Match Report

Sons’ away day hoodoo continued with a defeat at Stranraer that left Frank McKeown’s men without an away win in a calendar year.

Scott Honeyman’s first-half opener had Dumbarton ahead at half-time, but Stranraer came out a different side in the second-half, with Lewis Dobbie’s double and Seb Mason’s goal doing the damage on another away day to forget.

Boss McKeown was forced into a change from the side which had defeated Elgin City a week previous, as injury ruled out Celtic loanee Owen Hartington – and Kai Kirkpatrick took his place.

Early signs at Stair Park were positive, as Sons twice went close in the opening 90 seconds.

First, sharp play from Josiah Sowa saw the jet-heeled wide-man nick possession and race to the edge of the box to feed Robbie Cleary, who cut inside before seeing a low drive blocked. Before Scott Honeyman shrugged off a collection of challenges and forced Max Currie into action from the edge of the area.

Tenacious play from Deryn Lang against his former side then created another opening for Cleary – but his effort was straight at Currie.

The Blues looked to hit back, as Lewis Dobbie cracked in a warning shot with a volley from a good position on the edge of the box that was just too high.

Their best move of the game then saw a slick move carve open the Dumbarton backline and create an opening for Finn Ecrepont, but his fizzing effort was pushed away by Sons keeper Harry Broun.

The better of the chances continued to fall to Dumbarton however, with the home goal somehow escaping unscathed on the half-hour mark.

Scott Honeyman robbed Mark McCluckie of possession in the area and rolled across goal for Robbie Cleary – who had his shot blocked from close range. The ball ricocheted to Deryn Lang, who was also denied from six-yards by a mixture of a sliding defender and keeper Currie.

Two minutes later however the goal Sons had been threatening did arrive.

Mikey Doyle’s deep cross was flicked on by Deryn Lang to Honeyman, who took the perfect first touch around Evan Dunne before arrowing into the bottom corner.

Honeyman almost got a crucial second before half-time as Robbie Cleary dug out a cross for the former Falkirk man, but his header flashed by the far post.

Half-time probably came at the wrong time for Sons, who started the second-half on the back foot.

After threatening twice early in the half, Chris Aitken’s men got themselves level 10 minutes after the restart.

A quick throw-in caught Sons napping with Aaron Quigg drilling across the face of goal for Seb Mason to smash into the net from point-blank range.

Only a superb Harry Broun save denied Mason another, with the new signing somehow denying the Carlisle United loanee from inside the six-yard box.

However, Broun was powerless to prevent the hosts taking the lead from the resulting corner. As Dunne found space to flick the ball to Lewis Dobbie, who back-heeled into the net from the goal-line.

A mixture of the woodwork and keeper Currie denied Dumbarton, and Honeyman, a leveller from a vicious in-swinging corner. Before another quick throw caught out Sons.

Man of the Match Dobbie could scarcely believe his luck as the ball found him on the right wing from a quickly taken throw-in and, with Broun out of position, the Stranraer skipper almost apologetically rolled the ball into the empty net.

James Dolan twice curled wide as the home side went in search of a fourth, before Robbie Foster cracked the post from eight yards – and Jordan Stewart skewed wide on the rebound when it looked easier to score.

As the game moved into stoppage time, Sons were gifted a lifeline as Kenzie Nair hauled back the lively Lang in the box, but substitute Leighton McIntosh saw his penalty saved by Currie – as Sons were left with that all too familiar feeling after an away game once again.

Stranraer 3

55′ Seb Mason, 59′, 72′ Lewis Dobbie
Yellow cards: 62′ Seb Mason, 90’+2 Kenzi Nair

Dumbarton 1

32′ Scott Honeyman
Yellow card: 38′ David Craig

Referee: Sean Murdoch
Attendance: 452

Highlights

Post match reaction