Dumbarton FC snatch late win against league leaders

Jan 29 2010 by Andy Galloway, Lennox Herald (main ed)

Irn Bru Scottish Football League Second Division

Dumbarton............................ 2

Cowdenbeath....................... 1

SOME games don’t need too many goals to be thrillers – and that was the case at Dumbarton on Saturday.

In a week when everybody was talking about Aston Villa’s 6-4 win over Blackburn, Dumbarton and Cowdenbeath provided another match that kept the fans on the edge of their seats.

Mark Baxter had the visitors in front on the half hour mark, only for Roddy Hunter to equalise in a dominant second half display by Sons.

The rest of the game was a case of “will they, won’t they” as the home side piled forward – and a minute from time the answer was yes.

Ross Clark was the hero, combining with fellow substitute Kieran Brannan to turn home the 89th minute winner.

However, both teams deserve credit for an entertaining match, which swung one way and then the other.

Cowden were in the ascendancy for much of the first half, although Sons had the odd attacking move which lacked a finish.

The Fifers could have opened the scoring within a minute as Jan Vojacek saved Paul McQuade’s shot, with Jon Robertson putting the rebound wide.

Soon after, defender Dene Droudge found space to meet a cross, but his shot was wide in another close call.

A Stevie Murray effort went just over for Sons, before Vojacek was again called into action to save from Mark Ramsay.

The home side then forced a series of chances, but frustratingly, none of the finishes were on target.

Chris Craig’s shot from 20 yards went wide, while Derek Carcary and Iain Chisholm’s efforts were over the bar.

And Cowden punished those misses by taking the lead. Ramsay’s low cross was deflected into the danger area and Baxter finished from six yards.

That was followed by more shots off target from Sons, as Craig and then Scott Chaplain couldn’t test the keeper.

The visitors began the second half well, with McQuade and Brian Fairbairn threatening, but shooting over.

But Sons again came back and, after Chaplain had a shot saved, the equaliser came on 64 minutes.

Carcary’s header came back off the inside of the post, but Hunter was perfectly placed to force the loose ball home.

Manager Jim Chapman then introduced Brannan and Clark to the action, and teenager Brannan almost made an instant impact.

He cut into the area from the right hand side, and his shot was fumbled by the keeper, but a Cowden defender was first to the loose ball.

With 10 minutes left, Hunter was put through, but a defender forced him to a narrow angle and his shot was saved.

But with one minute remaining, after 25 minutes of almost one-way traffic, Sons got the win their efforts deserved.

Brannan again got into the area from the right and cut the ball back to the waiting Clark six yards from goal.

Last season’s top scorer got off the mark for this campaign, to send the home end of the Rock into raptures.

Dumbarton: Vojacek; Chisholm, Smith, Dunlop, Gordon, O’Donoghue, Craig (Brannan 67), Chaplain (Clark 67), Hunter, Carcary, Murray. Subs: McNiff, McStay, Winslow.

Referee: Bobby Madden

Crowd: 659

Rock Star points: 3pts O’Donoghue, 2pts Smith, 1pt Murray