News

RORY McAllister scored the all important goal early in the second half in a hard earned League One victory over Dumbarton at Balmoral Stadium.

Rory’s seventh of the campaign was the least we deserved in a game we dominated throughout against a Sons’ side who had set their stall out to frustrate and maybe steal something on the break.

They might well have done had home keeper Stuart McKenzie not pulled off a fantastic save with four minutes to go, from Dumbarton’s only shot on target in the game.

But the fact his opposite number Sam Ramsbottom had to be at his best to prevent us adding to our advantage underlined that the side that deserved to win the most got all three points.

Manager Paul Hartley made four changes to the side that drew 1-1 away to Clyde in midweek, with skipper Mitch Megginson among those to come back in.

We totally dominated possession from the off but found it tough to find openings in the well drilled Dumbarton defence.

Fraser Fyvie finally cut the visitors open in the 13th minute with a wonderful pass to Megginson, who chested the ball down well but Dumbarton keeper Ramsbottom denied him a shooting chance by making a brave save at the striker’s feet.

Connor Scully then set Fyvie up with a neat lay-off three minutes later but his low drive from the edge of the area went wide of Ramsbottom’s right post.

We had another opportunity when Megginson was fouled 20 yards out.

McAllister’s effort from the resulting free-kick crashed against the Dumbarton defensive wall.

McAllister was clearly fired up and constantly on the move as he showed when he powered through a couple of tackles before his shot from the edge of the area was held by Ramsbottom.

Scott Ross sparked our next attack with a wonderful crossfield pass to Leighton McIntosh and his  ball back across from the left just evaded McAllister at the back post.

The best chance of the half so far fell to us, in the 33rd minute, after McAllister had been fouled 25-yards out.

Scully took the free-kick and saw his well hit effort kept out by an acrobatic save from Ramsbottom.

We had an even better opportunity just before the break when Ross again found McIntosh with a cross from wide on the right.

The striker opted to volley the ball instead of heading it and his 10-yard shot looped over the crossbar.

Yule and Fyvie both had efforts blocked by Dumbarton defenders as the second half followed the same pattern as the first.

The goal our domination deserved finally arrived in the 54th minute, it was a scrappy affair but none the less welcomed .

Scully’s corner from the right was met by Scott Ross at the back post and his header was well parried by the diving Ramsbottom.

The rebound fell to McALLISTER and his 12-yard shot squeezed past  the keeper  before it was battered against Ramsbottom’s right post by a defender – then crept over the line before being booted clear by another of Dumbarton’s back line.

The visitors protested that the ball hadn’t gone in but near side ref’s assistant Craig Ferguson was well positioned and in no doubt, so the goal stood.

We almost went two up in the 68th minute when Fyvie’s powerful shot from the edge of the area was pushed away by the busy Ramsbottom.

We brought Connor Smith on for McIntosh and Dumbarton made a triple change as the game moved into the latter stages.

Smith’s first involvement was to be clattered by Sam Wardrop, who was booked for the challenge.

We were unfortunate not to get our second in the 75th minute.

Yule’s cross from the right found McAllister and his 15-yard shot was going in until Ramsbottom dived full length to push the ball wide of his right post.

Strachan then had a pop with a free-kick from fully 35-yards out but Ramsbottom was well positioned to make another save.

Smith really  impressed after coming and he was unlucky to see his powerful net bound 18-yard shot strike the head of  Morgyn Neill and go wide.

McKenzie’s crucial contribution came in the 86th minute, after Nat Wedderburn had smuggled a pass through to fellow substitute Connor Duthie.

The striker looked certain to score from 15-yards but McKenzie maintained our lead by knocking his effort clear with his legs.

Smith was terribly unlucky again a minute later when he did well to create space for himself to shoot from the edge of the area but saw his effort strike the outside of Ramsbottom’s right post with the keeper well beaten.

Dumbarton piled players forward as the game entered injury-time but we defended strongly to ensure McKenzie was never bothered again to make it a lucky seven League One games on the trot undefeated.

COVE RANGERS: McKenzie, Scully, Scott Ross, Strachan, Yule, Megginson, McIntosh (Smith 72), McAllister, Livingstone, Graham, Fyvie.

Subs: Watson, Higgins, Seb Ross,  Demus,  Logan, Ngwenya, Hanratty.

DUMBARTON: Ramsbottom, Wardrop (Duthie 81),  McGeever, Neill, Forbes, Omar (Jones 72), Brindlay (Frizzell 72), McAllister, Wilson (Wallace 81), Crossan (Wedderburn 72), Quitongo.

Subs: Barclay.

Referee: David Lowe.

Dumbarton Reaction: Paul Hartley & Rory McAllister »