Dumbarton 2 Hamilton Accies 0
Strathclyde Homes Stadium, 21 February 2004
Report by Gilbert Mowat
The last time Accies visited Dumbarton was memorable for the performances by two players. In the home team, goalkeeper Stephen Grindlay aided Accies by failing dismally to keep a curling Mark Corcoran corner kick out of the net. That game also marked the return to Accies of popular winger Jose Quitongo - and the wee guy was the star man in a game which really kick started Accies season. Significantly, Dumbarton had won every home league match since then - but more importantly Jose was unfit to play after being injured at Arbroath last weekend. The wee guy's place was taken by Ryan Blackadder, who made his full debut after joining Accies from Raith Rovers during the transfer window.
Accies played some good football in the first half and should have gone ahead when both Brian McPhee and Brian Carrigan were set up by great through passes from the midfield. Unhappily, both were denied by Grindlay, who rushed out to to save at their feet. There was a nasty incident after 26 minutes when Robert Walker headed a cross clear. Young Dumbarton player Chris Boyle headed Walker instead of the ball and both players collapsed to the ground. Walker recovered quite quickly, but there was a lot of concern as assorted first aiders, doctors and members of the management team rushed to look after Boyle. Fortunately, among those was the match referee Steve Conroy, who is a doctor. It looked particularly ominous at one stage as all the other players gathered around and some of the Dumbarton guys put their arms around each others shoulders. After an 11 minute delay, Boyle was eventually stretchered off to a waiting ambulance. The official Dumbarton website later stated that he had suffered a fit after the clash of heads but was recovering well in hospital.
The only goal of the first half arrived a few seconds before half time, with Steven Bonar stooping to head home a sliced shot by Mark Bradley. It was rough luck for Accies as they certainly didn't deserve to be behind at the break.
The second half wasn't exactly a great advert for football. Passes went astray, players committed niggly fouls and anything Accies tried just didn't work. Brian Carrigan looked to be particularly out of sorts. I don't know if he's carrying an injury, but the spark that he showed a few weeks ago was certainly missing. Brian McPhee tried as hard as he could but just didn't have the support he needed to damage the Sons defence.
Jim Sherry was his usual self in midfield however, tackling everything that moved. One challenge was deemed to be worthy of a yellow card and he was subbed several minutes later after another foul, presumably to ensure that he didn't get sent off. This was part of a double substitution, with Darren Gribben and Andy Arbuckle replacing Sherry and Ryan Blackadder. Young Darren showed plenty of energy and enthusiasm and did his cause no harm at all. But genuine goalscoring opportunities were few and far between.
With 5 minutes remaining Dumbarton clinched the win with a fine close range header by former Motherwell man Iain Russell from a cross by Craig McEwan. Some Accies fans shouted that he was offside, but I suspect they were confused by the fact that he was completely alone and unmarked in the middle of the penalty area! Naturally, that was the cue for loads of Accies fans to depart.
This was a game that Accies could have won if they had taken their chances. Dumbarton are nothing special although they did really apply themselves. At times, it seemed that Accies were lacking in that and were also short of ideas and inspiration. Several Accies players, such as Sandy Hodge and particularly Brian Carrigan just had poor games. With Jim Sherry now suspended for the difficult match against Alloa next week, more changes will be needed.
But perhaps by then Allan Maitland will be able to select Stevie Convery, Derek Ferguson and Jose Quitongo. It's now time for the senior players to stand up and be counted before our promotion aspirations are crushed.
Finally, one of the more irritating things about visiting Dumbarton is the attention seeking ballboy on the main stand side. He sprinted up and down the park all day, eager to be part of the action. He spat so many times (every 10 seconds or so) that I feared he would collapse through dehydration. The guy must believe he's a star. I wish someone would inform him that he's just a ballboy.
Dumbarton: Grindlay, McEwan, Brittain, McKinstry, Collins, Boyle, Bonar, Bradley, Russell, Rodgers, Ronald.
Subs: Dillon, Dobbins, Herd, Renicks, White.
Hamilton: McEwan, Walker, Hodge, Thomson, Lumsden, Sherry, Carrigan, Aitken, Corcoran, Blackadder, McPhee.
Subs: Whiteford, Arbuckle, Ferguson, Gribben, Jellema.
Referee: S Conroy
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