Recap

THE eyes of most of the world may have been elsewhere.

But anything Argentina and Mexico could do while this game was going on, Dumbarton could match.

The first hour of this Scottish Cup tie against Clyde was 2-0 going on six. Had Sons had more than just David Wilson and Ryan Wallace’s goals to show for their first half efforts, it would not have been unjustified.

As it was, Oliver McDonald’s goal for the home side made it game on again with 26 minutes plus injury time to play.

It took all of those minutes for it to be really done and dusted, when Ross MacLean cut in to score his fourth goal in three away games against the Bully Wee.

There will now be another match to add to the calendar, and we will find out who and where on Monday evening.

But whoever they are, Dumbarton’s fourth round opponents will know what a test they face, if this and the previous round at Cumnock are replicated.

After Wilson had an early effort saved, it looked as if the evening had made the perfect start after only five minutes.

Gregor Buchanan looked as if he had headed Sons in front, but after some confusion it turned out the goal had been disallowed, presumably for a foul.

Just five minutes later, Gregg Wylde also beat the goalkeeper, but not a defender who was waiting on the line.

It was a matter of when, and not if, Dumbarton took the lead if the start to the game was maintained. It was, and the ‘when’ was on 19 minutes.

A break upfield resulted in Joe McKee going for goal, but his shot spun away off a defender. It fell to Wilson, who hooked the ball home from close range.

Four minutes after that, Wallace got on the end of a Kalvin Orsi cross, but his header was over with the goalkeeper stranded.

But nine minutes from half time, that was of little consequence. He may not have made the cleanest contact with Wylde’s cross, but it was enough to score from six yards out and Sons were two to the good.

Clyde did threaten just before half time, when a Ray Grant free kick from distance forced Brett Long into a fine save.

Wallace and Gregor Buchanan had chances early in the second half, before out of nowhere, the cushion was halved.

A deflected cross from the left spun in the direction of McDonald a yard out, and he could not really miss.

With renewed optimism in the home side, Sons now had to knuckle down, a task made harder when Buchanan went off after a nasty bang to the head.

Long may have had no further serious saves to make, but it got a bit scary towards the end. A low cross flying across goal with no takers was followed by a Barry Cuddihy shot which flew just past the post.

With that spell of pressure navigated, Dumbarton found space in the corner of the Clyde half late in the day.

And after the ball broke to MacLean, he moved into the area and thrashed home a shot which the keeper could not get a sufficient hand on to stop.

Game, set, match and place in round four.