ADAM Rooney's fine hat-trick ended Caley Thistle's agonising seven-month wait for a home win in league action.
The Dubliner's deadly finishing earned a deserved 4-1 victory as Terry Butcher's men finally gave the home support something to cheer.
Only briefly in the first half was the Highlanders' superiority in doubt as new Morton appointee James Grady su
ffered an emphatic beating in his first outing. The striker and team-mate Allan McManus will continue to co-manage Morton for the rest of the season, the club has confirmed.
Butcher's men were ahead after 19 minutes – and in quite some style. Stuart Golabek's long ball was brilliantly knocked down by Dougie Imrie in the box. But it still took a tremendous, instinctive right foot hook from Rooney to find the top corner of the net from 16 yards.
Caley's frailties surfaced again after 34 minutes, though. Paartalu was able to skip past Munro and Nauris Bulvitis with some ease before slipping the ball past Ryan Esson. But the two-goal advantage was restored three minutes before the break after good work by Richie Foran outside the box. The Irishman threaded Rooney into space and his fellow countryman placed a low shot into the corner.
Rooney's hat-trick was completed with ease from the spot in 51 minutes after Dougie Imrie was clearly tugged back by David McGregor in the box.
