Match ends, Morton 5, Elgin City 0.
MortonGreenock Morton5ElginElgin City0
Denny Johnstone scored on his debut to help Morton record what was eventually a comfortable win over Elgin City in the Scottish League Cup first round.
The on-loan Birmingham striker back-heeled the hosts' second after some nice trickery from Jon Scullion.
Earlier, Stefan McCluskey had tapped in to put Morton ahead.
The impressive Scullion later scored twice into the bottom right corner, either side of Ross Forbes' penalty kick.
With good hold-up play and an ability to bring others into the play, former Celtic forward Johnstone showed with more than just his goal that he could be the man to fill the boots of Declan McManus, who was a hit on loan last season from Aberdeen, at Cappielow.
Winger Bobby Barr looked lively on both flanks and got the ball rolling, quite literally across the box, for McCluskey's opener.
Scullion is one of the smallest footballers you will see but used his low centre of gravity to skilfully create in-roads into the Elgin defence.
On paper, this was a Morton mauling of Elgin, but the Greenock side's first-half display was laboured and they are unlikely to get away with that in their first three Championship games versus Falkirk, Hibernian and St Mirren.
Elgin will look at Morton goalkeeper Derek Gaston's fantastic one-handed save from Brian Cameron's strike as a turning point, as that denied the visitors an equaliser.
Line-ups
Morton
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 1Gaston
- 15Pepper
- 2Kilday
- 3Lamie
- 17Russell
- 16BarrSubstituted forMcKeownat 82'minutes
- 6MillerBooked at 24minsSubstituted forStevensonat 75'minutes
- 8Forbes
- 11McCluskey
- 12Scullion
- 9JohnstoneSubstituted forOrrat 80'minutes
Substitutes
- 5McKeown
- 20Adam
- 26Cairnie
- 34Orr
- 35Stevenson
- 36Tennant
Elgin
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 1Black
- 2CooperBooked at 74mins
- 17Gordon
- 5Duff
- 3McHardy
- 7McKenzieBooked at 23minsSubstituted forMacPheeat 63'minutes
- 6McLeanBooked at 61minsSubstituted forHunterat 64'minutes
- 8Nicolson
- 11MooreSubstituted forHalsmanat 76'minutes
- 10Cameron
- 9GunnBooked at 89mins
Substitutes
- 12MacPhee
- 14Hunter
- 15Halsman
- 16Bruce
- 21Storrier
- Referee:
- Barry Cook
- Attendance:
- 1,052
Match Stats
Home TeamMortonAway TeamElgin
- Possession
- Home58%
- Away42%
- Shots
- Home18
- Away4
- Shots on Target
- Home9
- Away2
- Corners
- Home10
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home11
- Away8
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Morton 5, Elgin City 0.
Post update
Corner, Morton. Conceded by Liam Gordon.
Post update
Attempt missed. Craig Gunn (Elgin City) right footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the left is just a bit too high from a direct free kick.
Post update
Foul by Lee Kilday (Morton).
Post update
Jordan Halsman (Elgin City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Booking
Craig Gunn (Elgin City) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Attempt saved. Ross Forbes (Morton) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Post update
Foul by Thomas Orr (Morton).
Post update
Jamie Duff (Elgin City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Goal!
Goal! Morton 5, Elgin City 0. Jon Scullion (Morton) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Stefan McCluskey.
Substitution
Substitution, Morton. Frank McKeown replaces Bobby Barr.
Post update
Ross Forbes (Morton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Jordan Halsman (Elgin City).
Post update
Corner, Elgin City. Conceded by Ricki Lamie.
Substitution
Substitution, Morton. Thomas Orr replaces Denny Johnstone.
Post update
Foul by Dylan Stevenson (Morton).
Post update
Brian Cameron (Elgin City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Corner, Morton. Conceded by Darryl McHardy.
Post update
Foul by Bobby Barr (Morton).
