Tuesday 9th June 2020
WE continue our series on the 100 greatest games beside the Rock, and we are now into the top 70.
Supporters Jack Crawford, Fraser Clarke, Andy Galloway and Graeme Robertson have worked to determine the order of the century of games.
The final rankings have been based on average positions given by each of our four individual ‘pundits’.
Today’s instalment details games against Alloa Athletic, Falkirk, East Fife (twice) and Stirling Albion.
Numbers 65 to 61 will be online on Thursday at 10am.
70. Dumbarton 4-1 Alloa Athletic – Saturday, April 5, 2014
It had to be whispered quietly, but the more Dumbarton were putting point on the board, the more a push for the Championship’s top four was becoming possible.
Against an Alloa side they had beaten 5-1 away from home three months earlier, this victory by Sons was every bit as convincing as that day.
Mark Gilhaney scored the only goal of the first half after 28 minutes, but the second half saw the home side’s dominance gain more rewards.
Only three minutes after the restart, Garry Fleming had the second goal, and in the final 10 minutes, Scott Agnew and Chris Kane also found the target.
The only downside of the afternoon was a late consolation goal for the Wasps by Liam Caddis.
This was our last game against either of the other two part-time sides in this season’s Championship and we had only lost one out of eight – back in August at Cowdenbeath.
69. Dumbarton 1-0 Falkirk – Saturday, March 28, 2015
As with the above game, this match was played off the back of a victory at Livingston, and also saw us continue to move forward.
We had yet to beat Falkirk this season, but despite an off day on their other visit to Dumbarton earlier in the season, had drawn on each of our visits to the Falkirk Stadium.
After a first half where Sons keeper Danny Rogers did well to keep the clean sheet intact, the second half was better contested.
Rogers continued to be on form, saving from John Baird, but with nine minutes left a quite brilliant goal proved to be the only one of the game.
Twenty yards out, Archie Campbell made space and crashed home a ferocious shot which was never heading anywhere other than the top corner.
This proved to be the victory that secured a fourth campaign in the Championship, as Falkirk’s win over Cowdenbeath three days later meant we could not be caught.
Copyright Fullarton Photos 2015
68. Dumbarton 3-0 East Fife – Saturday, November 12, 2011
Surely we couldn’t do it to East Fife again after beating them 6-0 on their own pitch earlier in the season?
It turned out we could only muster half the scoreline from that afternoon, but such was our dominance in this game that it could have been run up again.
Scott Agnew may have scored a free kick for the Fifers against Dumbarton this season, but nearly nine years ago he did it in a Sons jersey against them.
His 20-yard set piece opened the scoring after 33 minutes, and more reward was to follow in the second half.
On the hour, Mark Gilhaney made it 2-0, and only six further minutes had been played when Alan Lithgow headed home the third.
All that was missing was a goal by Bryan Prunty, who bagged four in the New Bayview rout.
67. Dumbarton 2-0 Stirling Albion – Saturday, March 23, 2002
It wasn’t just that this was another important victory as Dumbarton strove to challenge at the sharp end of the Third Division table.
It was the way it was achieved. There are goals, and there are the two put away in this game as Sons beat Stirling Albion for the third time this season.
The Binos had successfully kept the home side out for the first half, but the first of the quality finishes came four minutes after the restart.
After controlling the ball on the edge of the area, Paddy Flannery applied a delightful swerving finish into the top corner.
The contest rumbled on but although Sons remained on top, it took the second goal, 11 minutes from full time, to have it done and dusted.
It was Robert Dunn’s third in two games, charging down the right hand side and thrashing the ball home to seal the points.
66. Dumbarton 2-0 East Fife – Saturday, February 3, 2001
David Stewart was a fine servant to Dumbarton, but scoring goals wasn’t something he made a habit of. Instead he kept them out and when he did find the net, it was often in style.
Rarely more so than on East Fife’s first visit to our new stadium, having been the opposition when we played at Boghead Park for the final time.
The opening goal was three minutes from half time, with Andy Brown finishing at close range to put Sons in front against a side who had beaten them twice.
But it was on 72 minutes when the stadium, only its fifth matchday, played host to a goal that few have been able to match.
Having charged forward from the left back position, Stewart thrashed in a shot from 30 yards which the Fifers’ keeper watched fly in.
It was the latest episode of things turning in the right direction for DFC after a difficult few months before returning to G82.