Partick Thistle vs Morton – Match Preview

by Dean McKinnon

As international football rides off into the sunset following an outstanding week’s work from Steve Clarke’s men, we turn out attention back to domestic matters with a trip up the road to face old foes Partick Thistle. In between impressive wins against Ukraine and Ireland, our favourites progressed in the SPFL Trust Trophy, thanks in no small part to Sean McGinty’s not-at-all-funny penalty miss.

Photo - GBR Photographs.

Squad Update

With the domestic loan window closing today, the Cowshed faithful will be hoping that Dougie Imrie can add to his attacking options ahead of the trip up the M8. Jai Quitongo will spend Saturday in the stand following his two bookings against Arbroath, not to mention his exploits against Ayr United.

Current Connections

Manager Ian McCall can count Morton as one of the many clubs he’s taken charge of in a managerial career that’s spanned almost a quarter of a century. Robbie Crawford joined the Jags in January last year and was a mainstay in their midfield for the second half of last season, making sixteen league appearances. Robbie Muirhead has also ran out for the Jags - scoring twice in an eight-game loan spell from Hearts in 2015-16 season, whilst Jags striker Brian Graham and winger Scott Tiffoney started their careers on the Tail O’ the Bank.

Graham made his Morton debut in 2006 against Forfar, having came through the ranks of The Ton’s youth system. After playing a bit-part role in the first team in the 2007/08 campaign, Graham was sent on loan to East Stirlingshire, where he scored fifteen league goals in thirty-three appearances. He would leave the club in 2011, Kirkcaldy bound after Raith Rovers offered him a two-year contract that Allan Moore refused to match.

Scott Tiffoney was recruited by Morton following his release from St Mirren at the age of 17. He made his competitive debut in 2016, but after struggling to secure a regular starting slot in Jim Duffy’s side in the 2016/17 season, he left for Clyde on loan. He would return to Greenock with only six appearances to show for his loan spell. After a successful 2017/18 season, Tiffoney would leave for Livingston, with The Ton being due no compensation after a blunder by then CEO Warren Hawke. He would return to familiar surroundings for the start of the following season, making eleven league appearances for The Ton in his 2018/19 loan spell before joining Ayr United for the rest of the season. Livingston then sent him to his third loan destination, Partick Thistle, before signing a permanent deal ahead of this season.

Tale of the Tape

Morton bested their Glasgow counterparts over the course of their four meetings last year, despite a comfortable 3-0 hosing from the Jags on Matchday 4, in what could easily be classed as one of Morton’s worst performances over the course of the season. A goalless stalemate on Matchday 11 would be the last points Partick gained against The Ton. Oisin McEntee’s predatory spin and finish from a corner sent the away fans into ecstasy on Matchday 26 in Glasgow as Dougie Imrie’s side claimed a 1-0 win on the road. Gavin Reilly and Robbie Muirhead provided a fireworks finish in the last meeting of the season, with their goals in the 76^th and 86^th minute reversing the 1-0 scoreline and sending the Cowshed into delirium.

Photo - GBR Photographs.

Opposition Analysis

The Glasgow side are currently top of the pile in this season’s Championship, with four wins and two draws to their name thus far in the campaign. Partick’s attacking prowess has been noteworthy so far this term, with Anton Dowds, Brian Graham and Steven Lawless notching three goals apiece of the sixteen times the Jags have found the net.

Despite their positive start to the campaign, Partick will find themselves disappointed with their previous two results. Having a comfortable 2-0 lead over Cove Rangers at Firhill in their last Championship outing, they surrendered two points thanks to a Mark Reynolds double inside the last ten minutes of the match. This was followed up last Friday with defeat to perennial League One underdogs Falkirk in the SPFL Trust Trophy, with goals either side of half time from Rumarn Burrell and former Morton forward Gary Oliver securing the win for the third-tier side.

Photo - GBR Photographs.

Betting Guide

All match odds are provided by McBookie. Odds are correct as of 7am on 29^th September 2022 and are subject to change. Please only bet within your means and visit BeGambleAware if you are struggling.

The hosts enter the match as the bookmakers’ favourites, priced at 13/20 to keep all three points in Maryhill, with 13/5 offered for the draw and the Greenock side an impressive 15/4 to leave Firhill with maximum points.

Club captain and regular penalty taker, Grant Gillespie, is listed at 13/2 to score anytime, which may merit investment. If you fancy Robbie Muirhead to repeat his heroics of last season, you can back him to score the last goal at 11/1.  

Match Officials

Referee – William Collum

AR1 – Graham McNeillie

AR2 – Brian Christie