Dundee slumped to a disappointing Boxing Day defeat in front of a bumper crowd at Dens Park.
There was a real feeling of deja vu about the proceedings with a host of similarities from the last time the sides met at the same venue back in August.
On that day, Morton ended the Dark Blues’ 19-month unbeaten home record courtesy of a single goal by former St Johnstone striker Peter MacDonald.
Monday’s result brought to a halt Dundee’s seven-match sequence without defeat, with the decisive counter scored by another ex-Saints forward, this time Andy Jackson.
Barry Smith’s side had a big chance to at least salvage a draw from the game but Matt Lockwood’s second-half penalty was saved by Morton keeper Dominic Cervi.
For Dundee, the loss was doubly disappointing as they missed an opportunity to close the gap on league leaders Ross County, who were held to a draw at Falkirk. Instead, the Highland outfit are now nine points ahead with a game in hand.
A grim-faced Smith didn’t pull his punches, saying: ”That’s as poor as we have played all season. We hope it is just a blip as we have been doing well recenty but that shows we still have a long way to go.”
Smith made two changes from the side that drew at Ross County last week, with Nicky Riley coming back from suspension to replace Jamie McCluskey and Ross Chisholm drafted in for Stephen O’Donnell who was dismissed against the Staggies.
Kilmarnock assistant boss Jimmy Nicholl was an interested spectator in the main stand, with the Ayrshire side set to face the Dark Blues in the Scottish Cup on January 7.
Morton boss Allan Moore said: ”That was a great day’s work and hopefully it can be the start of a good run for us.”
* Dundee have announced that director Harry MacLean has resigned from the board.