Maroon Memories: Ford's away-day show just the ticket with remarkable penalty hat-trick

Hearts thoroughly deserved their win at Cappielow, though it took a hat-trick of spot kicks from Donald Ford to get Bobby Seith's men off to a flying start in the league -a feat recently replicated of course by Paul Hartley playing for Aberdeen.

Hearts, though not at their best, really showed their fighting qualities after having been two down. Ford, of course, was the star, not only for his goals but also for his enthusiastic running which caused the Morton defence plenty of anxious moments.

Ford looked as though he could have gone on scoring penalties all night and his "hat-trick" was the first treble by a Scottish player in the 1973-74 season. Ford varied his penalties, hitting the first two to opposite corners and, though Roy Baines guessed right about which side to dive through for them, the Morton goalkeeper went the wrong way for the third.

Strangely, Hearts' best penalty claim, when Bobby Prentice as hauled down by Laughton, was waved away by referee Jim Callaghan. Carruthers did well enough on his return with his chasing and harrying but the strength of the injured Drew Busby was missed up front. Stevenson and Jefferies found it difficult in midfield against Morton's trio of Townsend, Anderson and Lavelle, and it wasn't until Tommy Murray came on for Prentice that Hearts really got on top in that department.

The defence was shaky, however, and was at fault with both of Hugh McIlmoyle's goals. Garland, challenged by Jones for a Thomas corner, couldn't hold the ball, and McIlmoyle shot home the first. Then Garland and his defenders left a harmless-looking Townsend free -kick to each other and McIlmoyle stepped in to head home number two.