Sons heading up the table

About to kick-off in the second half

This article also appears as the match report on the official DFC website. 

On their second League visit of the season to Balmoor, Dumbarton cheered the vocal away support yesterday, beating Peterhead 2-1 with a workmanlike and occasionally inspired performance in tricky conditions.

With a swirling wind making conditions difficult for both teams, Peterhead  enjoyed much more of the possession for the opening period of the first half, but failed to capitalise on it.

However, Dumbarton looked more menacing in attack when they did break - with first Pat Walker and then Andy Geggan threatening the home side on the edge of the area.

On 25 minutes Sons pinned back the Blue Toons' defence after a corner floated in by Jordan Halsman. Ryan McStay latched onto the ball a few feet away from the line and turning neatly, slotted it home to open the scoring. 1-0 for Dumbarton.

Ten minutes later, after Peterhead started to press back, a well-worked move involving Pat Walker and Jon McShane created another opportunity for Andy Geggan, but he could not quite summon enough power behind his shot to trouble Toon 'keeper Jon Bateman.

Just before half-time Mark Gilhaney threaded Walker through once more, but Sons could not add to their tally.

In the second period both teams came out with clear attacking intent. However it was Peterhead who struck first, with Stuart Smith scrambling the ball past Stephen Grindlay after it was momentarily slowed down by a muddy patch in front of goal. 1-1.

Suddenly the Toon started to look much  sharper. But Dumbarton did not relent.  On 57 minutes Ryan McStay tried a 40 yard lob that almost deceived Bateman. Peterhead hit back straight away, and Sons' Ben Gordon had to time a last minute tackle very well to avoid further damage.

Though occasionally looking vulnerable to counterattacks, Dumbarton pushed hard to get in front again. Amidst a series of corners and half chances, Walker struck the upright on 70 minutes and then headed just over the bar from a driving Mark Gilhaney cross.

Finally, on 77 minutes, Jon McShane put Sons 2-1 in front with a sweetly struck winning shot,  driven low and hard into the corner of the Peterhead net.

The result extends Sons' unbeaten run to five games, four of them wins, and lifts the team to sixth place in the Irn Bru Second Division.
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