Saturday 4th March 2017
IT was a disappointing occasion for Dumbarton away to Dunfermline this afternoon, as the Pars ran out comfortable 5-1 winners.
The home side started confidently, and Sons somewhat hesitantly, on a grey, cold day.
On six minutes the Pars went ahead. Kallum Higginbotham put in Michael Moffat, who crossed for Nicky Clark to head home from close range for 1-0.
The Dunfermline attacks kept coming as the half progressed, with only occasional forays forward by Dumbarton and no real threat until later on.
On 26 minutes Sons’ keeper Alan Martin made a vital save to deny Clark again, when the Pars striker had burst through to go one-on-one.
Immediately afterwards Dunfermline extended their lead to two goals as Paul McMulllan struck home a superb curling shot that Martin could only get an outstretched finger-tip to.
Right at the end of the half, after Stuart Carswell was replaced by Sam Stanton following an incident with Mark Docherty, both Robert Thomson and Andy Stirling came close to pulling a goal back for Sons.
Dumbarton started the second half purposefully, but the Pars looked dangerous on the break. That point was confirmed when they added a third goal on the hour, as Clark ghosted into the penalty box and headed in off the bar.
With ten minutes remaining Dunfermline deepened Sons’ misery when woeful defending gifted Nicky Clark a simple headed hat-trick to make it 4-0. He added a fourth on 86 minutes with a low drive.
Daniel Harvie claimed a well-worked late consolation goal set up by Garry Fleming shortly before time added on. The result adds to the pressure for Dumbarton near the foot of the Championship.
Full match report, match photos and Sons TV now online.
Simon Barrow