Iain Russell: Football can kick you in the teeth – it did at Cappielow

Allan Moore has assembled an experienced Morton side that will be up near the top of Division 1 come next May and we couldn’t wait to face one of the title favourites.

The team’s preparations couldn’t have gone any better.

Due to a slight calf injury I sat out Tuesday night’s Ramsden’s Cup tie against Stirling Albion. No player likes missing games and I am no different. However I did watch in delight as the team played some great football on the way to an emphatic 5-0 victory. This result has set us up for a tricky but winnable quarter-final tie away to Berwick Rangers.

On Wednesday, a golf day had been organised for the team at Glencorse Golf Club in Penicuik. Although conditions were very poor, with the rain being the excuse for most of the boys’ terrible scores, we all made the most of it and enjoyed the day.

I must mention Paul Watson, Johnny Brown and Ian Flanaghan who were the runaway winners on the day. I think I will have to review the handicaps for the next golf day though!

A great week and Saturday couldn’t come quick enough.

However, like the previous Saturday we started extremely poorly. We have no understanding why, but after stepping up leagues we will be punished more often or not for a sluggish start. At half-time Morton were a deserved 1-0 up. They had ran over the top of us and asked us questions the whole first half to which we had no answer.

Again, like last week against Queen of the South, not only the players but the manager and assistant sat frustrated and annoyed. As a team we are not doing ourselves justice. We can’t afford to wait until we are losing to start playing decent football.

We were more like ourselves the second half, the team were sharper, the passing was crisp and we were creating chances and managed to get ourselves back on level terms. However, football has a habit of kicking you in the teeth and against the run of play Morton won a penalty and scored to make it 2-1.

Unable to score an equaliser the final whistle went on an utterly frustrating day.

This was Livingston’s first defeat since January. When a team gets used to winning games every week defeat hits you very hard.

Is there such a thing as a good defeat? I think not and I am still hurting from this. This Saturday will be no easier against a very good Dundee side, another team with ambitions of winning the league, but we are at home and haven’t been beaten there for a long time.