The old James Watt College Building goes green.
Morton host Falkirk.
It's February 18th, and Morton still have not lost at league game at Cappielow. By that measure this is Morton's fifth best season ever. In the four best years, the Ton did not suffer a home defeat at all. Including today, Morton have seven home dates remaining.
Falkirk and Morton are third and fourth in the standings, three points behind Dundee United. As the Tangerines are on Challenge Cup duty today, and because Falkirk and Morton each possess goal differences equal to or greater than United's, a win for either Falkirk or Morton will vault that club into second place.
Make a mini league out of all of these three clubs' meetings this season.
Morton versus Falkirk:
Morton 1 - 1 Falkirk
Falkirk 1 - 1 Morton
Morton 2 - 0 Falkirk
Falkirk versus Dundee United:
Falkirk 3 - 1 Dundee United
Dundee United 1 - 0 Falkirk
Falkirk 3 - 0 Dundee United
Dundee United versus Morton:
Morton 2 - 1 Dundee United
Dundee United 2 - 1 Morton
Morton 0 - 0 Dundee United
Table: G W D L F A GD P
Morton 6 2 3 1 7 5 +2 9
Falkirk 6 2 2 2 8 6 +2 8
Dundee United 6 2 1 3 5 9 -4 7
What was Morton's best result against Falkirk? 6 - 0, on Dec 27, 1913, at Cappielow, and again on Oct 9, 1915, also at Cappielow. What was Morton's worst result against Falkirk? Falkirk won 7 - 0 Feb 13, 1909, and Dec 17, 1921, both times at Brockville Park.
What are the high points for Falkirk in the 21st Century?
Scottish Cup final 2008-09, 2014-15
League Cup semi-final 2006-07, 2008-09, 2011-12
League Premier Division, 7th place 2006-07, 2007-08
Challenge Cup won 2003-04, 2011-12
How many times have Falkirk met the other 2016-17 Championship clubs in Scottish league play?
St Mirren 186
Hibs 167
Raith Rovers 156
Morton 154
Ayr United 122
Dunfermline 93
QoS 93
Dundee United 77
Dumbarton 74
How is Falkirk like Greenock Morton?
Blue and white strip. Falkirk Stadium, a modern all-seater, is nothing like Cappielow, and is in fact the anti-Cappielow. Falkirk have won the Scottish Cup twice to Morton's once, the League Cup never to Morton's never, and the Challenge Cup four times to Morton's never. Like Morton they have had one European adventure.
[2 - 2. Morton goals by O'Ware and Forbes. Morton hang on to their home undefeated streak. Dundee United hang on to second place.]
Can Third Lanark make the playoffs? Third Lanark is the statistical ghost team that collects the unclaimed third points resulting from tie games in the Championship. To date there have been 37 draws, putting Thirds three points out of a playoff spot. (Really, four points. Third Lanark can only ever have a GD of 0, so they need the extra point to get past the others.) [After today's play Third Lanark have 40 points and are one point behind Falkirk and Morton.]
A dog show at the Greenock Cricket Club. Source.
It's the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup.
Queen of the South [2 - 3] Dundee United
QoS and Dundee United have never met in the Challenge Cup before. The Tangerines have the only win in three league meetings this season.
St Mirren [4 - 1] The New Saints
These clubs have never met before anywhere. St Mirren are the bottom club of the Scottish Championship. The New Saints are the top club of the Welsh Premier League, with 22 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss after 24 games.
Sligo Rovers and Bray Wanderers of the League of Ireland will play in the next Scottish Challenge Cup.
It's also Round Five of the Scottish Junior Cup. Some games to watch:
Maryhill vs Linlithgow Rose [postponed]
Penicuik [3 - 4] Kirkintilloch Rob Roy
Auchinleck Talbot [4 - 0] Luncarty
Kelty Hearts [1 - 2] Kilwinning
Petershill [0 - 2] Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic
A small map showing the location of George Brown and Company, shipbuilders, in Greenock. Cappielow is in the lower right on the Caledonian Railway.
1898-99. On this date in 1899 Morton and Partick met at Cappielow to play their Scottish Cup Round Two replay. The first game took place a week earlier in Glasgow and ended in a 2 - 2 draw. Partick won the replay 1 - 2, knocking Morton out of the cup.
Top and bottom teams in the 2016-17 Scottish Championship week by week (2/3):
Week 13 Hibs St Mirren
Week 14 Hibs St Mirren
Week 15 Hibs St Mirren
Week 16 Hibs St Mirren
Week 17 Hibs St Mirren
Week 18 Dundee Utd St Mirren
Week 19 Hibs St Mirren
Week 20 Hibs St Mirren
Week 21 Hibs St Mirren
Week 22 Hibs St Mirren
Week 23 Hibs St Mirren
Week 24 Hibs St Mirren
How did Morton fare in their first ever Scottish League game against each 2016-17 Championship club?
Hibs Aug 26, 1893 away L 9 - 2
Dumbarton Aug 29, 1896 away W 0 - 3
St Mirren Sept 1, 1900 home W 1 - 0
Falkirk Oct 21, 1905 home W 4 - 2
Raith Rovers Aug 17, 1910 home W 1 - 0
Ayr United Jan 5, 1914 away W 0 - 2
Dundee United Oct 31, 1925 away D 2 - 2
Dunfermline Aug 14, 1926 home W 3 - 0
Queen of the South Oct 29, 1927 away L 4 - 1
The Greenock Philosophical Society is thirteen years older than Greenock Morton FC.
You might have noticed that as soon as the last Scottish club drops out of the UEFA Champions and Europa League I lose all interest. But the Belgian twins Genk and Gent are still in the Europa League at the Round of 32, so let's follow them. In the first leg it was:
Astra Giurgiu 2 - 2 Genk
Gent 1 - 0 Tottenham Hotspur
Copa Liberadores, third stage, leg one:
Atlético Paranaense (BRA) 3 - 3 Deportivo Capiatá (PAR)
Botafogo (BRA) 1 - 0 Olimpia (PAR)
Unión Española (CHI) 1 - 1 The Strongest (BOL)
Junior (COL) 1 - 0 Atlético Tucumán (ARG)
J League Super Cup: Kashima Antlers [3 - 2] Urawa Red Diamonds
Winterthur [2 - 1] Wohlen
Comments