Saturday 19th April 2014
A DISAPPOINTING 3-0 home defeat against Queen of the South saw Sons’ promotion play-off chances severely damaged at the Bet Butler Stadium this afternoon.
Boss Ian Murray told the media afterwards: “The scoreline didn’t do justice to us. I thought we were the better team overall.” He vowed to pick up the side for their final two, crucial games against the Championship’s top teams.
Dumbarton looked sprightly at the beginning of the first half, but it was Queens who went ahead against the run of play.
A mix up at the back left Sons ‘keeper Jamie Ewing stranded, leaving ex-Son Iain Russell with the simple task of nodding the ball over him and into the empty net.
It looked as if Dumbarton had drawn level when Colin Nish fired low past Queens goalie Zander Clark. However, the assistant on the far side already had his flag out for offside.
Sons pressed again after the break. But two more goals within seven minutes for the visitors killed the game off.
First, Dumbarton spurned a two-on-one opportunity and their opponents launched a swift counter-attack, leaving Derek Lyle to left-foot the ball home after an assist from Russell.
Then Kevin Holt made it 3-0 with a superb strike from outside the box after another fumble at the back.
Sons worked hard but could not fight their way back into the match after that, with the final 20 minutes producing a sometimes bad-tempered scramble for further advantage or a chance at recovery.
The last home game of a pulsating 2013/14 season for Dumbarton is against Hamilton Accies at the Bet Butler next Saturday. The finale is against Dundee, way on 3rd May. The games will likely decide who finishes as champions.
It is still mathematically possible for Sons to make the play-offs, though they have to win their final two matches and see Queen of the South pick up only two points from theirs.
Full match report and photos now online.
Simon Barrow