Match Report | Morton Res 0-2 Motherwell Res

Morton Reserves 0 – 2 Motherwell Reserves

 Rodriguez Gorrin (15 pen), Hastie (87)

 

Four first-team squad members gained valuable game time yesterday as Morton concluded their Reserve Cup campaign with a 2-0 loss at home to Motherwell.

Ryan Scully and Rory McKeown both played the full 90 minutes, Scott Tiffoney was involved for 70 minutes, while Connor Bell managed an hour on his comeback from an ankle injury.

Despite the senior involvement, the visitors collected the three points they required to top Group D and advance to the semi-finals of the tournament.

Both goals drew similarities to Saturday’s home loss to Alloa Athletic, particularly the opener which came via a penalty at the Wee Dublin End.

Ben Eardley was adjudged to have pulled back Elliott Frear inside the box, and Spanish midfielder Alex Rodriguez Gorrin tucked the spot-kick inside the left post.

Frear was the Steelmen’s main attacking threat. As well as winning the penalty, he also struck the woodwork twice in the first half, floating a shot against the bar before clipping the outside of the post right on half time.

Ton’s best efforts belonged to McKeown, the Northern Irishman striking two fierce free-kicks from distance of which one looked to be heading for the net before taking a deflection and the other just whistled narrowly wide.

John Sutton’s side pushed for an equaliser in the final 10 minutes, but the game was put beyond reach when Motherwell added a killer second three minutes from the end.

Substitute Jake Hastie, who won a penalty against the first-team for loan club Alloa at the weekend, surged into the box and rifled a low drive across Scully and inside the right post to seal the win for Stephen Craigan’s men.

 

Morton (4411)

1. Scully
2. Eardley 4. Hynes (c) 5. Durham 3. McKeown
11. Tiffoney 6. McGrattan 8. Docherty 9. Purdue
7. Bell
10. Easdale

Subs used: 14. J. Lyon (for Easdale, 46), 16. Brophy (for Bell, 59), 15. Watt (for McGrattan, 70), and 17. Rodgers (for Tiffoney, 70).

Subs not used: 14. Martins, 20. Farrell (GK).

Booked: Eardley (14), Hynes (19), J. Lyon (75).

Motherwell (4411): Gillespie; Krones, Mbulu, Maguire, Livingstone; MacDonald, Rodriguez Gorrin (Scott, 61), Brown, Frear; Watson (Hastie, 70); Newell (Rehman, 61).

Subs not used: Armstrong, McLaughlin, Ferguson (GK).

Booked: Krones (80).

Referee: Craig King

 

Image: Gary Bradley