Scottish Football: Greenock Morton and St Mirren Serve Up 7-Goal Thriller

For what it's worth to the Greenock Morton fans, that game tonight against St. Mirren was belting to watch.
 
Seven goals in all in the 90 minutes of play which swung from end to end from start to finish. Penalty claims were astoundingly kept to just one despite at least five clear cut opportunities that would have been given in other matches throughout the land.

In front of just under 5,000 raucous supporters, this local rivalry never failed to deliver as the fans screamed and shouted at their opposite numbers, the match officials and the opposing team throughout. Morton even managed to gather themselves a cheerleading troupe that entertained before the match and at halftime to keep the fans amused during the interval.

The match fired into life after only seven minutes with a superbly executed free kick from St. Mirren's ex Scotland star Gary Teale into the top right hand corner of the net. It was unstoppable and silenced the home fans but introduced a roar of support and air of gloating from one end of Cappielow as the large travelling Smurn fans taunted their Renfrewshire rivals with utter glee and bedevilment.

This joy was short lived though as within 20 minutes Morton had not only equalized but taken the lead after a couple of brilliantly crafted moves took the Morton players into the box for Tidser(17) and MacDonald(27) to finish beautifully on both occasions. The lead was not undeserved at this point as the first division side matched their SPL counterparts man for man, pass for pass.

The first half ended with the Greenock fans much the happier at the scoreline at this point. Back page headlines were already being bandied about the Morton fans with hints of what might be discussed with rival workmates the following day.

The second half had barely got underway when the real big penalty claims were to start rolling in. But the man in black waved them away oblivious to how clear they looked from the stands surrounding him. Morton had the first shout when Paul McGowan clearly stopped the ball with his arm whilst on the ground in the box after a Di Giacomo cross; Then it was the Saints who would have their claims ignored after Thompson was bundled over by a falling Evans, who didn't even look as if he was watching the ball when making a challenge. Both incidents incensed the watching sets of supporters as they claimed the ref was biased against them.

It took 10 minutes of the second half before the Paisley side were to draw themselves level after a ball into Thompson in the six yard area found him with the simple task of glancing his shot into the net to make it 2-2.

This goal was harsh on the home side but they were still in with a fighting chance and never gave up despite their opponents superior passing techniques and skill.

However, the home players and fans were stunned in the next 10 minutes as they watched Saint Mirren win a penalty which was slotted home by Hasselbaink and then watched aimlessly as Thompson rose free at the back post on 66 minutes to power home his side's fourth goal which almost put the seal on the victory for the visitors.

Thompson had another chance to end the game when he picked up a fluffed kickout by the keeper. He sent a delightful lob over the keeper's head, but watched as it bounced on top of the crossbar and out. This was reminiscent of Ayr United's Ross Robertson's goal against Raith Rovers a couple of weeks ago here, only that time Rossco found the back of the net.

Morton kept pushing for an opening and with 11 minutes remaining on the clock, substitute Jackson scored a low drive into the bottom left to give his side hope of at least a draw and subsequent extra time. But as the time ticked away there best chance came nearly on the stroke of full time when a glancing header was saved by the diving Samson in the Saints goal and with that went the chance of extra time.

A thoroughly entertaining match and en excellent spectacle and exhibition of Scottish Football. We may not be the best of the most skillful in the world but for blood and thunder, we can outdo any other country in the world.

Final score from Cappielow
Morton 3 St. Mirren 4

Marc Roseblade is a Contributor for Bleacher Report as well as Not Just Scottish Football and youth development reporter for Ayr United Football Academy. All quotes are obtained first-hand unless otherwise stated.

Morton & St Mirren Serve up Rival Cracker