St Mirren were dealt derby disappointment as they fell to a 3-1 defeat at Cappielow. First half goals from Thomas O'Ware and Ross Forbes were added to by a second half strike by Gary Oliver to consign Saints to a bitterly disappointing defeat. Ben Gordon pulled back a late goal for the Saints but it proved to be nothing more than a consolation goal.
Saints started the game brightly and won a corner with less than two minutes on the clock. Mallan whipped the ball in but it was easily dealt with by the Morton defence.
It only took until the five minute mark for either side to register a shot and it came when Forbes drilled a low effort from outside the box into the arms of Jamie Langfield. However, it was easy for the goalkeeper who was making his 50th start for the Saints.
Morton were on the front foot in the early goings with Quitongo causing problems for Ben Gordon and his ball for Gary Oliver looked to have created a great opportunity for the striker but St Mirren got numbers back and cleared the danger.
The Ton's pressure would tell though and they took the lead with just 15 minutes gone through Thomas O'Ware. The defender leapt above the St Mirren defence to bullet Forbes' free kick beyond Langfield and give the home side the lead.
Saints were struggling to impose themselves on the game and things went from bad to worse when Morton doubled their lead before the half hour mark. Saints lost the ball in the midfield area and the skillful Quitongo back heeled the ball to Oliver who sent Forbes on his way. The midfielder broke into the box and drilled the ball into the back of the net.
In truth, Morton were well worth their lead as the Buddies failed to get going. Things could've been different going in to half-time when David Clarkson went close to halving the deficit. The striker picked up the ball on the edge of the box and got the shot away, but watched as it agonisingly trickled just beyond the far point. Lawrence Shankland also had an opportunity before half-time though fired it over the bar.
Half Time: Morton 2-0 St Mirren
Jack Ross reacted to the first half showing by bringing on Kyle Magennis and John Sutton for Kyle Hutton and Tom Walsh and Saints were starting to have a bit more territory, but were failing to create any real chances to get themselves back into the game. Forbes went close for Morton when he curled an effort goal bound but it was well held by Langfield.
Jason Naismith went close when his shot was deflected just by the post and out for a corner. The Buddies failed to make it count as Morton easily cleared.
Any chance of Saints getting back into the game looked to have been extinguished when Morton had the ball in the back of the net for a third time but the linesman's flag was raised as Oliver was adjudged to have blocked Langfield's view.
That wasn't to matter for Morton though as they went 3-0 up less than ten minutes later. Gary Oliver picked up the ball just outside the box after Forbes' flick on and lashed it into the net to secure all three points.
There was a late consolation goal as Gordon headed home Mallan's corner. It was a good header from the defender - who was making just his third Saints appearance - but wasn't enough to spark an unlikely comeback.
Full Time: Morton 3-1 St Mirren
St Mirren: Langfield, Naismith, Baird, Gordon, Irvine, Walsh (Sutton, 46), Hutton (Magennis, 46), Mallan, Morgan, Clarkson, Shankland (Hardie, 64)
Subs Not Used: Gallacher, Whyte, McLear, Gallagher
Morton: Gaston, Lamie, O'Ware. Oliver, Forbes (Tidser, 85), Lindsay, Nesbitt, Russell, McDonagh, Murdoch, Quitongo (Oyenuga, 80)
Subs Not Used: McNeill, Kilday, Gunning, Doyle, Scullion
Attendance: 3,378 (1008 St Mirren fans)
Match report pictures by Allan Picken – © Allan Picken Photography.
Match Gallery Pictures © John Millar.
