CHRIS Erskine has expressed his relief that the worst decision of the season so far did not derail Partick Thistle from a vital win.

Assistant Jordan Stokoe convinced referee Barry Cook to disallow Kris Doolan’s effort in 55 minutes because he didn’t see the shot go over the line.

He was arguably the only man in the stadium who missed it and although the blunder did not ultimately have a lasting effect – it is another example of amateurish officiating.

Erskine, who netted what proved to be the winner in 50 minutes, said: “I swear I’ve never seen anything like that in my life in football.

“I’ve seen the footage, but I didn’t need to see it again. It was mad, it wasn’t as if there was any indecision that the ball was in.

“Morton went back as if they were going to take centre, we’re away celebrating

“It’s not as if we’re thinking is that in and then all of a sudden the referee is saying to me ‘oh my linesman says it’s a throw-in’.

“I lost my head a bit because I was thinking ‘how can it be a throw in?’

“Then I heard that one of the Morton boys got the ball out of the net and booted it out. Absolutely incredible. I couldn’t believe it.

“I apologised but I just couldn’t believe it. You know what it’s like in football you’re waiting for something to go up the other end and happen.

“We could have lost points. They could’ve gone up the other end of the park and got an equaliser towards the end.

“It’s these things which can go against you in football. I feel sorry for Dools as well because he is desperate for a goal and he finally got one.

“It was a cracking strike as well but he can’t even get a goal when it is a goal now!

“I’m glad we held on. I had plenty of chances the whole game and only managed to take one of them so I’m just glad we got three points.”

Cappielow captain Jim McAlister insists the Morton players feel angry and let down after Ray McKinnon jumped ship last Friday night.

McAlister was one of many summer signings who bought into McKinnon’s plans for the club only for the boss to quit for Falkirk.

However, McAlister says the dressing room spirit will carry the Greenock men through and whoever is brought in as a replacement will be inheriting a terrific group of players.

McAlister said: “You always talk about honesty in football and believe it’s hard to come by and it’s hard to trust people in football.

“We bought into the plan that everything was going to be honest and on the table and that could’ve been a big factor in boys deciding to come here and not elsewhere.

“Friday was such a strange day. The chairman Crawford Rae was watching training, and everything was bubbly.

“In football you think nothing can surprise you. One of the boys saw the story break on twitter and it was put on our group chat and it started snowballing from there.

“Before you know it we were without a gaffer, which was strange.

“We were angry and let down. As Crawford Rae has already said a lot of us came here because we bought into the vision going forward.

“But we won’t let Saturday’s result get in the way. We’ll regroup. Whoever takes over is getting a good bunch of boys.”

Morton will use the international break to find a new boss as they are not involved in the Irn Bru Cup next weekend.