Cowdenbeath 0 Morton 1

THE Blue Brazil will count themselves unfortunate not to have progressed to the last 16 of the SPFL Trust Trophy.

Cowdenbeath had the ball in the net in the very first minute - it was chalked off for handball - and had a penalty saved against the Championship side. 

Both teams finished with 10 men but despite a valiant effort the Fifers had no answer to Michael Garrity's strike just after the hour mark. 

It looked like the perfect start for Dougie Hill's men when Jamie Docherty put the ball in the net inside the first minute but the ref's whistle cut the celebrations short.  

The Greenock side were next to threaten and when former Dunfermline winger Owen Moffat was brought down by Paul McLean, Ali Crawford’s free kick was blocked by the defensive wall.

The action swung to the other end where Docherty picked up a long ball but sent his shot wide of the target.

Crawford then fired over the bar while a long range effort from the home side’s Olly Whyte whistled just by the post.

Just before the interval 'Ton goalie Ryan Mullen pulled off a great save to deny Docherty and a minute later a shot from Whyte took a deflection and went out for a corner.

Morton opened the second half with Alex King coming close to opening the scoring while an angled drive from Docherty flashed across the face of the goal.

Sam Newman then sent in a testing low ball with Jake Sutherland just unable to connect.

Morton took the lead with 62 minutes gone when Zac Delaney provided the delivery for Garrity to tap home.

Both sides saw red and were reduced to 10 men when both Delaney and Shay Burke were sent off for an altercation at the halfway line.

With 14 minutes to go Cowden were awarded a penalty but Docherty’s spot kick was saved by the diving Mullen.

In the closing minutes Niall McGinn saw a shot blocked by Ruaridh Lynch before sending the rebound wide, while Cowden had an appeal for a second penalty turned down after Paul McLean went down in the six yard box.

Cowdenbeath:

Lynch, Dunsmore (Kerr 80), Hill (Denham 60), McLean, Jordan, McNab, Whyte, Burke, Docherty (Haston 80), Swanson (Sutherland 48), Newman (Walker 80). Subs not used: Blair, Fusco.

Morton:

Mullen, Ballantyne, Delaney, Boyes, Blues, Moffat (Emmanuel-Thomas 82), Crawford, Lyall, Garrity (Davies 72), King, McGinn. Subs not used: Reynolds, O’Boy, Woods.

Referee: Duncan Nicholson

Attendance: 379