Match Report

By Paul Cooper

Dumbarton U20s saw the chance of an unprecedented cup double snatched away from them with late drama in the Challenge Cup final on May 22 against Stirling Albion at Ochilview Park, Stenhousemuir. 

Manager Jordan Woodford went with the same starting 11 that won the Knockout Cup exactly a week ago against Edinburgh City in Bo’ness and in a polar opposite from the weather that night, the sky around Ochilview was overcast, looking like a storm could be on the cards.

Although Dumbarton started positively with a high press, the Binos were the first to get a shot on target, Sons ‘keeper Zak Watson had to look lively, getting down to stop a goal bound drive from the edge of the box.

Watson was called upon again soon after, stretching to tip a shot from Stirling’s Breslin around the left post.

The young Sons then started to stretch the play and from there looked the most likely to score in the first half, with the main danger coming from each wing.

Jonny Ouaga was looking lively on the right side, but it was Aeden Gilfedder on the left that went closest to scoring, firstly escaping the attentions of the Stirling defence to go through one-on-one with Max Ogilvie, with the Stirling goalie standing firm to block his shot.

He then had another two efforts which were virtually carbon copies of each other before half time, both times beating players on the left before cutting in and hitting right footed shots just over the postage stamp corner.

The second half started with much of the same as Dumbarton turned the screw for the opener. 

Max McArthur saw two close range efforts saved by Ogilvie and in between those Jon Dunbar sent a curling strike just over using the outside of his boot.

The game turned on its head in 52 minutes when Sons defender Brodie Davies was sent off.  The referee adjudged him to have stopped a goalscoring opportunity by tugging McIntyre’s jersey as the ball was played over the top.

Despite being down to ten men, the coaching team and players deserve credit for trying to play positive football and not parking the bus.

Speaking post-match U20’s Player of the Year Derin Marshall said: “In the second-half we started a lot better and once we went down to ten men, we showed how good a team we actually are.

“Some teams would just try to defend and sit in their own box, but we were still trying to create, and we did make ourselves a few chances.

“You want to win every game you play, especially cup finals, but if you look at the season overall, we’ve done really well.”

Just before the hour mark, Max McArthur sent Aeden Gilfedder scampering away down the left with a brilliant ball over the Stirling back line.

Gilfedder only had one thought in mind as he cut in towards goal, but Binos defender Cringean had other ideas, mistiming his tackle to send the Sons winger sprawling.

McArthur took the penalty and slotted the ball low down the middle to beat Max Ogilvie and put Dumbarton 1-0 up.

Dumbarton were dealt another blow in 64 minutes, when influential captain Murray Nicol had to go off injured.

Each side had chances as the pace quickened towards the end, with good goalkeeping and heroic defending combining to make sure the scoreline stayed at 1-0.

The Sons resilience was to cruelly give way a minute into injury time, when a clearance off their goal line went up in the air, and when the ball dropped, Stirling’s JJ McIntyre popped up to head in the equaliser.

Penalties was a brutal way to end this contest, but there has to be a winner and this time it was Stirling, Max Ogilvie was their hero between the sticks, saving two of Dumbarton’s penalties as the Binos won the shoot-out 3-2.

Manager Jordan Woodford said: “The boys were phenomenal, we were a minute away from walking away with that trophy, as much as we won that last week, they’ll learn more from this week.”

Dumbarton U20s 1

60′ Max McArthur

Yellow card: 73′ Brandon Muir

Red card: 52′ Brodie Davies

Stirling Albion 1

91′ JJ McIntyre

Stirling Albion won 3-2 on penalties

Highlights

Post match reaction