Greenock Morton advanced to the next round of the Scottish Cup after a comfortable 3-0 win over Turriff United. Late goals from Nathan Durham and Ben Armour helped seal the win for the Greenock outfit.

Turriff United got the match underway, kicking off on a crisp Sunday afternoon at Cappielow.

Morton dominated possession in the opening 10 minutes and as a result created a couple of chances early on in the game.

The home side came within inches of opening the scoring after just four minutes following a corner. David Anderson hit the cross from the left, which flashed across goal but no player could get a touch. Any contact would have surely resulted in a goal.

Morton went even closer just a minute later. Left-winger Mitchell Duffy broke down the left and swung in an inviting cross to Jack Purdue. The attacker just got his head to the ball but didn’t make enough contact to trouble Turriff goalkeeper James Whyte.

The Greenock team kept pushing for the opener and spurned an excellent chance following another corner. A short corner from the right was played to Purdue, who turned a floated a cross in to the back post. Central midfielder Reece Lyon met the ball but headed narrowly over.

After 11 minutes, the home side got the goal their play deserved. Right-back Darren Hynes received the ball just outside the box on the right, and blasted a powerful strike at the near post with the outside of his right boot, giving Whyte no chance of stopping it.

Turriff United struggled to get a hold of the ball as Morton dominated possession. United centre-back Matthew Stewart stood out as one of his team’s best performers while for Morton, Duffy looked dangerous whenever he was in possession.

Duffy had a chance to put his team two up after he sprinted down the left wing, beating one defender in the process. He raced through on goal but was denied by the onrushing Whyte, who smothered the ball well.

Whyte was his team’s saviour again just moments later, denying Morton forward Ben Armour. Armour found himself 10 yards from goal and showed neat footwork to get his powerful shot away, but Whyte denied him with a superb stop.

The pressure was building against Turriff as they came close to conceding a second. A wonderful run from midfield from Purdue saw the forward break into the box, beating three men in the process. The striker fired at goal but was denied once again by Whyte.

A rare foray forward for Turriff almost resulted in an equaliser for the Highland outfit. Attacker Angus Grant broke down the right wing before cutting inside, beating his man and shooting from the edge of the box. Unfortunately for Turriff, Grant’s effort was tame and easily saved by Ton keeper Charlie Carracher.

Right-winger Anderson almost doubled his side’s lead with a free kick around the half-hour mark. The free kick was situated in an ideal position – around 25 yards from goal, slightly to the left – but Anderson saw his effort fly narrowly over the bar.

Towards the end of the first half, Turriff grew into the game and could have had an equaliser after an excellent cross from Ryan Stewart. The left-back hit a cross from deep that found Grant lurking at the back post, but the striker’s effort was weak and easily stopped by Carracher.

United’s confidence grew as the half progressed and the chances soon fell for the away side. Striker Michael Ironside did excellently to break down the right and fire a cross-cum-shot across the face of goal, but no-one was at hand to prod the ball home.

Ironside came close again right before the referee blew his whistle to signal half-time. A free kick around 30 yards from goal was played short to him; the forward beat one man before firing at the near post from a tight angle, but Carracher parried the ball behind for a corner.

The referee soon blew his whistle to signify half-time. Both sets of players trudged off the pitch, knowing that the game’s next goal could be decisive.

Morton kicked off the second half but it was Turriff United who looked more dangerous following the restart. The Highlanders came flying out of the traps desperate for an equaliser, but it was Morton who had the first chance of the second half.

Duffy won the ball high up the pitch and drove to the edge of the box before cutting back to Purdue, who himself then teed up Lyon, but the midfielder connected poorly with his shot and ballooned the ball over the bar from the edge of the box.

A cleverly worked one-two by Anderson in the middle of the park took two United players out the game and released Anderson to drive through the centre of the pitch. The winger passed to Purdue, who took a touch before bending his effort from 20 yards wide of the right-hand post.

Morton continued to bypass the Turriff midfield and were denied a second goal thanks to an outstanding double save from Whyte. Duffy had the first chance – the winger was played in down the left for a one-on-one, but couldn’t get his shot beyond Whyte. The goalkeeper parried the ball and it fell to Purdue: the striker leathered a powerful blast at goal, but Whyte somehow tipped the ball over the bar.

Morton kept pressing hard for a second and kept creating opportunities for their forwards. Lyon broke from midfield and received the ball at the edge of the Turriff area but fired his first-time shot over the bar.

Armour was next to have a go for the home team. The winger got the ball on the right wing and charged towards goal before cutting in and lashing a low shot at Whyte’s near post. The Turriff keeper reacted well and tipped the ball onto the post, keeping his side in the match.

Morton became a little impatient on the ball and began to hit more efforts from distance, more out of hope than expectation.

Turriff had a chance to level the scores after Brodie Christie’s through ball found Ironside, but the United striker scuffed his shot and Carracher collected the ball easily.

Purdue played in Anderson after an excellent run from midfield, beating two. Anderson used his pace to cut across the Turriff defence but miscued his shot, firing narrowly wide of the far post.

Adam Cross hit a superb free kick from just inside the Morton half where Owen Kinsella was waiting, but Carracher stretched to reach his header and knock it behind for a corner.

Morton then deservedly grabbed their second following a free kick with less than 10 minutes left to play. Anderson took the free kick from the left of the Turriff box and played it in to the near post, where centre-back Nathan Durham was waiting. Durham rose well and headed the ball in from close range, giving Whyte no chance of stopping it.

There was still time for one more goal for Morton and it was Armour who added the cherry on top. Ton captain Ruaridh Langan burst into the box and looked certain to score, but was tackled before he could get his shot away. The ball fell to the feet of Armour, who confidently struck first-time beyond the despairing Whyte.