After overcoming title challenging Aberdeen and runaway First Division leaders Falkirk, I think many 'Well fans viewed Morton as a soft touch. We expected to win easily three or four goals and progress to the semi final with minimal fuss.
The fact that we'd thumped St Johnstone 4-1 at McDiarmid further boosted our already over-inflated egos and in retrospect, we didn't give Morton the respect they deserved.
I only just made this game, having foolishly agreed to take part in a BB marching competition on the same day. A lesson for everyone - never organise anything for cup quarter final day!
As soon as the game started, it became clear that we were in for a tougher match than expected. Morton were organised and motivated while we, frankly, weren't. There was nothing of note in the first half and the large 'Well support was left to munch nervously on their half time pies.
The second half was similar to the first in the sense that we had all of the ball without ever looking like scoring. A quick check back to the video confirms that I don't think Morton managed a shot of note throughout the entire game.
But it wasn't their job to score. They were quite happy to hold on for a draw and with the exception of a couple of hairy moments, they always looked like succeeding. A superb run by Phil O'Donnell set up Dougie Arnott who saw his shot pushed round the post by David Wylie before the boy Phillip and Iain Ferguson got in a muddle where a solid shot from either of them would have done the job.
The final chance fell to Fergie when a break of the ball sent him clear in the right of the box but with glory waiting he failed to hit the target and blasted into the crowd. A terrible disappointment but I suppose the main thing was that we were still in the hat. The semi final draw (behind closed doors, for the first time in the tournament) gave us the draw we'd been expecting - Celtic - but only is we could overcome Morton in the replay
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