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Keeper Stuart McKenzie played a huge part in ensuring we were able to beat Dumbarton – and the weather – to end the day five points clear at the top of cinch League One.

Midfielders Fraser Fyvie and Iain Vigurs scored the goals in the second half, but only after McKenzie had pulled off two crucial saves as both sets of players – and the match officials – battled manfully to cope with the driving rain and howling gale that the 371 brave souls who turned up at Balmoral Stadium to watch the game also had to endure.

The conditions were particularly horrific in the first half, certainly among the worst witnessed in a long time, so you have to compliment both sides for the way they did their best to continue to play football, and simply got on with it.

They trudged off the pitch at half-time like a litter of drookit cats, as we say in these parts, because their kits were absolutely drenched.

Our backroom staff must get credit for ensuring our lads came back out changed into fresh gear, and they certainly looked the better for that as they went on to secure three crucial points.

With the rain falling in torrents made worse by a the howling gale, it’s no surprise there was little to get excited about in the first half.

We had a penalty appeal turned away by referee Chris Fordyce in the 22nd minute, when Mitch Megginson appeared to have been impeded by Stuart Carson.

Dumbarton had the game’s first effort on target a minute later, when Eoghan Stokes’ powerful 18-yard volley was held by McKenzie.

Keeper McKenzie also dealt comfortably with a Connor Duthie shot as the visitors seemed to find it a little easier playing into the wind.

Our best chance so far came just after the half hour, when Morgyn Neill got on to the end of a Fyvie free-kick and saw his 14-yard effort bundled wide by Dumbarton keeper Sam Ramsbottom, although the officials then baffled everyone by awarding a goal-kick instead of a corner.

Shay Logan’s runs forward down the right were causing Dumbarton problems and he set up our next chance in the 34th minute, with a great cross that was met by Connor Scully.

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Shay Logan during the Scottish League One game between Cove Rangers FC and Dumbarton FC at Balmoral Stadium, Aberdeen, Scotland, on Saturday 4th December 2021 ( Photo by Dave Cowe )

His effort at goal was blocked and when the rebound went to Vigurs he fired wide of the target from the edge of the area.

The rain and wind seemed to have relented a little for the restart – and the Cove Rangers players certainly appeared pleased to at least come back out in those dry kits.

Logan’s latest run, in the 51st, ended with another great cross that Ramsbottom just managed to grab before Rory McAllister could get to the ball at the edge of the six yard box.

McKenzie’s most crucial contribution came in the 53rd minute, after Stokes had managed to break forward into the Cove area.

The striker’s powerful 16-yard shot would have gone were it not for McKenzie being perfectly positioned to deflect the ball on to his crossbar and behind for a corner.

Fyvie thought he had opened the scoring a minute later, but the far side official flagged for offside against the midfielder, although it looked a tight decision.

McKenzie was the home hero again in the 62nd minute, when he stretched to touch another net-bound hit from Stokes over his crossbar.

The big keeper’s efforts were rewarded when we grabbed the lead five minutes later.

A swift move forward ended with Megginson firing a cross over from the right wing.

When the ball then broke back into the path of FYVIE he rifled an unstoppable 14-yard shot past Ramsbottom to claim his sixth goal of the season.

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Fraser Fyvie scores his team’s first goal during the Scottish League One game between Cove Rangers FC and Dumbarton FC at Balmoral Stadium, Aberdeen, Scotland, on Saturday 4th December 2021 ( Photo by Dave Cowe )

Fyvie also ended the afternoon being voted man-of-the-match by sponsors Thyme Accountants, which was deserved for his efforts in midfield throughout the 90 minutes.

Jamie Masson came on for Scott Ross and Leighton McIntosh replaced the limping Megginson as we went in search of the killer second goal.

McIntosh almost claimed it within a minute of being introduced.

He was sent clear by an excellent pass from Blair Yule, but then saw his shot from a tight angle on the left curl wide of the Dumbarton goal.

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Leighton McIntosh during the Scottish League One game between Cove Rangers FC and Dumbarton FC at Balmoral Stadium, Aberdeen, Scotland, on Saturday 4th December 2021 ( Photo by Dave Cowe )

Logan and Yule combined brilliantly down the right in the 81st minute and the move ended with McAllister unlucky to miss the target with a 10-yard shot.

We were by far the better side in the latter stages and sealed the victory with an outstanding second goal, in the 85th minute – with partnership of Yule and Logan the key that unlocked the Dumbarton defence.

Yule won the ball in midfield and spotted Logan making yet another well-timed overlapping run down the right, so swept a perfect pass out for him to run on to.

The full-back then played a first time cross back into the middle, which VIGURS ran on to and lashed into the net from 16-yards.

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Iain Vigurs scores his team’s second goal during the Scottish League One game between Cove Rangers FC and Dumbarton FC at Balmoral Stadium, Aberdeen, Scotland, on Saturday 4th December 2021 ( Photo by Dave Cowe )

It was cracking finale for the Cove Rangers fans who had stuck things out to the bitter end on afternoon when most people would think twice about taking their dog for a walk.

COVE RANGERS: McKenzie, Neill, Scully, Ross (Masson 68), Strachan, Yule, Megginson (McIntosh 73), McAllister (Robertson 87), Vigurs, Fyvie, Logan.

Subs: Milne, Adeyemo, Gourlay.

DUMBARTON: Ramsbottom, Wilson, Carswell, Buchanan, Boyle, Duthie, Geggan, Orsi (McKee 75), Pignatiello (Schiavone 75), Lynch, Stokes.

Subs: O’Neil. McKnight, Maley, Muir, Paton.

Referee: Chris Fordyce.

Article Copyright © 2021. Permission to use quotations from this article online is only granted subject to appropriate source credit and hyperlink to www.coverangersfc.com

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