Morton punished as class prevails

LIVINGSTON 2

MORTON 0 28min Xausa 83min Fleming Prior to kick-off at Almondvale yesterday, there was talk of this match going the way of the team who "wanted it more." For Livingston, at the top, that means a place in the SPL; for Morton, adrift at the bottom, it means First Division survival.

Adding intrigue to a critical encounter for both clubs, the Greenock side, on the back of two rare wins, had been battling for their lives in the last seven days, while Livingston, after some patchy league form, were back to the bread and butter after their fruitless Scottish Cup semi-final adventure against Hibs at Hampden last Saturday.

But this clash was never going to be simply about desire. At this stage of the season the league table doesn't tell lies, and it told you all that you need to know - this was the division's best team against its worst. And, after the obligatory scrappy opening, it showed.

But then Morton had other things on their mind, more weighty than the mountain they have to climb to stave off the threat of relegation.

Indeed, 5pm on Friday afternoon had, this week, been a more important entry on the calendar than 3pm on Saturday.

For that was the time set by the administrators as the deadline for anyone wishing to register an interest in purchasing the ailing, debt-ridden club.

Finally, a white knight, in the unlikely shape of Professor James Pickett, appeared, a suitable replacement, it seems, for the perceived villain, former owner Hugh Scott.

Although no deal has been done, there is at last genuine optimism that Morton will be saved.

If that has come as a surprise, even more surprising, surely, is the fact that Professor Pickett is an economics lecturer. An economics lecturer? Does he know something about First Division football clubs that nobody else does?

So Wednesday's meeting of the administrators and the four businessmen interested in buying the club, becomes more important than Tuesday evening's home game with Ross County.

All of which must make lifehighly interesting for the man charged with getting things right on the pitch, Ally Maxwell.

He even said as much after his side's defeat, commenting that "the biggest thing for Morton Football Club is that it survives.

"Were battling to stay in the First Division, but if we go down in order to steady ourselves before coming back, bigger and better, it might be for the best."

In their last couple of games there has been no suggestion that the players have given up on First Division survival. But against a talented Livingston side, they were up against it.

Maxwell, operating with a skeleton squad that boasts a strong reliance on youth players and his own ageing legs, could only cast an envious glance at his opponents, who were missing three first-team regulars, including the outstanding David Bingham.

"I looked at their bench," Maxwell reflected, "where they had four strikers of great talent. They have great depth to their squad, and you do get jealous."

The pressure on Livingston, of course, is vastly different. But pressure there is, and it's been showing in recent weeks.

Much as Jim Leishman may claim that it doesn't matter whether the club goes up this season or in two years, there's no question that the fans want promotion. And they want it now.

It didn't take long for them to vent their frustration, mostly at former Scotland midfielder Darren Jackson.

The man with more clubs than Tiger Woods, suffered the indignity of being booed by his own fans for most of the 70 minutes he played. It seemed that he couldn't do anything right, despite frequently proving otherwise.

Even an opening goal from Canadian international Davide Xausa failed to calm the nerves. After a good save by the impressive Stuart Webster from Steven Tosh's volley, Xausa had the simple task in tapping the ball in after 28 minutes of a first half dominated by the West Lothian side.

Though they never appeared to be in any real danger of dropping points - despite two reasonable penalty claims from the visitors and a Robbie Raeside header - there were still a few moments which will doubtless cause the perpetrators much embarrassment when they catch a glimpse of the highlights.

Xausa should have added to his tally, and the skilful Spaniard David Fernandez could have bagged a couple. But finally it took a spectacular goal to put this match beyond Morton and add the necessary gloss to Livingston's victory.

It seemed appropriate, after all attempts at walking the ball into the net had failed, that the second goal was a long-range strike, and from the boot of a defender.

Man-of-the-match Derek Fleming's 25-yarder was worthy of a team bound for higher level next season.

But few would deny that they will have to do better than this, particularly in front of goal, and also that, if they were to fall straight back down again, their progress would be seen as being of the one step forward, two steps back variety.

Copyright 2001
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