Sons play-off dreams fade

Published 13 Apr 2010 15:00 0 Comments

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Dumbarton 0

East Fife 1

THE weather on Saturday may have been the best of 2010, but this game wasn't.

East Fife snatched the points late on in a match that looked destined to remain goalless.

The visitors, still not entirely safe from relegation, set their stall out to be difficult to beat and Dumbarton rarely looked like breaching their rearguard.

The Sons, following two fine away wins, failed to bring that form onto the Strathclyde Homes pitch and disappointed in front of their own fans.

In the second minute a Clark through ball found Winters, but his shot lacked power and Brown was untroubled.

At the other end, Ovenstone headed over from a corner.

Midway through the half, Murdoch was cautioned for clearly flattening Clark and was joined in the book by Muir and McCunnie for dissent.

From a McNiff cross, Winters dummied the ball and Brannan failed to find a powerful shot.

Five minutes from the break the Dumbarton defence almost contrived to create a chance for the visitors when Smith, White and Gordon all hesitated before eventually clearing the ball from danger.

Just on the break a Geggan corner was headed on by Dunlop but there was nobody on hand to knock the ball home.

Dumbarton took the initiative in the second period when Winters had a shot saved before the same player played a through ball to Chaplain, but he fired over.

Immediately after coming on Derek Carcary tried his luck from 20 yards out, but fired well wide.

One of the best chances of the match fell to the visitors when a McManus cross found Cook four yards out but he contrived to head wide.

With 15 minutes left Winters forced Brown to produce a good save with a shot whilst McNiff pushed the rebound wide from close in.

But with nearly five minutes left East Fife produced the sucker punch.

Having rarely been seen as an attacking force, they caught the home defence sleeping at a throw in, allowing Campbell to square the all for substitute Bobby Linn to lash into the net.

Results elsewhere in the division make it harder for Sons to make the play-offs and performances like this would not be the answer.

Dumbarton: White, Clark, Smith, Dunlop, Gordon, McNiff (Chisholm 88), Geggan, Chaplain, Winters, (Murray 77), Wyness, Brannan, (Carcary 59). Subs not used: O'Donoghue, Vojacek.

This article appeared in Dumbarton & Vale of Leven Reporter 13 Apr 10

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