Match Report: Morton U20s 1-1 Queen’s Park U20s

Morton Under-20s 1 – 1 Queen’s Park Under-20s

Strapp (61) – Manderson (79)

Morton Under-20s were held to a 1-1 draw by Queen’s Park last night in the penultimate Cappielow fixture of their Development League West campaign.

Left-back Lewis Strapp fired Ton into a deserved lead just after the hour, but Spiders striker Joseph Manderson levelled with a fine finish of his own 11 minutes from time to salvage a point.

Andy Millen’s men had already ceded the league title to Queen of the South at Palmerston Park last weekend as well as having the runners-up spot sewn up, so the fixture was something of a dead rubber.

That was reflected in an uneventful first half in which midfielder Jack Purdue looked the most likely to make something happen.

The 17-year-old tested goalkeeper Owen Stott with a stinging left-footed drive and opened up the visitors with a precise clipped pass to pick out Thomas Orr, who then forced Owen Stott to plunge to his left to save.

The hosts came back out for the second half fired up and went close on a handful of occasions, the pick of which was an Orr firm, side-footed shot that was repelled by Stott’s right foot.

But there was nothing the Queen’s Park keeper could have done to prevent Strapp‘s emphatic rising drive from finding the back of his net on 61 minutes.

The teenage full-back demonstrated tremendous strength and perseverance to force his way into the box before rifling an emphatic finish high past the hapless shot-stopper.

Ton seemed on course for a straightforward three points until, with 11 minutes remaining, Manderson controlled Brennan’s low cross from the right and rocketed a shot into the postage stamp top corner.

Morton (442)

1. McGowan
2. Duffy 5. Mitchell 4. Hynes 3. Strapp
11. Anderson 8. Langan (c) 6. Purdue 7. Docherty
10. Armour 9. Orr

Subs used: 14. Eardley (for Duffy, 75), and 12. Miller (for Armour, 80).

Subs not used: Connor (gk).

Referee: Ross Hardie

Images: Gary Bradley