Spot-kick agony for Graham as Partick Thistle slip up in Championship promotion race after late McEntee strike seals Morton win

Brian Graham missed a second half spot-kick as Partick Thistle were denied the chance to move up into the Championship play-off spots after Oisin McEntee’s late sucker punch helped Morton steal maximum points.

The Jags dominated for large spells of the contest on a horrendous playing surface at Firhill but they were left to rue a series of missed opportunities as on loan Newcastle United defender McEntee prodded home an 80th minute winner.

Both managers were serving touchline bans as they watched on from the stand and Thistle boss Ian McCall cut a frustrated figure after Graham’s penalty miss was turned over the line at the third time of asking by Kevin Holt, but referee Euan Anderson awarded the visitors a free-kick instead.

Partick Thistle assistant manager, Neil Scally said: “For vast periods, I thought we controlled the game. We had a lot of good opportunities and we weren’t as clinical as I would’ve liked us to have been.

“Morton had one shot that Jamie (Sneddon) had to save the whole game from a free-kick and outside that they get their goal from a simple ball into the box that we should’ve dealt with a bit better.

“The worst we should be looking to come out that game with is a draw. We’ve just not been clinical when it mattered.

“We’ve been performing well and controlling most games we’ve played in recently, but the chances are a lot harder to take than they should be on that pitch.

“It’s not easy to cross the ball from wide areas in these conditions but that’s not going to change so we just need to get on with it. We’re not making excuses.”

Asked for his view on the disallowed goal, Scally added: “If I’m honest from where we were standing you couldn’t make it out. I didn’t know the ball had even hit the post as there were so many bodies in the way.”

Scott Tiffoney was a notable absentee from the Thistle line-up due to a leg knock sustained in training but despite the loss of their influential winger, the home side started brightly.

Ross Docherty caused a moment of panic in the Morton defence inside the opening 60 seconds with a thunderous low drive before the ball broke to Alek Jakubiak but the striker’s effort from close range was blocked.

That set the tone for the first-half and Thistle fans housed in the Jackie Husband stand thought their side had taken the lead on 17 minutes when Graham’s powerful strike from the right-hand side of the box rippled the side-netting.

The best chance of the half fell to Kevin Holt after 29 minutes when Stuart Bannigan, making his 300th appearance in a Jags shirt, swung in a dangerous corner from the left but the full-back skied his effort over the bar from just a few yards out.

Morton had loud appeals for a penalty waved away on the stroke of half-time when Cameron Blues’ shot struck the arm of centre-back Tunji Akinola.

Thistle continued on the front foot early in the second half and Cammy Smith stung the palms of Jack Hamilton after a lung-bursting run round the visitors backline.

Just before the hour mark Jakubiak was hauled to the ground by Ton captain Alan Lithgow which led the referee to point straight to the spot.

Graham stepped up and saw his penalty well saved by Hamilton before the striker headed the rebound off the post.

In the scramble that followed Thistle felt they had forced the ball over the line only for Anderson to award the visitors a free-kick for a foul in the build up.

Tempers then flared between Jags defender Lewis Mayo and Morton striker Gozie Ugwu after both players tangled in the centre circle, with the latter cautioned for his reaction.

Jamie Sneddon produced a good save from Robbie Muirhead free-kick before Morton broke the deadlock with just over ten minutes remaining.

Substitute Reece Lyon floated in a free-kick from distance which was flicked on by Ugwu into the path of McEntee and the centre-half managed to squeeze the ball past Sneddon for his first professional goal.

The result lifted Morton up to sixth in the table and manager Dougie Imrie was delighted with the reaction from his players after their six-match unbeaten run had come to an end last Saturday.

He admitted: “It’s a big three points for us, albeit it was nervy at times. Partick Thistle put us under a lot of pressure and they’ll be gutted at missing the penalty.

“Jack Hamilton deserves praise for keeping us in the game but I thought the reaction from the boys after that was excellent.

“I’m absolutely buzzing for Oisin. He’s had a tough time since he came up here with a few injuries but since he’s come back into the team he’s been different class.”

Partick Thistle: Sneddon, Holt, Mayo, Bannigan, Graham (MacIver; 81), Jakubiak (McAllister; 69), Smith (Murray; 81), McKenna, Akinola, Crawford (Turner; 85), Docherty

Unused: Firth (GK), Foster, Bell, Hendrie

Greenock Morton: Hamilton, Strapp (Russell; 76), McLean, McEntee, Oliver (McGrattan; 76), Blues (Lyon; 76), Muirhead, Ugwu, Brandon, Wilson, Lithgow

Unused: Bysouth (GK), Ledger, Hynes, Easdale, McGregor, King

Referee: Euan Anderson

Attendance: 2,345 (343 away)

GlasgowWorld Man of the Match: Kevin Holt (Partick Thistle)