Match Report

Dumbarton continued their unbeaten run at the start of the League One season with a last-gasp equaliser at Cove Rangers on Saturday.

Adam Emslie put the home side in front midway through the second-half only for Mark Durnan to earn his side a point in the first minute of added time.

There was one change from the side that drew with Alloa the previous week as Mouhamed Niang came back into the side following his suspension in place of Ryan Blair.

Sons had started the better of the sides with Mark Durnan flicking on a corner that was just out of reach of Jinky Hilton.

Hilton had a chance of his own after a quarter of an hour after a quick turn created space for a opening but he shot straight at Nick Suman before Craig McGuffie cut in from the right and looked for the far corner but was just off target.

The best chance fell to Michael Ruth a couple of minutes later after Kalvin Orsi’s cross but he bounced his header wide from close range.

Sons were nearly made to pay for their missed chances when the hosts were awarded a penalty after a foul from Carlo Pignatiello.

Declan Glass was the man responsible from the spot, but dragged his attempt well wide as the visitors could breathe a sigh of relief.

After the break, Cove had another couple of opportunities to go in front with Glass capitalizing on a slip only to be denied by Brett Long before a cross to the back post looked set to be tapped into an empty net, only for a goal saving challenge from Pignatiello.

There were a couple of chances for Dumbarton around the hour mark with Finlay Gray having an effort from 25-yards held by the goalkeeper before Ruth headed towards goal and put the loose ball past the goalkeeper, but the offside flag was up to deny Sons.

The opener came on 64 minutes when a cross from the Cove left was only half dealt with by the Sons defence which allowed Emslie the simplest of tasks of tapping into the net.

There was nearly an immediate response from the visitors when Gray drove forward and slipped the ball wide for Orsi with his strike towards the near corner crashing off the post and away.

Aron Lynas and Tony Wallace were introduced as boss Stevie Farrell changed the shape to try and find a leveler, and the former nearly popped up with the equaliser when he met a cross to the back post that was well blocked by Suman.

Another chance fell to the Sons when a ball from the right was latched onto by Matty Shiels but he dragged his chance wide of the far corner.

The hosts should have sealed the points on 90 minutes when Connor Scully blazed over from 12-yards when it looked easier to score.

There was one final opportunity for Dumbarton on 91 minutes when McGuffie’s corner was met by Durnan who crashed a header past Suman to earn Sons a point and make it three draws from their opening three fixtures.

Farrell’s side now head into a home double header, starting with the visit of Arbroath on match day four.