Dundee United crashed out of the Betfred Cup after losing 2-1 to Morton on a night to forget at Cappielow.
When the semi-final draw is made at Pittodrie on Thursday night it will be the Greenock men rather than the Tannadice team who are dreaming of Hampden.
This was not just good enough from the Tangerines and a glorious chance to make some money and give the fans a day out was chucked away.
The home side took the lead in this quarter-final through a strike from Jai Quitongo on 24 minutes before Thomas O’Ware made it 2-0 with a header off a corner on 31 minutes.
United clawed a goal back on 55 minutes when Nick van der Velden smashed home an angled shot but it wasn’t enough to save them and now they must do a lot better in the league game against Ton at Tannadice on Saturday.
They were without midfield trio Willo Flood, Tony Andreu and Charlie Telfer, all three men ruled out by injury. Jamie Robson and Simon Murray dropped to the bench after both starting against Falkirk.
Back in after suspension came captain for the night Paul Dixon, along with injury comeback man Stewart Murdoch, Blair Spittal, Scott Fraser and Cammy Smith.
Smith started off up top, with Van der Velden tucked in just behind and Obadeyi and Spittal on the flanks. Murdoch and Fraser were in the deeper midfield roles.
The familiar face in the home defence was, of course, former Tannadice defender Gavin Gunning.
The Tangerines, backed by around 500 fans, had the ball in the net on 10 minutes through a Lewis Toshney tap-in but the flag had been up for offside long before Spittal’s cutback reached him.
On 17 minutes, Toshney went on a mazy run before finding Van der Velden just outside the box. The Dutchman flicked a pass forward to Smith but the on-loan Aberdeen player fired past the far post.
The hosts hit back three minutes later when Ross Forbes tried a shot from 25 yards but United keeper Cammy Bell saved well.
Morton goalie Andrew McNeill then had his hands stung by a Spittal shot before the hosts took the lead against the run of play on 24 minutes.
Gunning headed the ball upfield to Forbes, who was able to flick it through to Quitongo. He ran on before blasting a fierce shot past Bell via the underside of the bar.
The Tannadice men had a claim for a penalty waved away by referee Andrew Dallas on the half-hour when Spittal was tackled by Gunning. Denied that by the match official, they went 2-0 down just a minute later.
Forbes took a corner from the right and the United defenders were all beaten as O’Ware headed the ball past Bell. It was yet another glaring example of their chronic inability to defend crosses into the box.
Stunned at finding themselves two down, the visitors tried to hit back and just before the break Fraser’s low shot was pushed around the post by McNeill.
United had to sort themselves out but a semi-final seemed a long way away as the players ran out for the second half.
Fraser fired over on 53 minutes after a good run by Dixon before the Tangerines pulled a goal back two minutes later.
It was a well-worked one, with Fraser flicking the ball on to send Van der Velden clear. He was at a bit of an angle but he let fly with left-foot shot that gave McNeill no chance.
It looked like they had a great chance to level on the hour but the offside flag went up just as Van der Velden smashed a shot against the post.
United brought on Murray for Fraser as they chased an equaliser and they nearly got one on 71 minutes when Spittal’s low drive was tipped away by McNeill.
Toshney ghosted in at the back post as United kept the pressure on but he could only bundle the ball wide on 83 minutes.
In the closing stages, they huffed and puffed but really they fell worrying short in a cup-tie that they were more than capable of dealing with given the players in their team.
After this latest disappointment, United’s long-suffering supporters must be wondering just when things are going to get better.
Attendance: 2,149.
Greenock Morton: McNeil, O’Ware, Gunning, Doyle, Oliver (Tiffoney 92), Forbes, Oyenuga (McAleer 76), Lindsay, Russell, McDonagh, Quitongo (Nesbitt 81). Subs not used: Gaston, Scullion, McAleer, Strapp.
Dundee United: Bell, Dixon, Toshney, Spittal, Murdoch, Fraser (Murray 65), Obadeyi (Coote 84), Edjenguele, C. Smith, Van der Striujk (Donaldson 76), Van der Velden. Subs not used: Zwick, Dillon, Robson, B. Smith.
Referee: Andrew Dallas.
