Clydebank 0
Morton 6
Scottish Cup (Quarter Final Replay)

Match Report

Andy Ritchie chose Kilbowie as the stage for a display of magical football. And his Cappielow team-mates took a lead from his unrivalled genius to slam six goals past a bewildered Clydebank.

The Bankies' Scottish Cup dreams evaporated with two moments of Ritchie flair and Morton cashed in with four more goals in 17 minutes of defence-splitting magic.

Bankies were humiliated as their Premier División opponents scored twice in the last three minutes to win a lucrative semi-final tie with Rangers at Parkhead next month.

The home side just had no answer for Morton's brilliance in that crazy second half when the visitors looked capable of scoring at will.

Now Bill Munro will have a mammoth task to inject enthusiasm and confidence back into his bedraggled and relegation-threatened squad.

Munro does not have to seek his problems, for they were there for all to see. But it is doubtful whether any side in Scotland barring perhaps Celtic and Dundee United could have lived with Morton on their second half display on Monday. They were simply a class apart.

But with four minutes gone, the prospects seemed rosy for Bankies, after a period of sustained pressure brought a fine save from Roy Baines. Millar missed the chance and he was later to regret it.

A minute later the large crowd were treated to their first glimpse of genius from Morton's Mr. Magic, Andy Ritchie. He weaved past three defenders with apparent ease to supply Tolmie with a scoring chance which he squandered.

Morton were nearly gifted the opening goal when McLauchlan blundered with a passback. Kenny raced from his line to reach the ball before the strangely alert Ritchie.

But in the 26th minute the young Clydebank goalkeeper was found wanting as Morton snatched the lead.

A Ritchie free-kick near the corner flag found him stranded at the front post and as the ball soared over his head Morton skipper Thomson grabbed the easiest goal of his subsequent hat-trick when he headed in from five yards. A half-time substitution saw Harkins on for the luckless Gervaise, as Clydebank strived hard for the elusive equaliser.

But a second and decisive goal looked inevitable and it turned out to be the sweetest of the night. A free-kick on the edge of the Clydebank penalty area seemed safe enough until Ritchie swept a slide-rule chip to the unmarked McNeil.

The speedy forward turned and volleyed high past Kenny for one of the best goals seen at Kilbowie for a long time.

Seconds later, in the 55th minute, Thomson shot past the home keeper, but was ruled offside by referee Brian McGinlay. The signs were there for all to see Clydebank's defence was rocking.

Jim Fallon was the unlikely villain whose short pass back allowed Tolmie to round Kenny and squeeze the ball home from the acutest of angles in the 73rd minute.

Millar scorned another great chance, shooting into Baines' hands, as Bankies battled for respectability.

But with 12 minutes left, Thomson scored with an unmarked header, climbing high above the unhappy Kenny.

With three minutes left and the ground half empty, Rooney notched number five when he netted after a goalmouth scramble.

The rout looked complete until Thomson stepped in with a sixth on the stroke of time. His 15-yard drive after a defence-splitting pass left Bankies shell-shocked and thoroughly miserable.