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Europe

Morton stun Celtic in Scottish League Cup

By AFP
Published | Updated
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Celtic's manager Neil Lennon leads a training session at Lennoxtown Training facility, near Glasgow, Scotland, on February 11, 2013. (AFP/File)

LONDON (AFP) – Celtic's dreams of a domestic treble were dashed on Tuesday when they were stunned 1-0 by second-tier strugglers Morton in the third round of the Scottish League Cup.

With the scores level after 90 minutes at Celtic Park, visitors Morton were awarded a penalty early in extra time for a handball by Celtic defender Efe Ambrose.

Dougie Imrie duly converted from the spot and Morton survived a late scare when Charlie Mulgrew hit the post to dump the hosts out of the competition and book a place in the quarter-finals.

Celtic won 27 corners to Morton's two and beaten manager Neil Lennon said he could not fault his side for effort.

"I have got to be philosophical about it," he said.

"It wasn't for the attitude or want of trying in the game. It just wasn't our night, for whatever reason.

"The only disappointment for me is we had 26 corners and we didn't convert one of them with the height we had in the team.

"We have to take our chances. We ended up putting Virgil van Dijk up to give us something different and certainly we created a lot more."

He added: "If you don't take your chances, you don't expect to win the game.

"I thought we would at least get one tonight and that is a surprise and disappointment to me.

"But I am not going to hammer the players. It has been a very demanding start to the season for them and I think they are looking forward to the game on Saturday (at Kilmarnock).

"It is a frustration, but I will get over it very quickly. I have too much to look forward to, to dwell on it."

Morton manager Allan Moore said the result was "incredible", but admitted: "We rode our luck."

He added: "The fact they put their centre-half up front was testament to how well we played.

"Our league form hasn't been good. We had work rate and desire in abundance tonight. There are a lot of jerseys in there full of sweat."

The result was rendered all the more remarkable by the fact that Morton's recent form has seen them slump to second-bottom in the Scottish Championship.

"There aren't many times I've come here even in my playing career and got good results," Moore added.

"But to a man we were excellent, especially after the league form we've had over the last couple of weeks. What a dressing room it was -- that's why you come to play football."