Albion Rovers 2 v 1 Greenock Morton
Division 3
16th November 2002

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Attendance : 843

Scorers ~ Albion Rovers : Smith (88), Diack (90). Greenock Morton : Cannie (37).

There’s a TV show called "Later With Jools Holland" which looks quite early when compared with this Smith and Diack equivalent! Yes, that’s right, Smith. For in spite of what we in the Press Box agreed at the time, Rovers’ first goal was not the reported own goal by Morton’s Derek Collins, but was actually scored by Jordan Smith, and that must be true, for Jordan said so!

Having got that technicality out of the way, wasn’t the finale of this match just like something scripted by one of the classic writers, with the supposed underdogs coming good at the very end of the concluding chapter? After the final whistle, Morton caretaker boss David Hopkin was shell-shocked and couldn’t believe that his team had lost. Believe it, David - it happened! Rovers’ fighting spirit, already in evidence on other occasions this season, came to the fore again and, allied to a fair degree of skill, carved out the result which put the Cliftonhill side into second place in the table.

Peter Cormack was welcomed back to the home defence, but Jered Stirling’s anticipated return failed to materialise and youth star Mark Weir found a place on the bench.

Within a couple of minutes of the start, Rovers came within inches of scoring but in spite of claiming that Todd Lumsden’s effort had crossed the line, play was allowed to continue. In the 7th minute, Morton got near Scott Shearer for the first time, by Marco Maisano’s 20 yard shot was yards too high, A couple of minutes later, Chris Silvestro fired across goal, but although Charles McLean stretched at the back post, the ball eluded him. Then Kevin McAllister made space for a cross which Lee Duncan volleyed over, before, at the other end, the impressive Finn Jani Uotinen forced Shearer to leave his goal to make an excellent block.

The action was fast and furious, and in 24 minutes Shearer made a superb diving save to divert a goal-bound Warren Hawke header round a post. Within seconds, Rovers raced upfield and when Andy Paterson chased a loose ball to the bye-line and crossed into the middle, Silvestro made a real hash of things, somehow contriving to screw the ball wide of the gaping target. It was a bad miss - and the midfielder knew it. After John Maisano had his good 35-yarder saved by Shearer and Smith’s last-gasp intervention denied the dangerous Alex Williams, Rovers’ luck ran out and Morton went ahead. Warren Hawke sent a defence-splitting pass through to Philip Cannie who strode on to place a good shot behind the helpless Shearer. The half ended with a McAllister shot being diverted over and Shearer racing out to beat Williams in a race for the ball.

The first forty minutes or so of the second half were notable only for substitutions and bookings. After Silvestro and McAllister had been yellow-carded, Paterson and Duncan were replaced by Diack and Bradford respectively and the enterprising McLean fell foul of referee Gilmour, with Morton withdrawing John Maisano in favour of Stuart McDonald. Even at that stage, there was no hint of the drama to come. But come it did! Twice within as many minutes, Lumsden was out of luck with a header which was a foot too high and a blistering 16 yard drive which Craig Coyle in the Morton goal did well to touch over the crossbar. Then, however, the curtain rose on the drama. Rovers, looking like the only side prepared to go in search of success, launched attack after attack on the Greenock goal. In 88 minutes, as the pressure intensified, yet another onslaught saw the visiting box thick with bodies and suddenly the ball was in the net. Amongst the celebrations it was difficult to identify whose boot had the last touch, but in a sense, that was unimportant - the equaliser was the thing. However, we’re happy to put the record straight and give young Jordan the credit.

Rovers had saved the day, had earned a point from the strength-sapping encounter and would settle for that. No way! The surges continued unabated and after Morton’s scorer Cannie had been dismissed for a stupid, petulant and blatant kick at Lumsden, another attack bore down on Coyle’s goal. Kevin McAllister - unusually for him, still on the field at the end of play - got the ball wide on the left, bamboozled his direct opponent and plopped over the perfect cross for Diack to head into the net from just a few yards out. If the equaliser was greeted with joy, just imagine the reception given to the winner. The final whistle was blown shortly afterwards and Rovers’ promotion push was well and truly on track.

Referee : John Gilmour

Man of the Match : Kevin McAllister

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