Match Report | Raith Rovers 1-0 Morton
Raith Rovers 1-0 Morton
Gullan (82)
Morton will be disappointed not to come away from Kirkcaldy with a point on Saturday after losing 1-0 to Raith Rovers at Stark’s Park in the Scottish Championship.
A late winner from substitute Jamie Gullan secured all three points for John McGlynn’s side as the Rovers recorded their third win of the season against the ‘Ton.
Gus MacPherson made three changes from Tuesday’s Scottish Cup fixture against Dunfermline as Gary Oliver, Luca Colville and Stephen McGinn came in to replace Kazaiah Sterling, Craig McGuffie and Kyle Jacobs.
The visitors nearly had the perfect start to the game in the opening 5 minutes as Darren Hynes shot narrowly wide from the back post after getting on the end a well timed cross into the box by Gary Oliver.
Stephen McGinn went close to getting his first goal as a Morton player on 33 minutes, the midfielder picked the ball up from about 20 yards out and dribbled passed a few Rovers men before trying his luck on the edge of the box with a shot that fizzed wide of the post.
Despite it being very end to end, neither keeper had any real save to make during the first half with the ‘Ton slightly edging it in terms of their performance.
The second half would prove to be much of the same in terms of chances being created. Manny Duku’s header from close range went over the bar on 59 minutes after the Dutch forward met a cross from the right by Dan Armstrong.
As the full time whistle neared, the hosts started to press forward more and Aidan McAdams was forced to block Lewis Vaughan’s shot at goal on 73 minutes before the deadlock was eventually broken 8 minutes later. A corner on the right side was flicked on at the front post by Duku to the feet of Jamie Gullan who smashed the ball in off the post and into the net from a few yards out to make it 1-0 on 82 minutes.
A great chance to for Morton to equalise and cancel out a Raith victory came a few minutes later on 87 minutes after a long ball up the park found its way through to Aidan Nesbitt but he mistimed his effort and the shot trickled straight into the hands of Jamie MacDonald.
The Greenock side now turn their attention back to Scottish Cup duty as they travel to take on East Fife in the third round.
Morton (3-5-2)
McAdams
Ledger McLean McGinty
Hynes Colville McGinn Lyon Strapp
Oliver Nesbitt
Subs used: 6. Kyle Jacobs (for Reece Lyon, 65), 12. Kalvin Orsi (for Gary Oliver, 74), 15. Craig McGuffie (for Luca Colville, 85)
Unused Subs: Fjørtoft, Muirhead, Blues, Sterling
Booked: Strapp (72), Colville (78)
Raith Rovers: J. MacDonald, Tumilty, Musonda, Benedictus, K. MacDonald, Armstrong (Vaughan, 65), Hendry, Tait, King (Matthews, 70), Ugwu (Gullan, 65), Duku
Unused Subs: Leighfield, Goss, McKechnie, Dickson
Booked: King (22), Duku (54), Tait (58), Armstrong (61)
Referee: John Beaton
⭐️ Star Man: Stephen McGinn
Image: Gary Bradley
