Tuesday 23rd June 2020
OUR countdown of the 100 greatest games at the Rock has now moved into the top 30, with five more games lined up for you today.
Supporters and media team members Jack Crawford, Fraser Clarke, Andy Galloway and Graeme Robertson have put the table together based on average individual placings.
Today we feature games against Hearts, Stenhousemuir, Dundee United, Hamilton Accies and Raith Rovers.
Numbers 25 to 21 will be published on Thursday at 10am.
30. Dumbarton 0-0 Hearts – Saturday, September 13, 2014
Hearts had won all of their first four games, including a visit to Rangers and the Edinburgh derby. To some, this may have seemed a formality.
There may not have been any goals, but this remained a notable result – as vividly demonstrated by the season the Jambos went on to have.
It surprised nobody that they were on top of this game territorially, but Dumbarton were always competitive and indeed, could have taken the lead had Chris Kane’s header not been acrobatically saved by Neil Alexander.
Danny Rogers was soon kept busy, saving from Jason Holt and Osman Sow in quick succession, and then James Keatings went close early in the second half.
There was then a late chance for each team, with Kane again going close for Dumbarton while Sam Nicholson hit the post for Hearts.
Rogers became the only goalkeeper to shut the Jambos out in a league match until mid-April, when they had long been declared champions.
29. Dumbarton 3-0 Stenhousemuir – Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Sometimes it’s not the result you get; it’s the way that you get it.
Within 60 seconds of kick-off, Dumbarton were in front against Stenhousemuir in a game postponed from its original December date.
Bryan Prunty scored with an outstanding overhead kick after a ball came in from the left. He is of course more famous for another such goal, but this was the prototype for it.
Having beaten the Warriors only 17 days beforehand, Sons knew they were in a powerful position and doubled their lead on 34 minutes, Mark Gilhaney scoring what was the only ‘ordinary’ goal of the night.
With 16 minutes left, Scott Agnew made space 30 yards out and thrashed in an outstanding shot which clinched victory.
We had safely navigated the first two months of 2012 without having lost, and having played some excellent stuff along the way. Things were moving nicely…
28. Dumbarton 3-2 Dundee United – Saturday, April 7, 2018
This was Dumbarton’s fourth game in a fortnight after losing the Challenge Cup final, and came in the middle of a brutal fixture pile-up.
Even in those circumstances, teams can rise to the occasion, and Sons did exactly that against their promotion-chasing opponents.
It all started on 12 minutes when Calum Gallagher finished off Tom Walsh’s low ball at the back post. That was the only goal of the first half but there were far more after the restart.
The first of them was Anthony Ralston’s equaliser for Dundee United on 50 minutes, but the level scoreline only lasted nine minutes. David Wilson’s delivery fell perfectly for Craig Barr to head home.
With 20 minutes remaining United were level for a second time, Ralston this time setting up a goal which was finished by Scott McDonald.
But on 80 minutes, Wilson’s corner was cleared, but came back to him and his delivery was headed in by Barr again.
Copyright True Scott Photography 2018
27. Dumbarton 2-1 Hamilton Accies – Saturday, December 21, 2013
Only Morton had left Dumbarton having been beaten in the league so far in this season. It was the leaders next. You know what happens.
After 11 minutes Dumbarton led Hamilton Accies when Garry Fleming spun on the edge of the area and rolled the ball home.
Twelve minutes from half time, the visitors levelled when James Keatings met Mikael Antoine-Curier’s low ball and finished at close range.
The game was always highly competitive, with chances coming and going for each side before its decisive moment with 19 minutes left.
A goalmouth scramble resulted from a corner and the vital touch came from Andy Graham six yards out, against his former club.
He then led a huge defensive resistance to keep Sons in front through to the end, for a result as well received on the blue side of Dundee as it was at Dumbarton.
26. Dumbarton 4-2 Raith Rovers – Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Earlier in this season, going two goals down was usually the end for Dumbarton. By this point, they were made of stronger stuff.
Raith Rovers led after only four minutes through Greig Spence, and when Grant Anderson doubled the lead on 25 minutes, a long evening was in prospect.
The vital goal came nine minutes from half time through Jim Lister, who was to go on to enjoy a vintage evening upfront.
Nineteen minutes into the second half he had his and Sons’ second of the night, finishing off a Paul McGinn cross.
Six minutes after that, Dumbarton led for the first time. Bryan Prunty was fouled in the area and Scott Agnew stepped up to give the game what looked an unthinkable scoreline an hour earlier.
And with six minutes left, Lister sealed the match ball with a header, and Sons had taken another step towards survival.