MORTON 1 UNITED 1

United missed several opportunities in the first half and will regret not taking their chances after conceding a last minute goal, resulting in them leaving with only the one point. Bilel Moshni scored United’s only goal of the game, with a towering header coming from the center of the penalty box. 

By Alasdair Marnoch 

After a disappointing one – nil loss to Inverness, Laszlo implemented four changes, bringing Durnan, McMullan, King and Smith onto the starting lineup. 

First Half: United started the game on the front foot, with Billy King putting in a cross only for it to be cleared to the edge of the box where Garry Harkins slid in to prevent McDonald from taking an early lead. United continued to pile the pressure on Morton’s defence, after some great link up play from McDonald and King. The ball found McMullan inside the box who aimed low, but the keeper was quick and palmed the ball out for a corner. 

United set themselves up for another chance in the 20th minute, McMullan finding King in the box, but he struggled to bring the ball under control leaving the Morton defence able to clear his efforts. 

Seven minutes later, Moshni saw sight of goal from 40 yards out, but his shot didn’t trouble the keeper, who had plenty of time to get into position. Morton made their way up the park to win two successive corners which came to nothing. 

McMullan missed another opportunity from close range in the 30th minute after taking too much time inside the box; being put under pressure his shot was sent wide once again by the keeper and out for a corner. Stanton’s cross was sent deep and into no man's land.

With ten minutes left of the first half, King ran down the left wing, cutting inside, positioning himself nicely in the box, but his shot was saved by Gaston who was proving difficult to score against at Cappielow.

The first half was summed up perfectly by United’s final two attempts on goal. McDonald pulled the trigger from outside the box forcing Gaston to parry the ball wide to the feet of Matty Smith who hit the ball into the side netting from a tight angle. 

Second Half: Morton came out strongly in the second half winning themselves three corners in the first five minutes. United were quick on the counter, but two misses from Scott McDonald left the score line blank. 

After waiting 59 minutes, United earned themselves a well-deserved goal, Moshni headed the ball from the center of the box, and with nobody on the back post it sailed over the keeper and into the back of the net! 

McDonald and Smith once again kept the home team’s keeper busy with him needing to pull off two saves in the space of a minute.

Morton were awarded another corner in the 66th minute after a shot from Baird was blocked by goal scorer Bilel Moshni. 

The traveling United fans had their hearts in their mouths in the last minute of the game, as the ball rolled across the face of the goal with it eventually going out for a goal kick. The last-minute goal eventually came though after a curving cross went to the far post and came off Billy King’s head. 

Summary: Throughout both halves United were the dominant team and were extremely unlucky to concede a last-minute equalizsr.

Man of the Match: Bilel Moshni – The Tunisian international did well in both halves of the pitch, providing some blocks and scoring United’s only goal of the game.

Greenock Morton: Gaston, Murdoch, O’Ware, Lamie, Doyle, Oliver, Tidser, Harkins, Tifforney (Ross, 67’), Russel, Baird (Thomson, 67’) 

Subs not used: Brennen, McHugh, Gasparotto, Fraser, Iredale 

Dundee United: Lewis, Murdoch, Durnan, McMullan, McDonald (Fraser, 84’), King, Stanton (Gillespie, 89’), Flood (Quinn, 74’), Smith, Ralston, Moshni 

Subs not used: Deniz, Slater, Edjenguélé, Mason 

Referee: Don Robertson 

Attendance: 2319