Battling Cowboy still Riding High Evening Times Monday 12th May 03

CHAMPIONS Morton are set to escape SFA punishment for the brawl that erupted towards the end of their showdown with Peterhead.
Police and stewards were forced to intervene as players wrestled with each other after Peterhead assistant Alan Lyons clashed with Cappielow boss John McCormack, who was trying to retrieve the ball.
However, I understand the incident will not be mentioned by the referee.
Morton won 1-0 to lift the title, with East Fife runners-up after a last-minute Kenny Deuchar goal gave them a 1-0 victory against Queen's Park.
That strike left Albion Rovers gutted after they had thought their 3-1 win over East Stirling was enough to take them up.
A delighted McCormack played down the Cappielow incident, saying: "It was just one of those things and it's all forgotten about. It's all about the future now and taking this club back to where it belongs."
Cowboy said today he is "still on a cloud" after Scott Banner-man's 55th-minute strike sent a packed Cappielow crowd of 8497 into orbit.
The attendance is a record for this division and augurs well for the future of the Cappielow club.
Club chairman Douglas Rae commented: "When I came back here we didn't even have a kettle. But this success proves we are a club on the move."
An ecstatic McCormack added: "For long enough Greenock has been starved of success and at last we have given them something to celebrate.
"With a crowd of 8500 here the potential of this club is there for all to see. Now we must build on this, but I can promise the support there will be plenty more good times ahead."
With the game held up for 15 minutes to let the bumper crowd in, it was the home side who took the initiative and John Maisano put Chris Millar through only for the midfielder to shoot into the side-netting.
Five minutes later panic spread in the home ranks when keeper Craig Coyle fumbled an Andy Roddie free-kick, but Morton finished the opening period on top with Alex Williams blasting over from just outside the box before Bannerman's stinging drive was pushed over by Paul Mathers.
Although the visitors seemed to be gaining the upper hand after the interval it was Morton who took the lead against the run of play. Mel Bottiglieri fed Eddie Annand and he put Williams through before the striker squared to Bannerman, who side-footed home.
Two minutes later John Maisano hit the bar from 40 yards with a free-kick, then Alex Bone was dismissed for his second show of dissent towards whistler John Rowbotham.
Goal hero Bannerman reckons the Cappielow outfit can now go from strength to strength. He said: "We have a lot of great young players here who are only going to get better. In John McCormack we have the boss to take Morton back up the leagues."
Gutted Peterhead boss Ian Wilson was unable to hide his feelings. He said: "Obviously we felt we were good enough to go up, but it wasn't to be. In only our third season in the SFL we have done our town proud."
Meanwhile, at New Bayview that Deuchar strike gave East Fife full points and promotion against Queen's Park.
But a bad tempered affair that saw Spiders' John Gemmell red- carded left Queen's boss Kenny Brannigan raging: "There were a lot of things out there I wasn't happy about.
"For a start the referee laid hands on Stewart Kettlewell and then I saw the stand side linesman celebrating East Fife's goal with Jim Moffat. But I can't fault the effort I got from the boys and we certainly deserved to take something from this game.''
At Cliftonhill, Albion Rovers' promotion hopes finally died despite their victory over eight- man East Stirling thanks to skipper Jim Mercer's hat-trick.
Rovers boss Peter Hetherston said: "To go 17 games without defeat is unbelievable. I just couldn't ask anything more of my players. They have done the club proud, but it just wasn't to be.''
Elsewhere, Gretna dumped Montrose 1-0 at Links Park and Elgin and Stirling Albion shared the spoils and four goals at Borough Briggs.