Friday 21st November 2014
IAN Murray both recognised and relished the challenge of a match against his old team at the Rock this weekend, when he spoke to us before the game.
He said: “Hibs will present a very tough challenge for us. We’ve played them twice this season already, both away from home and on both occasions we played very well.
“The win last week against Livingston was important and for a change we got a wee break at a crucial time in the game.
“Looking at the first half compared to the second half, our performance was far superior in the second.”
“They’ll feel hard done by,” he conceded. “But I thought with the aggression we showed in the second-half we just about shaded it.”
“To get the three points is a massive boost for us.”
“Tomorrow we play in front of a big crowd and the lads will get a lift from this and as usual, we will need to be at our best to take any points.”
At the last meeting between the two clubs, Sons achieved their ten point target for the first quarter of the 2014/15 Championship campaign with a hard-earned goalless draw against Hibernian at Easter Road.
Hibernian won a penalty late on in the half, when Dominique Malonga appeared to have been pulled back in the box by Andy Graham. Keeper Danny Rogers, positioned well, had no trouble in stopping a weak spot kick from Malonga, but then almost let the ball cross the line as it slipped behind him. Fortunately he recovered just in time (see picture above).
In terms of recent form, Hibs have slowly crept up the Championship table and now sit 4th. Last week Alan Stubbs’ men drew 0-0 with QoS at Palmerston and the week previous they secured a 2-1 victory at Central Park against Cowdenbeath thanks to goals fron Hanlon and Cummings.
The fixture has some notable history. Game 34 of the 1984/85 season was a pivotal match in terms of Sons survival in the (then) Premier League. Having lost the previous two matches against Celtic and Hearts, the visit of Hibs on 6th April 1985 was crucial for Dumbarton.
Unfortunately we lost 2-0 and the subsequent 5 matches were also lost, condemning Sons back to Division One. Team that day was : Arthur, Montgomerie, M McGowan, Kay, McNeil, Clougherty, P McGowan, Robertson, Bourke, T Coyle, Craig. Subs: J Coyle, Simpson
Alan Findlay