Dumbarton & Vale of Leven Reporter | Sport

Tuesday, 6th January, 2009

Published: Tuesday, 28th August, 2007 10:51

Tommy bags goal brace

By GARE CLYDE

DUMBARTON made rough weather of what should have been a comfortable afternoon’s work against Albion Rovers at the Strathclyde Homes Stadium on Saturday.

Comfortable it certainly was in the end, despite needing a penalty to add substance to the lean 1-0 scoreline at half-time.

The wee Rovers posed little threat in the first half or, indeed, throughout the game.

I clocked their first shot at the goal of keeper Anton Nugent on the 30 minute mark and that blast gave the fish in the River Leven a more distubing factor than it did to Nugent.

Sons went into the lead in the 12th minute through Tommy Coyne whose connection eventually beat keeper Scott.

Prior to scoring the first goal Coyne had an easier chance but he completely missed contact with service laid on a plate, so his first goal could have been his second and Sons would have been two up.

Davie McFarlane, himself, was a repentant sinner, when he too could have increased the scoreline to 3-0.

So, at the interval it was still the slim and vulnerable 1-0 scoreline and Sons had to face the wind which had not favoured them that much in the first session.

Dumbarton continued to exert the pressure, though their passing game was more difficult and less accurate.

But sweat not. The rewards for work and effort plonked Sons into the comfort zone in the 62nd minute when Fergus Tiernan won a soft penalty kick - and Tommy Coyne was not going to miss that spot kick.

It was 2-0 and there was nothing further developing in this game which made it fraught with any danger.

Sons replaced the mercurial Robert Cambell with Paul McQuilken to ignite the closing stages with rather more accent in goalmouth activity.

Thereafter Coyne, Tiernan and Ryan Russell, with a lovely run upfield, just might have hoisted the goal standard but the gods were agin them.

This was not a difficult game for Sons to win, but difficulties arise when a team do not impose their superiority on the game. At the end of the day it was a win, three points, and joint third top of the table.

But, if they are to overcome that five points adrift between themselves and leaders East Fife, their scoring boots will have to go back into the cobblers for some expert servicing.

Sponsors man of the match was Davie Craig, and it was well deserved.

Dumbarton: Nugent; Canning, Russell, O’Bryne, Craig, Henderson, Hamilton, Tiernan, Coyne, McFarlane, Campbell (McQuilken 82). Subs not used: Gentile, Haswell, McNaught, keeper Shaw.

Albion Rovers: Scott; Watson, Reid, Donnolly, Benton, Donald, Chisholm (McGrogh 74), Freil (R.Walker 46), Smith, P.Walker (Dimilta 53), Wright. Subs not used: McGowan, keeper Thompson.

Referee: Thomas Robertson.

Attendance: 654.

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