Published: Tuesday, 22nd April, 2008 15:30
WONDER STRIKE EARNED VICTORY
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WOODEN SPOON: Sons avoided embarrassing title
Dumbarton 1 East Stirling 0
DUMBARTON’S final home game in the penultimate fixture of the league was a pleasing climax to a season.
As scraps go this was surely top of the heap.
The stakes – the dreaded wooden spoon – were higher for ‘Shire.
The home fans had their hero on the day.
The irrepressible veteran of 11 years, Craig Brittain, was named man of the match, after scoring an eleventh minute goal of substance.
Quite simply it was superb. From a long distance he saw the goal. He had the wind behind him and he used it.
His amazing strike completely bamboozled young ‘Shire keeper Norrie McIntyre, and even that man of many battles and wars, Craigie himself, was left on the verge of resuscitation.
That one goal won the game – no more thoughts of finishing bottom of the league and an away day at Forfar on Saturday to end a nightmare season in relaxed mood.
But in the 50th minute it could have been all over again when Sons were denied a clear cut hand ball penalty appeal. Referee Alan Boyd and his stand-side assistant were the only ones who missed it.
Three minutes later Mark Canning might have ended it again but his hooked shot at the near post failed to find the target.
Frustrated boss Jim Chapman then rung the changes, with Chris Hamilton replacing Liam Cusack then, later, Brian McPhee and David McNaught taking over from Tommy Coyne and Kieran Brannan.
The final minutes were ones of restlessness for Sons as the visitors piled on the pressure, forced successive corners, but failed to earn a lifeline.
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