The classic US sci-fi series the X-Files is due to return to our TV screens soon, so it was perhaps appropriate that a character named Scully should play a starring role at East End Park on Saturday.
Ryan Scully is no flame-haired government agent, but the Dunfermline goalkeeper performed heroics for his team, producing a string of top-class saves to prevent an already-embarrassing defeat from turning into something even more grisly.
The stats show that 10 of Morton’s 13 goal attempts were on target, only for Scully to repeatedly deny them.
His first-half save from Michael Miller was breathtaking yet he somehow managed to better that with a one-handed stop from Peter McDonald’s long-range piledriver.
The previous Saturday, Scully’s late penalty save at Stenhousemuir kept the Pars in the hunt for a play-off spot, but their heaviest home loss of the season now leaves them five points behind Brechin with just five games remaining.
Scully said: “It’s a team game, so my performance doesn’t really matter now.
“It was a terrible, terrible day at the office, really embarrassing. We looked very weak today and there are no excuses. We played OK in the first 20 minutes, but then we let them dictate the game and Morton fully deserved the three points.
“The first two goals killed us. You don’t like to say it, but we almost gave up and never caused their goalkeeper any problems.
“We heard a few home truths in the dressing room after the game, but all season we’ve been asking ourselves what the problem is. We obviously don’t have the best squad in the league.
“I hate to think that we’ll be in the same league again next season, so the next five games are huge for this club. We need to see what we’re made of now and we have to find some fight from somewhere to get the five wins that we need.”
Morton also require victories as they battle Stranraer and Forfar for the title.
The previous week, two injury-time goals had prevented a third straight defeat, but they appear to be back on track now after beating Dunfermline for the fourth time this season.
Goals either side of half-time from Stefan McCluskey and Lee Kilday, plus late strikes from Declan McManus and Mark Russell left Ton boss Jim Duffy purring: “It was a comprehensive victory.”