Dumbarton FC: Sons' 3-2 win over Peterhead is relegation lifeline

The forward put Sons ahead midway through the first-half only for Steven Boyd to equalise a little over ten minutes later.

And when Derek Lyle put the visitors ahead after an hour it looked as if the writing was on the wall for Jim Duffy's men.

But Morgyn Neill bulleted in a header on 80 minutes to level the game – and then Wilson nodded home in added time to put all the pressure on Clyde ahead of their home fixture with East Fife on Thursday.

A win for the Bully Wee will consign Dumbarton to the play-offs, starting this Saturday against Stranraer – but any other outcome at Broadwood will see Sons finish in eighth place, securing League One football for next season.

Dumbarton threw themselves a League One lifeline with a dramatic 3-2 win at home to Peterhead (Photo - Andy Scott)

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Tuesday's win was the first time Dumbarton had scored three times in a league match this season, and came off the back of Sons' disheartening 2-0 loss in Cumbernauld on Saturday.

Afterwards Duffy admitted that his troops did all they could by securing the win on Tuesday and putting the pressure back on Clyde.

The 62-year-old said: “It was such an entertaining game, which is strange, because a lot of the games have been scrappy and physical and not too much goal action, no matter who we’ve played.

“We’ve scored three goals, which is really pleasing for us, because it’s not something we’ve done for a long time.

“All credit to the players, because after the disappointment of the weekend they could have felt a bit sorry for themselves, but they didn’t.

“There are elements of the team we know we need to improve upon, but togetherness is not one of them, and that showed in the desire and the effort from every player.

Dumbarton threw themselves a League One lifeline with a dramatic 3-2 win at home to Peterhead (Photo - Andy Scott)

“We know it’s out of our hands, but we’ve given ourselves a shout and we've done what we had to do and that’s all you can ask for the players from tonight.

“We’ve planned to train on Thursday and the boys are getting tested. The expectation is that they might be required.

"We have to be as professional as we can be. In an ideal world you wouldn’t want it to happen but all we’ve done is ask the question.”

Dumbarton started with a real intensity as Adam Frizzell had a shot pushed away and Stuart Carswell dragged a left footed strike wide.

And their early pressure paid off when Wilson finished coolly when one-on-one with the goalkeeper after a smart pass over the top of the Blue Toon defence from Rabin Omar.

Peterhead woke up after falling behind and Sam Ramsbottom pulled off a smart save to tip over Niah Payne’s shot that headed for the top corner.

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But just a couple of minutes later, Sons got themselves in a muddle whilst dealing with a long ball and Boyd headed home the equaliser from close range to leave the sides level at the break.

And if the visitors' first goal was of Dumbarton’s own doing, their second, on 62 minutes was even more so, as countless opportunities were missed to clear the ball before a deep cross to the back post was met by Lyle, and the veteran striker didn’t miss.

But with time beginning to run out, Neill crashed home a header, his first of the season, with ten minutes to go to give his side hope.

And then, in the first minute of added time, Wilson bravely got on the end of Ross Forbes’ terrific, lofted ball into the box to loop a header into the top corner after 91 minutes.

Dumbarton have done their bit and now face an anxious wait to see whether or not East Fife can do them a favour against Clyde on Thursday evening.

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