Recap

SOMETIMES it is not just a week that is a long time in football. Three days will do it.

From the lows of Saturday evening to the joy of winning again. Dumbarton have covered it.

Finlay Gray may have been the only player to find the net against Stenhousemuir, but more could have joined him as part of a dominant first half display.

The second half did not see as many opportunities, but it was all about keeping things neat and tidy, and ensuring a first clean sheet of February – maintaining the record of at least one in every month of the season so far.

And of course, there was the small matter of moving another three points clear at the top of cinch League Two, with a trip to Stranraer and then a top of the table clash with Stirling Albion to come.

This showed that the grit and endeavour firmly remains within Sons as the final quarter of the season draws nearer.

Within six minutes, Dumbarton could have led. A Joe McKee shot had plenty of power, but the goalkeeper was equal to it and turned it over the bar.

A shot by Ryan Blair was also pushed on to the post not long afterwards, with Declan Byrne missing from the rebound and appeals for a penalty for a challenge on him going unheard.

Byrne was then denied by a goal line clearance after connecting with a flick-on from a corner. A goal had to be coming with Sons enjoying so many opportunities.

And it arrived seven minutes from the interval. McKee’s pass to Kalvin Orsi was travelling but the winger did brilliantly to keep it in play and fire it over.

Stenny’s efforts to clear only fell as far as Gray, whose swerving shot from 12 yards found the corner.

The visitors almost responded, with the ball kept out of the Sons net by some determined defending from a corner, before Orsi could have had a deserved goal himself, but his narrow angled shot was blocked.

Events at Ochilview 24 days ago showed that this game was nowhere near done at half time, and Stenny came out for the second half with more purpose.

A Euan O’Reilly shot was deflected over, before a Ross Forbes corner midway through the second half saw the ball flash across goal from a Nat Wedderburn shot, with some help from Brett Long.

Play raced to the other end and Byrne was unlucky with a shot from distance, which went just over.

A Nicky Jamieson header with eight minutes left caused some concern, but Long was always equal to it.

And that was that. Job done. On to Stranraer.

Dumbarton: Long; Wylde, Buchanan, Orsi (Russell McLean 89), Ross MacLean, Lynas, McKee, Byrne (Love 72), Gray, Grant, Blair. Subs: Broun; Lynch, Vata, McNiff.

Stenhousemuir: Lyle; Crighton, Wedderburn (Miller 72), Orr (Anderson 72), Yates, Brown (Forbes 65), Speirs (Blaney 85), Corbett, O’Reilly (Reilly 65), Lowdon, Jamieson. Subs: Cantley; Yeats. Booked: Orr, Jamieson.

Referee: Stewart Luke.

Unfortunately there will be no photos from this game.