Dumbarton Football Stadium

Dumbarton v Alloa Athletic
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Dumbarton v Alloa Athletic
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Dumbarton v Alloa Athletic
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Dumbarton v Alloa Athletic

Alloa faced Dumbarton, for the first game of the post-Ferguson era. While Alloa’s form has languished at the bottom of the table, Dumbarton have picked up and have went on a good run since the transfer window closed.

For Alloa, Henderson, Riley-Snow, Scougall dropped out of the starting XI after the 3-1 defeat against East Fife. Sammon, Cawley and Boyd returned in their place. Alloa soon found their way into the game with a fine flowing move culminating in a left footed drive at the centre of the Dumbarton goal. Niang attempted a 20 yard curler but narrowly failed to find the goal as it zipped past the post. Stephen Bronksy was almost the winner from a chaotic corner from the hosts but at the back post managed to hook his effort harmlessly away from goal.

But Alloa who seemed to be freer in their movement and passing than in the last few weeks struck the first blow under the Rock. Daniel Church’s lofted ball was collected on the right wing by King. King zipped a ball across the 6 yard box and Kevin Cawley was on hand to sweep in to make it 69 Alloa career goals.

Alloa had a few ‘nearly’ attempts but as the first half drew to a close it was Dumbarton who were energised. In the 42nd minute Ross MacLean cutting in from the left wing had an effort deflected away from Hutton. While the Alloa goalkeeper got a strong hand and collected at the second attempt, the awkward save was almost followed up by Conner Duthie who proceeded to barge Hutton into his own goal with the ball. While Dumbarton celebrated the referee rightfully pulled the game back for a free kick.

This perceived injustice put some fire in the Son’s bellies and they attacked with urgency as the half closed. Finally, seconds before the end of the half they found a breakthrough. Paton was allowed space 22 yards out after MacLean squared to him and he rattled a bouncing effort beyond Hutton and into the bottom corner of the Alloa goal. The hosts were level – a kick in the teeth for the Wasps who had probably edged the contest in terms of chances and play so far.

Durnan was on the end of a glorious chance before the hour mark. King’s deep free kick was flicked on by Boyd and with a free hit at the back post, the Alloa centre half could only direct it back towards the Dumbarton goalkeeper and in combination with his centre back the ball was cleared away. While Alloa remained impressive they struggled to find the ball to unlock a stubborn Dumbarton.

That was until a gift from a combination of a terrible pitch and an eyewatering goalkeeping error. Kieran Wright, had an awkward bounce as he attempted to launch the ball forward from a back-pass. Adam King was bearing down on the goalkeeper was in prime position to capitalise on the miskick. Despite driving wide – found the centre of the empty goal and sent Alloa into the lead.

Alloa should have then put the game to bed with Sammon denied at the front post from another deft Alloa break. After O’Donnell and Niang’s link up play and the latter’s marauding run, Niang shanked an effort beyond the goal in another dangerous attack but Alloa would not come to regret it. A sequence of Dumbarton corners put on the late pressure in extra time but there was always an Alloa body to block, including a Church header off the line, to hold on for a vital victory against a relegation playoff rival.

It was a good performance from a team who looked to have shed any fear from the difficult 3 months they’ve endured. And while the next manager watched from the stand, hopefully this will be the spark to ignite a string of positive results and maybe an unlikely foray into the promotion playoff places.
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Dumbarton v Alloa Athletic

Alloa returned to the Dumbarton Football Stadium for the first time since the 2-0 win in the playoffs launched our 3 year championship stint back in May 2018. This season both teams are in the mix for what looks like a tasty promotion battle with 7 teams within three points of the top. Alloa named a single change as Scougall came in for Connor Sammon from last weeks triumph in Montrose.

Alloa impressed in the first half. Solid at the back and the creators of the best chances. Scougall volleyed a cross past Ramsbottom in the Dumbarton goal but Buchanan was there to clear any danger inside the six yard box. Adam King, clearly still flying from his wonder strike at Links Park, smashed a first time effort destined for the top corner if not for a quick hands of the Son’s keeper. While Henderson was only stopped by a cynical foul by Duthie after some incisive running. He was soon withdrawn with what looked like a hamstring issue, the attacks didn’t stop with Scougall and Durnan both winning headers but failing to direct them on target as Alloa pressured for the opener.

In the 45th minute, Taggart’s by-line cross was aimed at O’Donnell. Dumbarton could only flick it up in the air and so the predatory Steven Boyd latched on to the free ball and unleashed a low volley under Ramsbotttom from 12 yards.

The second half held a strange holding pattern. It seemed to trend with Alloa working the ball up the field, giving away cheap fouls and inviting more pressure as the increasingly desperate Dumbarton lumped crosses into the box.

While King had an early opportunity screwed wide. Dumbarton were inches away from creating an opening with Duthie just too short to connect to Buchanan’s lofted through ball. Callum Wilson’s free kick was a stramash in the box which fell to Edin Lynch but the defender could only tamely aim it at Hutton. Buchanan earned a free header after some questionable pushing on the Alloa captain Durnan, but thankfully his connection sent the ball high over the Alloa goal. Callum Wilson’s in swinging delivery was again a thorn in the side for Alloa as Durnan misjudged a leaping header leaving the cross to land at the feet of sub Ross McLean, only to blaze over from inside 10 yards. .

Despite winning the ball back from what looked like a foul and a grabbing a handful of Stefan Scougall’s shirt, Dumbarton picked up a corner. It was ultimately the end for Scougall, who delayed the game getting treatment before being withdrawn in a double substitution with Boyd for Sammon and Cawley. After a much delayed corner, Wilson found the head of Paddy Boyle. Boyle glanced it towards goal off the ground and it bounced past Hutton and over Dan Church on the line to give Dumbarton the equaliser.

Mouhamed ‘Sena’ Niang had another handsome performance in the midfield and had enjoyed a favourable running battle with Son’s midfielder Stuart Carswell and the Dumbarton man was lucky to only receive a yellow after giving Sena an incredibly late boot as the on-loan Partick Thistle star danced past him.

Ross McLean would volley over for what was the last note of attack for Dumbarton but Alloa almost sealed three points with the clearly aggravated Niang executing a driving and firing at goal from just outside the 6 yard box only to be denied by Ramsbottomm.

It was on the whole another solid display in Dumbarton as both sides shared a point.

Barry Ferguson, Alloa Manager

“First half we were good in terms of hitting on the counter. Dumbarton have had some great results. Stephen Farrell’s got a right good team here, a physical team, which we knew would be tough. We came to get three points but with the injuries to Scougs and Hendo it was tough. Scougall’s not trained all week with having a new baby. Down the line this’ll probably be a decent point, but we want to win every game we play.”

“It was a good finish from Steve Boyd. Boyd’s pace in behind worked in the first half, in bits, but in the second, I said to him at half time it would need to continue – we were good in the first with winning the first ball and if not winning that we were on to the second, which was pleasing but we’d like to have that level of consistency off [the players]”

“We got negative comments but I’ll stick up for my boys, first half excellent, second half we were poor but it wasn’t for a lack of trying and that’s one thing about my team: My boys still worked hard for me. There’s a small section of fans out with the majority who want to support the team, I understand that they want to win every game but when it becomes personal, I don’t like it. It’s not just me it’s the players noticing it. We’ve had a big turnaround in players, and they need to realise it doesn’t happen overnight. We’re still in touching distance of the top [of the league.] Constructive criticism I can take all day, but I’ve had enough of the negative stuff with having a go at players not trying hard enough. It’s not been great but the players out there still run, still work.”

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Dumbarton v Alloa Athletic

“The Wasps” returned to the Ladbrokes Championship for Season 2018/19 after “Keeping Believing” and getting their rewards in the end, having dominated the Championship Play-Off Final over the two legs but found themselves behing to Stuart Carswell’s wonder strike in the first leg, until deep into time added on at the end of the second leg when Ross Stewart scored his tenth goal of the season for “The Wasps” since joining them on loan from St. Mirren in the January transfer window.

Jordan Kirkpatrick was then “The Wasps” hero in extra-time when he rounded Dumbarton defender Stuart Carswell and fired an goal worthy of winning the tie high past Dumbarton keeper Scott Gallacher.
Alloa were backed by a fantastic, noisy visiting support who backed their team throughout the game in confident voice, which spurred the team on to victory.

 

jim goodwin on clinching promotion back to the championship

We had a great chat on Friday night about the number of times we’ve come back from behind to get results. The one that stood out in all our minds, was three or four months ago when we were a goal down to Forfar in the 88th minute, then Kevin Cawley equalised and Kris Renton got the winner in the 93rd minute.

Nine times in all we have came back from losing positions this season, that’s testament to the players character, or call it resilience, call it never say die  spirit, but they’ve got it and I’m over the moon for them because they never stopped going for it, they never know when they are beat. I won’t lie, there were times when I wondered if the goal would come, and I knew time was running out but they just kept on going, I knew they would never stop, but it did and I also knew when it did and we went into extra-time, then we would go on and win, because fitness wise I doubt if there is a fitter part-time team out there,  I think over the two games who got what we deserved.

These boys are a credit every single one of them, the ones that started, the ones who came off the bench and the ones who didn’t make this game, we lost a couple of key players in the build up to the game, that itself was a motivation for the other players. They deserve their celebrations I hope they enjoy their night, we will meet again on Tuesday and we’ll look forward now to next season, when the one thing I can promise is that we won’t go up there and grind out nil-nil results, we’ll go and try and play football.

It was very hard to find space and gaps Dumbarton were very organised they almost play with a back six, so with twenty minutes to go we had to throw caution to the wind and move Andy Graham into the box, if we lost 2-0 or 3-0  at least we had a go and let’s try and win the game.

The winning goal from Jordan Kirkpatrick, it’s just what he is capable of the loan signings I brought in January have definitely worked and made a positive impact to us but I don’t want to single any one player there were so many good performances.

I’m over the moon for everybody connected to the club the board right down to the fans we have a lot of volunteers behind the scenes who really do a great job as well and importantly pleased for the players because you don’t get these kind of experiences often and I hope they cherish the moment tonight and enjoy it.

It’s the best moment of my short managerial career there is no doubt about that, I certainly experienced some good moments as a player but this is different you put an awful lot more into things as a manager, you never stop thinking about the game and I can take a lot of satisfaction but I couldn’t do it without the fantastic staff behind me, help from the board and the chairman it is a real collective effort.

Now going into the Championship I have a good core of players I want to take with me, I will sit down with them next week and make them offers and hope they will want to come with us, we just want to go and play the exact same way, I believe in the players I believe they are good enough to go and take teams on, pass the ball the way we do, it’s the way we train so we wouldn’t look to play any different. We will try and add more quality to the squad, I have already identified one or two whom I have spoken to, we are now a more attractive proposition now going into the Championship.
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Dumbarton v Alloa Athletic

 

jack ross after final league match

Pleased with the performance but frustrated at the result, the only thing I could ask the players to add to their game is a little bit of ruthlessness, in terms of taking a lot of the opportunities we have been creating and managing to see out little periods in games when they come under a bit of pressure, because over the course of this game I don’t think we came under a lot of pressure apart from the start of the second half and unfortunately we conceded in that time but for the vast majority of the game lots to be pleased about, again the players energy levels, their commitment, their desire to keep playing that way, despite the game being meaningless, a lot of the football they play is terrific, created good opportunities from good play today, which didn’t always come easy for us, we could have won it at the end, Scott Hynd came on, it has been frustrating for him because we have not been able to give him the opportunities but he has a knack of putting himself in good areas, the first header he possibly was a bit disappointed but the second header was terrific but was unfortunate to see it just go the wrong side of the post.

For our point of view to finish the season unbeaten in the last five games, albeit we could have had a couple of victories instead of draws, it means the morale is good around the place, the players are finishing the season realising they are good players which maybe wasn’t the case earlier in the season, due to how the season had gone, to go the last five games unbeaten after you have already been relegated is testament to their professionalism and integrity to do things correct for the club.

We have a young squad, probably at times even I didn’t realise the age of some of the players, reflecting back to Ibrox last week, the team that finished that game was very young, albeit some of these players are not our own, they are loan players, but that is a market you must explore as well, with these younger player it would have been mentally challenging over parts of the season as how it was going the experience will help them gain confidence and belief in their abilities – Michael Duffy is possibly the case in point in that his performances have been fantastic in the last few months and I know through speaking to him, that belief is now evident in him, which great for him going forward and his appearances will attract interest from other clubs, whether his next move is with Celtic or loaned back out to a full time club, he is certainly good enough to play in the top league and he is only going to get better because he has so much to offer the game. Our own young players it has been frustrating for Scott Hynd and at times I forget how young Isaac Layne is, so pleasing for him to score he would have been disappointed he never added to it but he has not played a lot of games at this level so he is still learning. There are also other players who have impressed in training and have still to be given an opportunity which is good for the future.

My intention would be to keep the core of the team and over the next week we will have a clearer picture but I would like to keep the nucleus of what I have here because we have some good players and I also believe we have players who care about their club which is important, there are players who want to do well and have a hunger to get success back for the club and I will add the ones I’m trying to attract at the moment who I think will fit well with how I like to work but sometimes it is easier said than done and getting them, but the reputation the club has in terms of how professional it is and how it looks after its players can help us to a degree but there are always other factors as well but there are a lot of players here I really enjoy working with.
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Dumbarton v Alloa Athletic

 

jack ross after dumbarton game

I think I am always honest in my assessments of games and I thought we were the better team against Dumbarton. We played very well in the first half, but the goals we concede we have gifted them. We have been guilty of that all season and teams don’t seem to have to work very hard to score against us. The first one is a poor mistake and then the second goal is well taken by the powerful Nade, but I still felt we were the better team. They started the second half well and score a tremendous goal straight away that had us up against, but to be fair to the boys they rallied well and did not throw in the towel. We dominated possession for the rest of the game. Obviously, the sending off gives us impetus, but I though we did well against the ten men without really creating that clear cut chance that we needed. It has been a problem for us all season and we just don’t have seem to have that cutting edge. We have a number of very good footballers, who give their all and create some good opportunities, but we simply lack a Christian Nade type who can finish them and it is as simple as that.

We know where we are as a group and we know what the Dumbarton result means for us. We can’t get away from the fact that things look very bleak for us now. But it is a test of the individual characters of my players now. In this situation you have two options. You can buckle and let the season peter out or you can rally and have enough pride in what you do to battle until the end. For the majority of my tenure here we have done a lot of good things, but we have fallen short results-wise. At the end of the day, league tables don’t lie. It is human nature that the players are all devastated after this result. It has been tough for them recently when they have in the main performed quite well, but ended up getting nothing from all of these games. But I have told them that they have to have a goal or motivation individually now until the end of the season.

As a team now our focus must be to put this home record right. That has got to be the aim now because anything outwith that at the moment is now very difficult for us. So we will look to go and put that right first and foremost on Saturday. That would at least put one thing right for the season and so that is what I have asked them to go and do. It is too early for us to say we’re simply going to look towards next season and rebuilding. There will likely come a time for that, but I think until it is mathematically impossible to stay in the league then it would be foolish of us just to dismiss it. It is obviously very difficult, but while it is not impossible we will always give our all and see where it takes us.
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Dumbarton v Alloa Athletic

paddy connolly after scottish cup defeat

A very tough night, we tried to go toe to toe with them but after only 19 seconds we were a goal down, I hadn’t even settled in the dugout – It is certainly had to take positives from tonight’s game, I thought the second half for 25-30 minutes I thought we did alright but it is hard for me to come out and try and defend, some of our defending after a five goal drubbing, so somehow we need to pick the players up on Thursday at training and take it from there, I will speak to the Chairman tomorrow, to see if there is anything happening and where we are for the weekend.

We need to dig deep now and maybe need to tweak things a bit, the game was too open and it never worked for us tonight, so we need to pick them up at training on Thursday, their a resilient bunch, results have not been great. It is hard to see what reaction there has been after Danny’s departure as it only happened last night and I only met up with the players tonight for the game but the mood in the dressing room is certainly not good now after the game, we lost our shape in the end, big Mikk made a poor mistake but all the goals were poor goals to lose, four of them were counter attack goals because we were too open, it was a cup tie so we went for it in the second half and had numerous chances and were punished latterly for pushing forward, which was sore.

Robbie Crawford felt his calf and Michael Chopra we hope is only a precaution, as hadn’t trained during last week we took a bit of a gamble with him tonight and it never really worked, we will need to reassess the injury again on Thursday.
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Dumbarton v Alloa Athletic

Victory at Dumbarton was just what the team deserved after staying focused in a game they never let their concentration dip at any part of the game. Having not won at Dumbarton since 2009 it was never going to be an easy game, but in the end a great team performance gave them a vital first victory in the SPFL Championship this season. The first half was disappointing with the ball being in the air and out of the ground more than on the park. The home side had plenty possession but never threatened David Crawford. Indeed the visitors went closest to taking the lead early in the second half when a Connor McManus volley was well saved by Mark Brown, seven minutes later Alloa scored the important first goal, McManus taking a quick free kick and Graeme Holmes turned in the box to slip the ball into the net, catching out the Dumbarton defence. Alloa always looked dangerous on the break with Robbie Crawford & substitute Eddie Ferns looking for openings. Into time added on Eddie Ferns slipped past Frazer Wright, who was making his home debut for “The Sons” to clinch the three points with a well taken goal.

 

DANNY LENNON AT DUMBARTON

It was ‘the perfect blend’ of a performance from his squad that was key to their victory.

This victory was very, very pleasing because it was a real team effort.  The way that the boys have worked throughout what has been a difficult start for us, so it was great to see them get their reward for that. The shape with all the new boys coming in has been difficult for us to get right, but I think we got the balance right in this one and I was absolutely delighted to see the players finally be rewarded for their efforts. It was a perfect mix for us in terms of the qualities of when we look to play and when we had to defend.

There was a stronger wind than you think out there so we were pleased to get in at 0-0 at half time. In the second half, we got the ball down and played well when we got our chances and to a man we were excellent in defence as well. It’s ok working on things in training, but when you get to the big occasion of the game itself you must deliver. Luckily for us, every single one of them did that and played a massive part in the victory.

We are thrilled to come away with our first three points because we knew it was a massive game coming in here. It is a long hard season in this division and a lot of people were saying us being bottom of the league is where we should be with the start we have had, but then that is what they have said for the last three years about Alloa.

What this football club have done, time and time again is defy those people and been able to punch well above our weight and prove everyone wrong. If we are able to bring those same qualities along with the type of football that I know we are capable of then hopefully we can once again earn the right to survive in this division again. There will be a lot of twists and turns before then and it is up to the players to go out there and write their own future. If we can continue to produce the type of performance that we did at Dumbarton then we will definitely be the cause of those twists and turns.

Michael Chopra will be ok, he took a bump to his hip and was struggling to move. We were disappointing to lose him from the game. Gerry went on and treated him and it says everything about him that he carried on played for almost an hour with the injury. He is a quality player and you saw the way he links the play for us so hopefully it is not too serious.

We now look to build on this result and I am excited to see the quality players that we have to come back in now. Iain Flannigan has had no reactions to his training and things are starting to settle down for us now so it is important that the players enjoy the feeling of the Dumbarton win and hopefully that spurs them on for more. As soon as we get back to training though, then the hard work will begin again for the difficult trip to Hibs.”

I was delighted with the performance of Robbie Crawford. I don’t like to single out individuals, but in terms of coming in for his debut and having only met the players on Tuesday, then I thought he was terrific. You can see the qualities he has. He showed great energy and desire in his performance and that was typified by him busting a gut to get up to support for Eddie’s goal. Fair play to Eddie for the goal and we’re delighted for him, but that energy from Crawford showed us what he is all about. He will do well for us, I am absolutely convinced of that.
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