 0 Albion Rovers Under-20s

Armour (24), Tiffoney (63, 73)

An expertly-taken Ben Armour goal and a brilliant Scott Tiffoney brace saw Morton Under-20s claim a comfortable 3-0 win against Albion Rovers at Lennoxtown on Monday night.

New signing Bryn Halliwell was making his first appearance in Ton colours since joining the club on loan from Gartcairn Juniors as cover for Derek Gaston, eight years on from his first spell at the club.

The 36-year-old would keep a cleansheet on an impressive night between the sticks in which he made a handful of excellent reflex saves and provided real on-field guidance for the teenagers in front of him as he barked instructions and encouragement.

While Ton were in safe hands at one end, they were also looking dangerous at the other with Armour in lethal form as he controlled Jamie McDonagh’s floated pass over the top and slotted past advancing Albion keeper Daniel Potts on 24 minutes.

The Cliftonhill club were reduced to 10 men on 62 minutes when defender Anthony McGlone was shown a straight red card for an offence that could have been for the nature of the foul on McDonagh or the fact it denied a clear goal-scoring opportunity.

Tiffoney, who started for the first-team at Dumbarton on Saturday, made sure they paid the price with the resultant free-kick by slamming it past the defensive wall and into bottom-left corner to put Andy Millen’s men two up.

And the forward really brightened up a miserable night at Celtic’s training complex when he scored his second of the evening 10 minutes later, whipping a sensational shot into the postage stamp corner from the left of the box.

Tiffoney was soon withdrawn having done his bit as Millen used all three outfield subs towards the end, including handing a debut to Under-17s striker Alexander Easdale, to conclude an impressive night’s work in the penultimate fixture of the season.

Morton (442)

1. Halliwell
6. Hynes 5. Mitchell 8. Langan (c) 3. Strapp
10. McDonagh 4. Anderson 2. Duffy 11. Tiffoney
7. Miller 9. Armour

Subs used: 12. Purdue (for Tiffoney, 75), 14. Eardley (for Anderson, 80), and 15. Easdale (for Miller, 85).

Subs not used: 20. McGowan (gk).

Image: David Bell