Match Report

Robbie Mahon’s quickfire double brought Dumbarton’s unbeaten start to the season to an end against Edinburgh City.

In the first ever league meeting between the sides, action was at a premium until the in-form Mahon cut inside and drilled beyond Shay Kelly six minutes before half-time.

That looked to spook Sons, who conceded a penalty three minutes later which the Irishman squeezed beyond Kelly for his fifth goal in two games.

Skipper Mark Durnan’s header gave Dumbarton hope in a second-half played almost exclusively in the Citizens half, but Michael McIndoe’s men held on to become the first side to leave G82 with all three points in League 2 this season.

However boss Stevie Farrell said perspective was needed, as his totally new look squad reflected on a positive first month of the campaign.

He said: “We’ve only been beaten once in nine games and I think people forget that. At the start of the season people said if we got out -5 points back then we’d be delighted.

“As it is we’re sitting in fifth after five games. That group has set expectations, they want us to get in the playoffs. And that’s all credit to the players for putting together a run like this. It’s been fantastic.

“Now we need to start another run. We knew that a day like today would come, now it’s all about how we react to that.”

Farrell stuck with the same side that had triumphed in a seven goal thriller at Galabank a week earlier, with both sides exchanging chances early on.

First Sons’ Shay Kelly reacted well to push over Jack Duncan’s close range header, whilst at the other end Scott Tomlinson’s deep cross was perfect for Ally Roy – but his header was comfortably held by Mark Weir.

Industrious play by Leighton McIntosh on the edge of the area then created an opening for Kai Kirkpatrick, but his curled effort was palmed away by Weir – with Tomlinson just unable to get on the rebound.

That was as good as it got, as the game became disrupted by a series of cheap fouls – with Sons left frustrated at the frequency of referee Jamie Wilkie’s whistle.

But as half-time neared, the away side began to show their threat.

Bradley Barrett’s long range drive had Kelly at full stretch, before a star man Robbie Mahon broke the deadlock.

After netting a hat-trick against Elgin a week previous, the Irish winger got in behind Adam Livingstone and cut beyond Morgyn Neill – before drilling low beyond Kelly at his near post.

It was quickly 2-0 as Innes Lawson hit the deck under pressure from Dom Docherty on the edge of the area, with referee Wilkie taking a moment before pointing to the spot, and Mahon hammering his penalty beyond Kelly.

Sons were in desperate need of a shake-up, and early in the second-half a knock forced off Roy – with Scott Honeyman his replacement.

The changes saw Dumbarton dominate the ball, albeit without forcing visiting keeper Weir into any serious action.

However hope was renewed on the hour mark, in a now trademark fashion.

Dominic Docherty’s corner from the left was into the perfect area – with Mark Durnan bundling the ball into net via ex-Son Edin Lynch.

For all their possession though, the ball just wouldn’t drop to Sons – as they found themselves unable to break down a resolute Edinburgh backline, marshalled superbly by Lewis McArthur.

Dumbarton 1

60′ Mark Durnan

Yellow cards: 15′ Mark Durnan, 36′ Scott Tomlinson

Edinburgh City 2

39′ 42′ (P) Robert Mahon

Yellow cards: 31′ James Stokes, 49′ Innes Lawson, 56′ Quinn Mitchell, 90’+2 Mark Weir

Attendance: 701

Referee: Jamie Wilkie

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