Partick Thistle boss Ian McCall not impressed as Jags lose at Morton

Feb 23 2011

Ian McCall

Division One: Morton 1 Partick Thistle 0

DEPRESSED. That was Partick Thistle manager Ian McCall's over-riding emotion after watching the Jags lose their first league game since November against dogged Morton.

And it wasn't just McCall who would be feeling blue after watching this damp squib of a match in creaking old Cappielow.

Just 1200 hardy souls turned out to watch two mid-table sides cancel each other out only for a disputed penalty to settle the outcome.

And the decisive moment wasn't long in coming round when referee Steven Nicholls penalised Willie Kinniburgh after his attempted clearance cannoned off his own hand in the 18 yard box.

It was a 50/50 decision but Derek Lyle wasn't hanging around to debate the issue and smashed the ball past Scott Fox for the only goal of the game.

Afterwards McCall groaned: "It was an appalling game. And with only 1200 fans at one of football's old grounds it just depressed me.

"I didn't enjoy it and I didn't think it was a penalty but it happens and it was not why we lost the game."

Kris Doolan tested Morton keeper Kevin Cuthbert early on with a rather tame effort from 20 yards before Lyle struck the opener for the home side.

Allan Moore's men were almost celebrating a second on the half hour mark when Michael Tidser crashed a tremendous 30-yard effort off the underside of the bar.

That was almost the highlight of the match although Ton keeper Cuthbert certainly emerged with pass marks after a string of saves to deny Thistle.

The pick of his stops came soon after the restart when he flung himself low to his right to save David Rowson's daisy-cutter.

Thistle appealed for a penalty with 20 minutes left when Martin Grehan hit the deck in the box but Nicholls was having none of it.

In truth McCall's men deserved little out of the match after a laboured performance although the Greenock side were not much better.

Morton manager Allan Moore conceded: "It wasn't pretty. That's three games we have played Thistle now and not much football in any of them. I thought it was a penalty but I know Ian McCall will be unhappy."