Queen’s Park v Morton – Match Preview 

by Russell Gordon 

Dougie Imrie’s Scottish Cup shock troops make what hopefully won’t be their last trip of the season to Scotland’s National Stadium as they look to extend their unbeaten run to an incredible fourteen games, after having disposed of Premiership Motherwell in last Friday’s televised Cappielow thriller. 

With opponents Queen’s Park having recently seen a resurgence under the watchful eye of new manager Callum Davidson however, Imrie’s side won’t be taking anything for granted against a team who are also looking a far different proposition to what they were earlier in the campaign. 

Photo - GBR Photographs.

Squad News 

Imrie should have a few pleasant selection problems, with the returns of Kirk Broadfoot and Jai Quitongo from the bench last Friday, as Imrie introduced both in the dying minutes as the clock ticked down. 

The likelihood of either starting is slim, given Morton’s almost impregnable defensive efforts in recent weeks and Imrie’s policy of nursing his returning stars in lightly to competitive action, along with Quitongo’s misfortune on his many aborted returns thus far demanding a softly, softly approach in his case in particular. 

Steven Boyd and Jamie MacDonald will also be looking to return to action sooner rather than later, but with those who have stepped in stepping up, will also likely have to click their heels on their returns to full fitness. 

Current Connections  

There are three former Queen’s Park players in the Morton squad- ‘Ton captain Grant Gillespie and Jai Quitongo both spent a couple of seasons with the Spiders from 2020-22, winning the League Two title in the abbreviated 2020-21 season under everyone’s favourite former Morton boss, and expert in taking teams into League One Raymond McKinnon, and following that success up by winning promotion through the League One play-offs under Owen Coyle, after McKinnon’s successor, Laurie Ellis completed the main body of work from the dugout. 

Ryan Mullen made one loan appearance for Queens in 2021 while on loan for Celtic, and there’s another former Morton boss who has been helping out in the background at Hampden. David Hopkin has been a regular visitor to Hampden and had been leaning in offering the benefit of his wisdom to caretaker boss Paul Nuijten. 

Hopkin’s successor, and all-round good guy Anton McElhone is the Head of Academy Coaching, and former Morton centre back Thomas O’Ware (not an all-round good guy) is the coach of the Spiders’ B Team. 

Tale of the Tape  

With last season being the first that the clubs shared a division since 2002-03, Morton of course picked up ten points from the available twelve against Queen’s Park. 

They’re on course to do the same this season all going well, having played out a goalless draw on a bizarre afternoon at a rain-soaked Hampden in October, when most of the travelling Morton support were stuck in a flooded Greenock, along with winger Jack Bearne, who couldn’t join his teammates to take part on the afternoon. 

In December, Morton hosted Queens in Nuijten’s first game in caretaker-charge as they made it nine points from nine in a week to kick-start their season. A magnificent passing move, belying the image of “big, bad, physical Morton” was finished off by Robbie Muirhead in the eighth minute to seal the points. 

That of course, didn’t tell the whole tale of the afternoon though, as hapless referee Grant Irvine made it all about himself, producing a straight red card for George Oakley for a foul on the halfway line that merited a booking and nothing more five minutes before the break. 

Irvine then surpassed himself by awarding the visitors a penalty on the cusp of half time for a nothing challenge, but Ruari Paton’s tame spot kick was comfortably smothered by Ryan Mullen. 

The ten men had to soak up a lot of second half pressure, but Queens didn’t really produce any clear-cut chances against a Morton side who had to roll their sleeves up and defend doggedly to keep the three points in Greenock. 

Photo - GBR Photographs.

Opposition Analysis  

Queen’s Park have had a funny season- after a disappointing League Cup group stage campaign, they started the league season with three successive wins, before hitting the skids and going fourteen league games without success and exiting the SPFL Trust Trophy to League One minnows Falkirk and the Scottish Cup to Partick. 

The appointment of former Ajax and Anderlecht youth coach Robin Veldman as Head Coach smacked of a club investing in establishing a philosophy without considering that in order to succeed in Scotland’s second tier, you actually need to roll your sleeves up and get your hands dirty now and again. 

After such a horrific run, which only saw a Trust Trophy victory over Bala Town of Wales, Veldman fell by the sword in December, with a resounding 1-4 Hampden defeat by Inverness proving to be the straw that broke the camel’s back. 

While Paul Nuijten steadied the ship somewhat, collecting three points in his final game stepping into the dugout with a 2-1 home success against Dunfermline, the permanent appointment of Callum Davidson, a man who is no stranger to winning at a near-empty Hampden, has seen a terrific turnaround in Queens’ fortunes, starting with a 2-1 win at big-spending Raith Rovers and falling 1-2 at home to Ayr United, before two more away wins, 1-0 in a real six-pointer at Inverness and a resounding 3-0 victory over a beleaguered Dunfermline side who were still smarting from their even heavier drubbing from Morton a week previous. 

The signing of former Scotland, Hearts and Liverpool centre back Danny Wilson has raised eyebrows, but perhaps the best signing the Spiders have made since going professional is that of their new manager, who should drag them clear of any danger with relative comfort. 

What’s Happening Elsewhere? 

The league season’s biggest game takes place under the gaze of the BBC Scotland cameras on Friday as big-spending Raith Rovers, on the back of a horror run of five defeats in a row across three competitions, try to hang onto the coattails of league leaders Dundee United who, with a four point cushion and a vastly superior goal difference could land a near-fatal blow to the Fifers’ faltering title challenge. 

Airdrie and Ayr are more than welcome to cancel each other out in the Bill Barr Derby at New Broomfield, and with Morton now chasing down Partick, there’ll be no complaints if they drop points in the Highlands against Inverness. 

There’s another match of significant importance, this time at the bottom of the table as a Dunfermline side in freefall host Arbroath, who will be desperate to take advantage of the Pars’ woes by winning to reduce the gap at the foot to three points. One would really fear for whoever loses, but the Red Lichties need to at worst avoid defeat is massive. 

Photo - GBR Photographs

Betting Guide  

All odds are supplied by McBookie. All odds correct as of 7pm on 15th February 2024 and are subject to change. Please only bet within your means and visit BeGambleAware if you are struggling.  

Despite home advantage, Queen’s Park are second favourites at 17/10, with Morton priced at 5/4 and the draw at 5/2. 

The draw at half time and Morton at full time is 19/4 and Morton to win to nil is 10/3.  

Match Officials  

Referee- Steven McLean is the man in the middle, his second Morton game of the season, having taken charge of the 3-0 League Cup Group Stage win over Stranraer in July. 

AR 1- Graham McNeillie 

AR 2- Jamie Andrews