Morton 2-2 Gretna

Jan 13 2008 Kenny Macdonald At Cappielow

JIM McALISTER netted a late leveller as battling Morton staged a stunning comeback to earn another bite at the cup.

The midfielder slotted home a dramatic equaliser as the First Division side came from two behind to clinch a Raydale Park replay.

Fabian Yantorno and Evan Horwood put Gretna two ahead early on before late efforts from Kevin Finlayson and McAlistair pegged them back.

The visitors grabbed hold of the game from the off and should have had it wrapped up within 25 minutes.

Uruguayan star Yantorno lobbed a shot from the right just over the bar inside three minutes.

And nine minutes later he opened the scoring after a blunder by Barry Smith on his Morton debut.

He chested a long clearance into the path of Gavin Skelton before picking up the return and racing into the box.

Yantorno then skipped past keeper David McGurn before squeezing home at the right post to seal Ton's nightmare start.

The home side were in shock and had little to offer going forward with McAlister's blocked drive in 18 minutes the best of their few early chances.

Within a minute Gretna came close to a second after Yantorno's fine run and cross from the right.

Striker Kenny Deuchar knocked the ball back for Nicky Deverdics six yards out but his shot was blocked brilliantly by the legs of keeper McGurn and the ball spun over.

Davie Iron's side continued to push forward and McGurn was forced to deny Yantorno again after the striker pounced on a slack back pass.

Gretna maintained the pressure, and Deuchar headed down a teasing cross from Paul Murray for Deverdics but his volley flew over the top in 24 minutes.

The Ton finally rallied after the half hour and captain Peter Weatherson glanced a neat header over the keeper from eight yards only to see the ball skim the top of the bar.

Then ex-Gretna midfielder Ryan McGuffie was played through by McAlister on the left, but keeper Tony Caig reached out to block brilliantly.

Morton had a strong penalty claim turned down in 22 minutes as Iain Russell raced into the box only for Caig to sprawl at his feet and send him flying.

But ref Kenny Clark waved play on and ignored heated protests from both players, the keeper insisting Russell should be booked for a dive.

Gretna finally grabbed their deserved second just three minutes into the second half in clinical style.

Hitman Horwood pounced on Deuchar's lay-off at the edge of the box, drilling an angled shot across the keeper and into the net.

Horwood came close to another in 55 minutes when he let fly from 35 yards, forcing keeper McGurn to scamper backwards as the ball zipped inches over the bar.

But the the Ton surged back into the reckoning and Chris Millar lobbed a shot straight at Caig in 59 minutes.

Winger McAlister was next to try his luck soon after with a shot on the run from the left that Caig needed two attempts to gather.

And battling Morton's pressure paid off when midfielder Finlayson pulled one back with a piece of individual brilliance.

His devastating run through the middle ended with a fierce left-foot shot from 25 yards that flew high into the net with keeper Caig at full stretch in 64 minutes.

The home fans were ecstatic and there was a sudden belief that a late comeback was on from the Greenock men.

And they weren't disappointed when McAlister levelled just 15 minutes from the end He seized the ball at the back of the box after a scramble in the area and kept his cool to sweep a magnificent 16-yard shot round Caig and into the net.