Sons make their point
Published 21 Sep 2010 10:00
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IN THE WHITE DIRECTION: Dumbarton keeper White produced an outstanding performance against Alloa; picture courtesy of the Alloa Advertiser
Alloa Athletic..............0
Dumbarton.................0
SOME strong defending was required before Dumbarton secured a hard-fought draw against high-flying Alloa Athletic.
The home side had plenty of first-half possession but Michael White in the Dumbarton goal kept them at bay.
The Sons countered whenever possible and created a couple of decent chances themselves.
After a solid opening to the second period the home team took control and Dumbarton’s defence was overworked as they sought to maintain a second successive clean sheet.
Dumbarton created the first opening when Ryan McStay set up Scott Chaplain but he fired over.
In 10 minutes Alloa had the ball in the net but Jim Lister was ruled offside. Within a minute the same player had a run and shot which White held with ease.
Alloa’s Darren Smith played a lovely one-two with John Grant before finding the space to shoot, but White was again alert to the situation.
The visitors responded with a flowing move which saw Stirling Smith fire into the side netting from close in.
Alloa’s wide men Billy Gibson and Smith created plenty of openings but the visitors’ defence held firm.
In the final 10 minutes of the half, White saved from a Bryan Prunty free-kick before he went one better and produced a super save to deny Grant after he picked up a Gibson pass.
In the early encounters of the second period, Lister shot wide for Alloa before Chaplain headed over from Andy Geggan’s free-kick.
On the hour, home keeper Stephen Robertson touched a Tony Wallace effort onto the crossbar and over for a corner. White was called on again to foil Prunty after Grant had created the opening.
The last 20 minutes of the game was dominated by Alloa as they produced wave after wave of attacks which the Dumbarton defence did well to repel.
On the one occasion the defence was breached, Lister and Gormley got in each others way and the ball rebounded from the post when a goal seemed certain. Dumbarton’s only foray forward resulted in a Wallace 30-yarder which barely troubled Robertson.
Four points from two fixtures with clean sheets in each is a decent reward for the players’ efforts and sets the scene for successive home games when Jim Chapman will be looking for maximum points to move the Sons away from the
bottom reaches of the table.
Dumbarton: White, Chisholm, McNiff, McManus, Gordon, McStay, (Carcary 60), Geggan,
Chaplain, (Wilson 74), Campbell, (Brannan 82) Wallace, Smith,
Subs Not used: Smith, G Grindlay.
This article appeared in Dumbarton & Vale of Leven Reporter 21 Sep 10
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