Aberdeen v Greenock Morton in the League Cup |

The RedMatchday team look back at previous Morton v Aberdeen games in the League Cup, including the 1979 semi-final…. 

Aberdeen first met Morton in the League Cup in September 1948 at Pittodrie in a Section D tie. Early goals from Stenhouse and Hamilton had given Aberdeen a great start and in the first half the Dons were unfortunate not to add to their lead. However after Mochan pulled one back for the visitors in 49 minutes, the Dons were on the back foot and had to rely on a late George Hamilton goal to make sure of the victory. In the return tie at Cappielow in October it was all to play for. Morton were out of contention to qualify but the Dons would progress if they gained a better result than St Mirren. With the Paisley club going down at Third Lanark it looked good for the Dons when Tony Harris gave the Dons a precious lead after 18 minutes. However a disastrous second half saw Aberdeen slip and slide their way to a 3-1 defeat. With all four teams on six points, it was St Mirren who progressed on goal difference.

Two years later the sides were again drawn in the same qualifying section along with Clyde and Rangers. When Aberdeen Travelled to Greenock in August the Dons were already at the top of the group after wins over Clyde at Pittodrie and Rangers at Ibrox. After Harry Yorston put Aberdeen ahead in 26 minutes the Dons were rarely troubled by the home side. The Dons had chances to extend their lead but it was not until Boyd scored with three minutes left that Aberdeen confirmed the victory. When Morton came north at the beginning of September the Dons only needed one point to qualify as group winners after another impressive win over Rangers. Morton were suffering from several injuries and were outclassed by a slick Aberdeen side that swept to a 6-1 victory. Aberdeen were ruthless with George Hamilton in imperious form. Aberdeen finished as group winners on 10 points; two ahead of Rangers who were eliminated.

In 1966 the sides met at the quarter final stage. The first meeting at Cappielow in what was a bruising encounter. Morton were flying high at the top of the old Second Division but when Jimmy Smith put Aberdeen ahead after 18 minutes it looked ominous for the Greenock side. However Joe Mason levelled before Gray scored in the first half as the game descended into a physical battle. Two Aberdeen players were booked by referee Webster in the second half. A late Mason goal meant that Aberdeen would face an uphill struggle to get through to the last four.

The return leg at Pittodrie produced a classic. With five minutes left, Aberdeen were out as all they had to show for their efforts was a Winchester goal at the start of the second half. A grandstand finish from the Dons saw Jimmy Smith level the tie in 85 minutes. As the visitors were under siege, there was no let up and Jens Petersen stepped up in the final minute to send a shot flying past Sorensen to put Aberdeen through in a sensational finish.   

Morton came north with a defensive outlook to protect their two-goal advantage. They also adopted a tough approach that did not go down well with the home support. Incredibly Dave Millar of Aberdeen was the only player booked after he said something to referee Webster following a clash that left the Dons midfielder with a cut eye.

Dons keeper Bobby Clark was a virtual spectator throughout as Morton half backs Gray and Madsen rarely gout out of their own half. That closing finale was a memorable one for Aberdeen. Five minutes from time Jimmy Wilson crossed was met by Ally Shewan who fired in a shot at goal. Sorensen saved but the ball broke to Jimmy Smith who scored from close range. Danish international Jens Petersen then almost brought the roof of Pittodrie with his brilliant winning goal as the tie looked like going to extra time. Petersen brought down a Billy Little lob on to his chest before volleying past a helpless Sorensen. Manager Turnbull, never one to get straight to the point was delighted; “We had to dig deep tonight. I had trust in my players who were faced with some challenges and tactics that is not often seen up here. They overcame all sorts of adversity tonight and the final stages were just reward for the only side that were looking to win the tie. Even if we went into extra time I was confident my players would get there; not many teams can live with us when we are in that sort of form.”

Eight years later in season 1974.75 the Dons came up against Morton in another Group with Hearts and Dunfermline making up the rest of the opposition.

The Dons struggled in a section that did not look beyond them but after a frustrating opening day against Hearts a 3-1 defeat in the Cappielow mud effectively ended Aberdeen having a realistic chance to qualify. A poor crowd turned out in monsoon conditions and it was a young Mark McGhee who fended off a Willie Miller challenge to open the scoring for Morton after 15 minutes. From that point on the Dons struggled in the appalling conditions and a late consolation from Jim Hermiston could not take away from what was a bad day for Aberdeen. A week later it was an all-changed Dons who extracted revenge with an impressive 4-0 win against the Cappielow side at Pittodrie. The Aberdeen task was straight forward as they had to win their last three games to possibly top their group.

They started by thrashing Morton; this time Miller kept a tight rein on McGhee after Ian Purdie opened the scoring in 14 minutes the Dons dominated their visitors with some of the best football they had shown since the start of the season. Two goals in a minute in the second half had Aberdeen looking ahead to the final group matches with confidence.

The only occasion Aberdeen have met Morton in the semi-final was back in 1979 after the League Cup had dropped their sectional ties and went to a two-leg knock out format. Aberdeen had already knocked out Celtic and Rangers along the way to their Hampden clash with Morton. At that time the Greenock side were a formidable opponent; arguably their best side in their history. At one stage they had been top of the Premier League before a wretched spell of winter weather saw Aberdeen come from the chasing pack to eventually lift the League title.

The Dons big game experience was a factor in their clash with Morton. Two first half goals in a period that was dominated by the Dons proved crucial as Aberdeen went on to reach the Final. The decision to play the tie in December at the national stadium was not lost on a poor attendance of just over 11,000. Aberdeen took the lead after 14 minutes.

The Dons had been on the offensive from the start and sensed a nervous opponent. Former Morton striker Mark McGhee now in the red of Aberdeen scored the opener. A high free kick by Willie Garner was floated into the Morton penalty box and McGhee was quick to react and head past Roy Baines to open the scoring. The Dons continued to control the game and after several missed chances they extended their lead just before the break. John McMaster made a long run down the left before cutting into the box. His cross struck Hayes on the arm and a penalty was awarded. Gordon Strachan did his usual job from the spot to put Aberdeen in total command. At that point it was no more than the Dons deserved as they showed all their big game experience to take control of the game. Morton did hit back in the second half as they threw players forward. With nothing to lose they did hit the post with an Andy Ritchie effort. Morton did manage a goal back through a Ritchie penalty with nine minutes to go but Aberdeen saw the game out with relative ease.

By the time the sides met again in 1982 the Group format had returned. In what was to be an historic season for Aberdeen it started at Cappielow and three days ahead of the official opening day of the season. The League had helped the Dons cause after they had been drawn in a Preliminary tie against Sion in the ECWC. A fixture headache was avoided with the Dons starting early. Watched by Scotland manager Jock Stein, the Dons should have come away with both points but for a late penalty that denied them victory. Aberdeen went ahead after Neale Cooper was tripped in the box as he latched on to an Eric Black knock down. Gordon Strachan scored from the spot. Aberdeen were dominant at that stage and the first booking of the season went to Morton defender Jim
Duffy as he upended Mark McGhee when he went straight in on goal. There was a shock for the Dons in 21 minutes when Morton scored with what was their first meaningful attack.

Hutchison scored with a close range header to surprise Jim Leighton. In 53 minutes Mark McGhee scored a fine goal as he raced through the Morton defence after a perfect pass from Kennedy. Despite Duffy’s attempts to impede him again, McGhee shrugged off the challenge to put Aberdeen ahead. With Aberdeen looking comfortable a late controversial penalty ended in frustration for the Dons as Morton came away with a point they hardly deserved.

The return tie in Aberdeen gave the Dons the opportunity to put things right and they duly delivered with a 3-0 win that could have been so much more damaging for the Greenock side. Even with the Dons using both substitutes they lost both Black and Hewitt through late injuries, they ended the game with nine men and still in control. Aberdeen took the game to Morton from the start and took the lead in 19 minutes. After a succession of five corners they finally made that pay when Doug Rougvie headed past Baines. In 27 minutes a neat move between Black and Strachan set up Doug Bell to head Aberdeen into a two-goal lead. Jim Leighton was a spectator all night and Bell pounced again at the start of the second half. The Dons midfielder resisted two challenges before slipping the ball past Baines. It was no more that Aberdeen deserved; the only criticism was that they did not add to their goals tally. The win put Aberdeen top and they went on to qualify for the latter rounds.

In 1988 Aberdeen defeated Morton 2-1 at Cappielow. A brace from Jim Bett proved too much for a spirited challenge as Aberdeen showed all their defensive qualities and experience to see the job done. The Dons went on to reach the final that season as the League Cup again reverted to a knockout format.   

In 1996 the highest scoring tie between the sides came in a sensational tie, again at Cappielow. Aberdeen had to fight back in normal time as the game finished 3-3 after 90 minutes. Morton had given everything in an effort to oust the Dons and it was in that extra time period that the Dons showed their class and superior fitness. It almost became a battle between Billy Dodds and Dean Windass as they shared the seven goals that Aberdeen scored; four of them coming in an extra time period that proved a stroll for Aberdeen.

The last occasion the sides met was once again in Greenock in 2012. Craig Brown’s Dons had to endure a difficult night but goals from Scott Vernon and Gavin Rae proved crucial as Aberdeen again progressed at the expense of Morton at their Cappielow ground.     

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