Thursday 21st July 2022
HARRY BROUN ran out to face full-time opposition for the first time, just aiming to do his best.
His evening ended with two penalty saves and his second clean sheet in as many senior games.
And he won’t even be 19 until next month.
The teenager turned in a hugely impressive and assured display for Dumbarton in Tuesday evening’s Premier Sports Cup tie against Raith Rovers.
The game ended goalless after 90 minutes, and although Sons lost the penalty shootout for the bonus point, Harry kept out Jamie Gullan and Liam Dick from the spot.
He used to share the same corridors at Kilmarnock as his opposite number on the night, Raith goalkeeper Jamie MacDonald, who himself saved from Dumbarton twice in the shootout.
Now he hopes that his display against Rovers can get him a regular starting place with Sons.
Speaking to dumbartonfootballclub.com, Harry said: “It was the the highest level of opposition I have played against – Raith are full-time and in the Championship.
“I had played regular football last season so I was quite confident, but wasn’t sure what I was up against. I just went out aiming to do my best.
“Losing on penalties was disappointing but it was good to see where we are at against a team at that level.
“That’s my job, to try and save penalties. All I could do was my best and I managed to save two; it was just unlucky we couldn’t score enough to win the shootout.
“I didn’t know Jamie that well at Kilmarnock. When he was there I wasn’t yet full-time and he left just as I went full-time, as Covid set in.
“We only trained together a couple of times, but it was good to play against him on Tuesday.”
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Harry saves one of Raith’s spot kicks during Tuesday night’s penalty shootout. Picture by Andy Scott 2022.
Harry was given a one-year deal at Dumbarton during the close season, having played the full 90 minutes of a pre-season friendly against Caledonian Braves.
He had previously taken part in pre-season training as a trialist and is loving every minute of his time as a Sons player, with ambitions for the months ahead.
He added: “I’ve loved it at Dumbarton. I didn’t know what it was going to be like, because I had been training every day at Kilmarnock before I came here.
“You might think it would mean losing sharpness, but you get a lot more time to do your own stuff. I’ve really enjoyed being here and the manager has been brilliant.
“Brett Long is a great guy. I’ve worked with him for six weeks and I am looking forward to competing with him for the starting position. He and Eric (Phillips, goalkeeping coach) have been brilliant.
“My ambitions with Dumbarton are to try to play as many games as possible and hopefully establish myself as the number one goalkeeper, and to improve as a goalkeeper.
“For the team, the ambition is to get back into cinch League One. That should always be the goal, to try to win the league. We’ll give it the best we can.”
Dumbarton Football Club