Ross will be biggest supporter at Betfred Cup semi
Ross Forbes is gutted to be missing Saturday’s Betfred Cup semi-final against Aberdeen through suspension – but will be Morton’s biggest cheerleader rather than feeling sorry for himself.
The 27-year-old was ruled out this weekend after picking up his second caution in the knockout stages of the competition with a foul in the first minute of stoppage time in the quarter-final against Dundee United.
Forbes has no regrets about taking one for the team and accepting the yellow card as he reckons it was a key foul to make to halt a late Tangerines attack as they sought a last-gasp equaliser.
Although he was devastated to later learn he would be unavailable for the final-four tie, the mature midfielder has retained a sense of perspective about his absence.
Speaking exclusively to gmfc.net: “I wasn’t aware that I was out of the semi-final at first and the gaffer pulled me aside on the Monday morning and told me.
“It’s part and parcel of football. You know, if I didn’t take the booking against Dundee United, we might not have go there. At the time it was the right decision.
“These things happen and I’ve just got to get on with it. In the past I was left out of semi-final squads for Motherwell but was on the bench for a Scottish Cup final, so I have been involved in big occasions.
“I was still gutted at the time and it’s not often Morton have been at this stage of the cup competitions, but I’m older now and can deal with something like this better.
“But I’m sure the boys will give a good account of themselves and do well and I’ll be the cheering them on from the stands.”
Playmaker Forbes has been in fantastic form this season, no more so than at the weekend when he put his stamp all over the 5-0 win away at league leaders Queen of the South.
Not only did he open the scoring with sensational strike – his fourth goal of the season – he also had a major hand in the four other goals.
It was a sensational result, and the former Motherwell and Partick Thisle man reckons it was the best team performance in his time at the Ton and the perfect preparation for Hampden.
He added: “That was probably the best performance since I’ve been here, and there’s been a few as well.
“To come to the league leaders with all the injuries we’ve got and people filling in in unfamiliar positions and win 5-0 … what can you say.
“We know we are capable of that sort of performance, but it’s hard to put it into practice because the opposition is obviously right up for it too and it’s a competitive league.
“You get one of these days maybe once every few seasons where everything just clicks. You feel it on the park. Everything you’re touching is coming off and you get the goals you’re working on in training.
“With my one, for example, we worked on it on the Friday; the gaffer said because they had a taller team than us, there was no point putting the ball in the box and needed to be a bit more inventive.
“Jai Quitongo’s goal was the same: a corner that we didn’t put directly into the box. So the hard work we put in at training paid off.
“You couldn’t have asked for any better preparation for the semi-final than the performance and result on Saturday, I don’t think.”
Images: David Bell
