Kirk and Husband on target as Pars sink sorry Sons
Published 17 Sep 2012 09:15
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Dumbarton 0 DUNFERMLINE 2.
THE Pars clinched their fourth win on the trot with victory over a stubborn Dumbarton side to keep up the pressure on league leaders Partick Thistle.
Save for a ten minute spell in the first half where Dumbarton carved out a few chances the Pars were the better side and could have won by more were it not for the form of home keeper Stephen Grindlay.
It was a solid but unspectacular performance from the Pars who never looked like losing once they got their noses in front through Andy Kirk.
These two sides had not met in league action since 1996 and the odds were against the Sons from the off; sitting at the foot of the table with no points from their first four fixtures and without a competitive victory over Dunfermline in 26 years.
It was no surprise then that it was the Pars who made the early running and they could have been ahead after six minutes when Andy Geggan nodded Alex Whittle's corner just wide of the target.
Dumbarton were sloppy in possession and wilting under good pressing from the Pars and it looked like it would only be a matter of time for the visitors when Stephen Husband fired over after a lay-off from Ryan Wallace.
The game then began to develop a bit of an edge after Josh Falkingham and Alan Lithgow clashed in the centre circle following a crunching challenge from the diminutive midfielder.
It lifted the Sons' play and they had a trio of chances to go ahead midway through the half. Alan Lithgow headed a lofted free kick across goal and Andy Dowie nearly put through his own goal but Gallacher made a fantastic reflex stop.
Ex-Par McDougall then tested Gallacher with a fierce strike from 30 yards. Morris hooked the rebound behind and from the corner Alan Lithgow rattled the crossbar.
In the league opener against Cowdenbeath the Pars found the right time to score and they did it again when Andy Kirk edged them in front on 41 minutes.
Whittle and Falkingham exchanged passes down the left and Falkingham nutmegged his marker and then delivered a great cross for Andy Kirk to sidefoot past Grindlay.
Dumbarton started the second half in a determined mood but again like the Cowdenbeath match the Pars quickly netted again to go 2-0 up. Falkingham teed up Stephen Husband whose first effort was saved by Grindlay, but the midfielder stayed calm, sidestepped a defender and then poked the ball under the keeper.
Jim Lister was causing problems for the Pars backline with his physical presence but the Sons inability to keep hold of possession made it impossible for them to put Dunfermline under any kind of sustained pressure.
Dunfermline remained well on top in the second half and Ryan Wallace had two great chances to extend the lead but both his efforts were stopped by Grindlay.
With the clock running down the sides exchanged half-chances with substitute Lamont firing into the sidenetting and Grindlay tipping over a fine drive from Geggan.
Dumbarton: Grindlay, Devlin, Creaney (Forsyth 87), Lithgow, McNiff, McDougall, Gilhaney (Johnston 87), Fleming, Lister, Agnew (Lamont 66), Prunty (c). Subs: Ewings, Lyden.
Booked: Lithgow, Fleming, Agnew.
PARS: Gallacher 7, McMillan (c) 7, Jordan 7, Dowie 7, Morris 6, Geggan 7, Whittle 6 (Dargo 66), Husband 7 (Byrne 82), Kirk 6, Wallace 7 (D'Angelo 82), Falkingham 8. Subs not used: Hrivnak, Potter.
Goals: Kirk 41, Husband 52.
Booked: Morris, Falkingham.
Referee: Bobby Madden.
Attendance: 1,021.
This article appeared in Dunfermline Press 17 Sep 12
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