DYRON Daal made a crucial 25th birthday impact with a telling double as Ross County marched into the Alba Challenge Cup final.
County outclassed under-pressure Morton to put themselves in contention for a third piece of silverware in as many years, and the one-time Ajax and Aberdeen striker admitted later: "It's good to be finally on the scoresheet. It seems a long time.
"I've tried to work hard and it's now paid off with two goals, and we're in the final – so it's been a great day.
"It's the best possible birthday present for me, so I just hope I don't have to wait another year for the next one!"
The 2006 winners and Second Division champions were always in control, with even a penalty miss for Daal's fellow scorer Steven Craig failing to knock them off stride. Even Morton's late reply – a free-kick from substitute Peter Weatherson – took a wicked deflection off at least one home defender, before Andy Dowie added a County fourth.
County's drive in midfield – particularly from Richie Hart – was key and drew a clinical response from the front two. Unlike in last Saturday's initially tight league encounter, early pressure paid off for County.
After six minutes, Craig controlled a Martin Scott pass with back to goal and turned expertly to stab home from 12 yards.
On 42 minutes, Martin Scott's perfect cross-field ball onto the right flank allowed Mark McCulloch to cross for Daal to send a bulleting 10-yard header into the roof of the net.
The Cappielow side looked buried after 55 minutes when Allan McManus was sent off for handling Craig's attempt in the box. Craig stepped up seeking his eighth goal of the season, but his strike down the middle was saved by the legs of Kevin Cuthbert.
A terrific 40-yard burst from Hart reaped the killer third for County, with his flicked cross nodded just too heavily by Daal for Cuthbert's flailing glove.
Morton hit back, finally, from a fortunately deflected Weatherson free-kick that spun pinball-style past Bullock. But after a few late jitters, defender Dowie made sure with an 84th minute header from Adam Strachan's corner.
A disappointed Morton manager Davie Irons said: "The fans are unhappy – we can obviously hear that – and it's something I have to take responsibility for. Ultimately, the buck stops with me, but I just said to the players 'look at yourselves as well'.
"I'm not asking them to do anything they can't do, but they're not performing on the pitch."
Ross County: Bullock, McCulloch, Dowie, Boyd (Watt 76), Keddie, Brittain, Hart (Gardyne 71), Scott, Strachan, Daal (Higgins 84), Craig. Subs not used: Soutar, Lawson.
Morton: Cuthbert, Harding (Paartalu 63), Shimmon, McManus, Smith, McGuffie, Jenkins, Masterton (Weatherson 51), McAllister, Wake (Finlayson 60), Russell. Subs not used: Stewart, McGregor. Booked: Cuthbert 83, Smith 90. Sent off: McManus 55
Attendance: 1,396.
Referee: M Tumilty.
The full article contains 499 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
