Match Report

Dumbarton suffered their first League One defeat of the season at the hands of Montrose.

A first-half goal from Kane Hester – the only shot on goal from the visitors all afternoon – was enough to earn the visitors three points and bring Sons run of six consecutive draws to an end.

Boss Stevie Farrell handed Kilmarnock loanee Ethan Brown his debut for the club as he replaced Michael Miller to partner Mark Durnan in the centre of defence whilst Brett Long was available despite his red card against Annan Athletic the previous week as the club successfully appealed his dismissal.

Mo scored the only goal of the game on six minutes when Hester latched on to a ball over the top of the Dumbarton defence, and despite being in a wide position, he expertly lobbed Long as his effort bounced into the net.

From there on, Dumbarton had Montrose parked in their own half with Matty Shiels nodding wide from a corner before Finlay Gray’s drilled ball across goal caused problems for the visitors that Aidan Quinn was able to scramble clear.

Another powerful run from Gray and a dinked cross to the back post was met by Shiels but he drilled wide of the far corner and Cameron Clark headed for goal from a corner only to find his attempt cleared off the line.

Michael Ruth had the ball in the net twice before the interval but both strikes were ruled offside.

As the half came to a close, the hosts were scratching their heads at how they hadn’t got themselves level but after coming from behind in five of their six previous draws, it seemed as if the goal would eventually come.

After the break, the one-way traffic continued – Craig McGuffie’s cross to the back post was put back across goal by Shiels but gathered by Cameron Gill in the Montrose goal to relieve the pressure.

The visitors were struggling to deal with the strong forward runs from Gray, this time his ball was met by Shiels and McGuffie but brave defending denied them as Sons frustrations grew.

The best chances were yet to come – Shiels pinched possession in the final third and sent through Ruth but he was off target with Gill to beat before substitute Joel Mumbongo guided a header over the bar from six-yards.

Dumbarton continued to throw bodies forward which did allow Montrose a rare venture forward out of their half on the odd occassion, but they failed to get into any promising areas though it didn’t matter with Hester’s lob earning the victory.