Written by John - OTR Saturday, 31 October 1998 00:00

The first half was characterised by lots of fine passing play and surging runs by Dumbarton in particular Flannery, Robertson and McKinnon. Flannery scored in the 17th minute with a cracking low drive from about 15 yards, which was the end result of a great move.

The Shire keeper was injured saving another Flannery shot and was replaced by one of the outfield players. This should have been the cue for Dumbarton to rain shots in on goal but the keeper was only called into action twice. Speaking of keepers, Kenny Meechan only had to make one save and it was a good one. And he only hit the ball straight out the park once as well.

Dumbarton were unlucky not to increase their lead when Willie Wilson hit the bar with a curling cross from the right wing.

In the second half, Dumbarton's passing game evaporated. Toby King and Paul Harvey seemed to drift out of the game. Whether this was the result of the Shire's half time substitution I don't know, but our dominance just vanished.

Shire's first goal was a defensive disaster. A corner came in from the left, which any decent keeper would have claimed it as it dropped in on the six yard line, fairly central to the goal. But not Kenny. Shire's Muirhead easily outjumped a Sons player and almost misheaded the ball in off the left hand post.

Dumbarton's second came from a set piece. Sons were awarded a free kick on the edge of the box. Up stepped Joe Robertson, who curled a beautiful shot round the defensive wall into the far corner of the net.

Shire's second goal was another disaster. Ex-Son Shug Ward turned Billy Melvin inside out on the right wing and tore down towards the bye-line. He fired the ball over on the deck and from what I remember a Shire player swung at the ball and missed. The ball then hit off Barry Wilkinson into the net, much to the delight of the 10 or so Shire fans.

The game could have been won in the final five minutes if Colin McKinnon hadn't missed a sitter. A deep cross came over from the left, for the incoming McKinnon to take on the volley about two yards from the goal-line. We were all expecting to see the net bulge but the ball inexplicably went under Colin's foot and out of play. Even now I still can't quite believe he missed it.

So in the end it was two points dropped and another inconsistent Dumbarton performance. Here's hoping we can get another 5 against Cowdenbeath next week.