Dumbarton’s 2020 woes continued on Saturday as Montrose ran out 2-1 winners at Links Park in the midst of Storm Dennis.
Blair Lyons and Graham Webster struck in the opening minutes of either half for the home side with PJ Crossan adding a late consolation for the visitors with almost the last kick of the game.
The Mo started the better side and were able to whip in a couple of low and dangerous crosses in the opening stages, that were perhaps made even more difficult to deal with in the swirling wind.
After their bright start, it was no real surprise that the Links Park side took the lead just after a quarter of an hour.
Terry Masson’s cross from the right was met by Blair Lyons, and the winger – who recently signed for Partick Thistle before being sent back on loan to the Angus club – superbly guided the ball into the top corner on the half-volley.
Conor Brennan then made a close range save to deny former Son Cammy Ballantyne from close range to keep the score at 1-0.
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Dumbarton – whose last win was before Christmas against Raith Rovers at Stark’s Park – improved for a spell and had a couple of chances to equalise despite a somewhat poor start to the game.
First, on the stroke of the half-hour, Ross Forbes picked out Stefan McCluskey on the left-hand side whose crossed was flicked on by Robert Jones into the path of Sam Wardrop, with the right-backs diving header at the back post just hitting the side netting.
Seven minutes later the ball then broke kindly to McCluskey in the penalty box with his effort bobbling across the surface and beating Allan Fleming in the Montrose goal, but clipping the base of the post.
Just before half-time there was a chance for the hosts to double their lead but Liam Callaghan fired wide at the back post when it almost looked easier to score.
But it remained just 1-0 at the break and Sons were still in the game – that was until the second goal of the afternoon on 54 minutes that seemed to extinguish any chance of Dumbarton taking something from the game.
Lyons jinked by a couple of challenges and burst into the penalty area before squaring for Webster who had the simple task of turning the ball home from close range.
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The chances continued to fall to the hosts with Brennan and Wardrop doing well to keep out an effort from just a few yards out before Lyons curled the loose ball wide.
Jai Quitongo and Ryan Tierney were introduced to try and shake things up for Dumbarton, but the relentless wet weather made for tricky conditions underfoot and the inability to properly take control of the football on the artificial pitch.
Crossan added a consolation on 92 minutes with a decent strike from 20 yards that found the bottom corner, but even the most optimistic of Sons fans knew that the goal was too little too late.
Sons now head into a crucial period of three home games in the space of eight days – starting with Forfar Athletic at The Rock this Saturday, before Clyde and Raith Rovers visit over the following week.
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