Morton vs Aberdeen
Coca-Cola League Cup
3rd September 1996
The Dons started the season as League Cup Holders and after beginning their defence in the same style as they left off with a 2-0 win at Hampden (Queens Park the opponents this time) the draw would place them at Cappielow. Never the happiest of hunting grounds, at least Andy Ritchie had long since retired.
The League campaign had begun impressively with draws to Celtic and Motherwell and a crushing 4-0 win over Hearts. However, a narrow escape against the Lithuanians of Zalgiris Vilnius had rang some alarm bells that the defence might have porous qualities.
But the domestic form was good. First Division Morton weren't expected to cause many problems for the free-scoring Dons and this theory was borne out with Billy Dodds goals early in each half.
With the match heading towards the closing stages, the inherently clumsy John Inglis felled Flannary in the box and Derek Lilley's penalty gave Morton a way back into things. Worse was to follow when John Anderson leveled seconds later and when Lilley got his second near the death it looked like the defence of the trophy was over.
In a final act of desperation, Joe Miller flung himself over the challenge of Cormack and amazingly the Reverend McCurry pointed to the spot. Dodds accepted the lifeline with glee, completing his hat-trick - he'd get another four days later - and sending the match into extra time.
Morton deflated, the charismatic Dean Windass took over and, jealous of his strike partner's exploits, proceeded to go mental in added time by notching himself a double-brace.
Last season's runners-up Dundee would get their revenge in the next round, defeating the Dons 2-1 at Dens, and Windass was brought back down to League Cup earth with a bump when he was expelled for fouling Chic Charnley.
Never mind that though, 7-3 eh? Two hat-tricks? Nae bad. We'll take that in a fortnight.
Dons line-up: Walker, Grant, Tzvetanov (Woodthorpe), Young, Inglis, Kombouare, Miller (Shearer), Dodds, Windass, Kiriakov, Glass
Morton: Wylie, Collins, Cormack, Reid, McCahill, Lindberg (McArthur), Lilley, Mahood, Hawke (Flannary), Anderson, Rajamaki (McPherson)
Att: 6000
Ref: M McCurry