Cove Rangers were again made to suffer from their own naivety, with points slipping through their grasp again against Morton.
With a point in sight, after Leighton McIntosh had cancelled out Jaze Kabia’s opener, their old Achilles heel came back to bite them again.
Robbie Crawford was given the freedom of the penalty area to run on to a loose ball and crash home the winner, to extend Morton’s unbeaten streak to eight and stop Cove in their tracks.
It is not the first time it has happened this season, with the glaringly obvious one being the 4-4 draw at Hamilton. But also in the reverse fixture against Accies and at Ayr, they have conceded soon after getting themselves back in a decent position.
“That’s a naivety of ours we need to improve upon,” said Cove boss Jim McIntyre.
“We’ve got to be better than that and in order for us to take the next step, it’s not just going four unbeaten. It’s doing what Morton have done and adding more wins.
“We threw away a 4-1 lead (against Hamilton) and we were the better side last week against Arbroath. But the bottom line is it’s about how good you are in both boxes. We’ve switched off at the end and it’s cost us points.”
Another gripe for McIntyre was the decision to allow Kabia’s goal to stand, with the Cove manager feeling there was a clear offside in the build-up.
The high winds spoiled the game as a contest but Cove did not make having the conditions in their favour in the first half count.
Instead it was Morton who went in ahead at the break after Jai Quitongo broke away down the right and centred, with the ball breaking to Kabia to crash in.
Jack Sanders had forced a superb save from Brian Schwake in the Morton goal but Cove did not look like getting back into the game until late on.
Max Johnston’s over-hit cross was picked up by Shay Logan, who delivered to the back post. Schwake misjudged, thinking the ball was heading out, as it instead flicked off the inside of the post and back into play for McIntosh to head in.
Parity lasted all of four minutes as Cove’s failure to deal with a long throw and then to track the run of Crawford, allowed the midfielder to arrow his shot through a crowd of players into the corner.
“It was a war of attrition, a real battle of the elements,” said McIntyre. “We played OK with the conditions. The big talking point is the first goal, which is two yards offside and is just a really poor decision.
“That was really disappointing. We’re not getting beaten by a quality bit of play but a poor decision. The linesman has got to see it, because it’s clear.
“Their keeper has had an unbelievable save from Jack (Sanders) but Jack has put his hand up to say he should score. I thought we came back into the game in the second half and tried to pass it when we could.
“The goal we do score is a good bit of play. One thing Leighton always does is get between the goals and we’re right back in the game.
“The goal we concede at the death is just ridiculous. It’s so frustrating. It’s not the first time it’s happened this season where we’ve got a man on the edge of the box in dreamland, who switches off and we get punished.
“It’s a real sore one to take. We didn’t deserve to lose but we didn’t do enough to win it. That’s where we’ve got to be a bit cuter and do our jobs, so the least you come away with is a point.”
COVE RANGERS (4-4-1-1) – McKenzie 6; Johnston 6, Sanders 5, Reynolds 5, Logan 5, Longstaff 5 (Masson 59), Yule 6, Gilmour 6, Scully 6 (Leitch 80), Fyvie 6, McDonagh 5 (McIntosh 65). Subs not used – Gourlay, Ross, Neill, Vigurs, Dunne, Leitch.
MORTON (4-2-3-1) – Schwake 6; Grimshaw 6, Baird 6, Ambrose 6, Strapp 7, Blues 6, Crawford 6, Quitongo 6, McGrattan 6 (King 77), Kabia 7 (Pignatiello 77), Muirhead 6. Subs not used – O’Connor, Hynes, McGregor, Lithgow.
Referee – Peter Stuart 6.
Attendance – 870.
Man of the match – Lewis Strapp.