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Dumbarton vs Stranraer


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1 hour ago, Nowhereman said:


You thought that was entertaining? And that the opposition didn’t have vast spaces to exploit? If we sat any deeper we’d be in the Leven. I know we won, I know we kept a clean sheet and I know we are top of the league. But that was dreadful. Ninety minutes of sitting in our own half in the hope that one of our long balls might lead to a break which gives us a goal. Yes in the end it worked but it’s a helluva way to spend ninety minutes

Does it matter?? We won! It's been no secret that's how we play, it was the backbone to our winning run! It's up to other teams to break it down! 

We are top of the league! Enjoy it! 

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2 hours ago, Bring Back Paddy Flannery said:

A very welcome 3 points, especially with Stirling Albion drawing, in a game I always felt we should be winning if we have aspirations of mounting a title challenge. 

That being said I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed a team who rides their luck as much as us. I think a better team would’ve punished us today and we have Brett Long to thank for that clean sheet. 

I was impressed with Wallace when he came on and I thought Buchanan had a decent game but outside of that we looked decidedly average IMHO. MacLean was stinking the place out and that sitter in the 1st half looked like an absolute shocker from where I was sitting - I was astounded he lasted the 90. 

It’s hard to grumble when it’s a clean sheet and a win but I do think better teams will punish us for gifting so many chances. 

My thoughts entirely.  But that's three wins on the spin so let's take the points and move on to Elgin.  

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I was really worried that that not taking our chances were going to bite us, so what a massive moment when Garrity scored. I thought the touch he took as he got into the box had lost him his chance but that maybe just invited the keeper to advance and he managed to get round and score. I might be misremembering that though. Anyone know if we'll have highlights?

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3 minutes ago, microdave said:

I was really worried that that not taking our chances were going to bite us, so what a massive moment when Garrity scored. I thought the touch he took as he got into the box had lost him his chance but that maybe just invited the keeper to advance and he managed to get round and score. I might be misremembering that though. Anyone know if we'll have highlights?

I actually thought at first he was on his way down after getting away from the defenders tackle then seemed to manage to get his balance back and round the keeper from there. 

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I thought that was a pretty enjoyable game to watch today. Tense and nervy as a Sons fan for large stages of the second-half, but plenty of attacking and two teams who put together some good moves in the final third. A victory by a two goal margin was probably about the right outcome. But something like 4-2 might've been more representative of the game.

Both sides could've easily scored a few in the first-half. Stranraer with a couple of Jinky Hilton efforts - and us with Ross MacLean's smashing a sitter off the bar (it wasn't near in, bounced on the line and came out) and then Gregg Wylde being denied by an absolutely terrific Luke Scullion save.

The second-half was similar. Stranraer had a header off the line and Hilton found Brett Long equal to absolutely everything he whacked his way. Whilst we hit the post twice when it would've been a lovely time to score to kill the game off.

For much of the second-half we were obviously quite content to sit in and defend and then hit on the break. And, as nervy as it was at times, it worked. We kept a clean sheet and scored a second on the break. Fair play to Faz and the players for that. He's got a recipe that wins matches. Like it or lump it, it's a recipe that's got us nine wins and has us top of the league.

I worry a wee bit about how we'll adapt if we go a goal down. But if we take the lead, we're superb at managing the game. We've only conceded twice at home all season too, which is something I hadn't realised until the end of the game today. That's an excellent record.

I thought Brett Long was our best player today, albeit run close by Gregor Buchanan who was, once again, absolutely solid. Ryan Wallace made another big impact after coming on, and his part in Garrity's goal was exactly the sort of thing I hoped we'd see from him. He's such a clever player. Even if he drives you mad at times.

Stranraer played some good stuff, and their unorthodox shape which looked like a 3-1-4-2(?) certainly caused us issues, especially in midfield. Dean Hawkshaw kept finding pockets of space - but then wasted them. And, on another day, Jinky Hilton would've had a couple of goals. I was impressed with them though. Dylan Forrest looks a real find in midfield, a bit rough round the edges at times, but with more than enough about him to be a real asset at this level.

I said on the stream that, with a wee bit of tightening things up at the back, and a wee bit more quality up front, I think Stranraer would be a genuine title threat. And I stand by it. But today probably showed why they won't be at the moment. They lost a poor goal at a bad time and failed to score despite being on top for large spells of the game. You get the feeling that there's plenty there for Jamie Hamill to work with though, they aren't far off being a really handy side. I'd certainly fancy them to finish well clear of the likes of Forfar, Albion Rovers, Bonnyrigg and so on.

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A win with a clean sheet and the unbeaten run continues what more do people expect? Stranraer are a decent side and playing with out Byrne, Love and Gemmill into the bargain. Would people prefer an exciting end to end 3-3 draw?

To get out of this division requires consistency and mental toughness. Other than the freak Stirling result the team have done this. 

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2 hours ago, microdave said:

I was really worried that that not taking our chances were going to bite us, so what a massive moment when Garrity scored. I thought the touch he took as he got into the box had lost him his chance but that maybe just invited the keeper to advance and he managed to get round and score. I might be misremembering that though. Anyone know if we'll have highlights?

We will have highlights 

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Watching the highlights back MacLean, Wylde and Buchanan all should have scored those chances. No harm done in the end though. 

Stranraer also had a couple of really good chances on second viewing, the volley in the first half and then Long made some really good saves in the second. 

Wallace also brought a bit of composure when he came on, was fairly unlucky with the second one that hit the post and then just being calm enough to hold the ball for a second then play Garrity through rather than just charging at people.

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1 minute ago, Clarko_son said:

Watching the highlights back MacLean, Wylde and Buchanan all should have scored those chances. No harm done in the end though. 

Stranraer also had a couple of really good chances on second viewing, the volley in the first half and then Long made some really good saves in the second. 

Wallace also brought a bit of composure when he came on, was fairly unlucky with the second one that hit the post and then just being calm enough to hold the ball for a second then play Garrity through rather than just charging at people.

Agreed. The good things they are getting these chances, hopefully in the future they go in.

It’s great to have a a good shot stopper in goals. He pulled off some terrific saves. 
 

I have been impressed with Garrity since he joined. He did well with his goal yesterday, staying composed while having his heal snapped at and rounding the keeper. 

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8 minutes ago, Thommo90 said:

3 folk I've seen thinking McLeans effort hit the back of the net. 

Specsavers required.

At the time I would have bet my house on it. I guess because he hit it so hard the net rippled I just assumed it hit the net 

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2 hours ago, Sons Fan said:

Agreed. The good things they are getting these chances, hopefully in the future they go in.

It’s great to have a a good shot stopper in goals. He pulled off some terrific saves
 

I have been impressed with Garrity since he joined. He did well with his goal yesterday, staying composed while having his heal snapped at and rounding the keeper. 

For me it's not even so much about the shot stopping but the real difference is I don't feel like I'm going to have a heart attack anytime a ball goes anywhere near the box

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That section of play in the second half where Gray is quite clearly fouled running down the left, then the ball eventually comes into the middle where David Wilson quite clearly fouls the Stranraer boy and Wallace then hits a shot off the post is bizarre refereeing. It's as if the crowd don't even react to the shot off the post as they're waiting for a whistle. I thought the ref was a fussy wee dick yesterday (sorry @pleslie99) so when he let those two go it surprised everyone I think. 

For all our clean sheets, we do give up a fair number of chances but Brett Long is the difference maker - it's quite evident to me he shouldn't really be playing at League 2 level. Buchanan is much more confident in front of a keeper he knows he can count on. I still think we haven't quite nailed the wide areas but I think if you asked every Sons fan to name our strongest 11 you'd have a pretty similar team across the board - that's a huge difference from the last 2 seasons where we'd get to March and still be trying new things out. I don't think we are great to watch but if you keep ticking off wins you can't complain and sitting top of the league then you can't complain. Difficult game next week, but we go into with confidence. 

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6 hours ago, The Moonster said:

That section of play in the second half where Gray is quite clearly fouled running down the left, then the ball eventually comes into the middle where David Wilson quite clearly fouls the Stranraer boy and Wallace then hits a shot off the post is bizarre refereeing. It's as if the crowd don't even react to the shot off the post as they're waiting for a whistle. I thought the ref was a fussy wee dick yesterday (sorry @pleslie99) so when he let those two go it surprised everyone I think. 

For all our clean sheets, we do give up a fair number of chances but Brett Long is the difference maker - it's quite evident to me he shouldn't really be playing at League 2 level. Buchanan is much more confident in front of a keeper he knows he can count on. I still think we haven't quite nailed the wide areas but I think if you asked every Sons fan to name our strongest 11 you'd have a pretty similar team across the board - that's a huge difference from the last 2 seasons where we'd get to March and still be trying new things out. I don't think we are great to watch but if you keep ticking off wins you can't complain and sitting top of the league then you can't complain. Difficult game next week, but we go into with confidence. 

The refereeing was bizarre - there were at least two occasions in the first half when Gray was pushed in the back right in front of the ref and no foul was given.  I read that the introduction of VAR has sucked refs away from the lower divisions, maybe we're fast-tracking some inexperienced guys.

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7 minutes ago, Frank Quitely said:

The refereeing was bizarre - there were at least two occasions in the first half when Gray was pushed in the back right in front of the ref and no foul was given.  I read that the introduction of VAR has sucked refs away from the lower divisions, maybe we're fast-tracking some inexperienced guys.

I clocked that as well. And after those two incidents there was another one that was almost identical, and this time he gave it. Which Grant Gallagher was none too impressed with. It must be so frustrating for players.

The VAR point makes a lot of sense. Graham Beaton hadn't refereed us very often I noticed, and a lot of his appointments this season were in the Highland League. It wasn't that he was outrageously poor yesterday or anything, but I noticed him a lot more than I wanted to.

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On 06/11/2022 at 13:28, The Moonster said:

For all our clean sheets, we do give up a fair number of chances but Brett Long is the difference maker - it's quite evident to me he shouldn't really be playing at League 2 level. 

I thought he was one of the better goalkeepers in League One when he was with us. I was surprised that he went to Peterhead after leaving us and even more surprised that he dropped down to League Two this season.

I'm not sure if he doesn't want to go full time but I always thought FT teams would have been interested in him at least.

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On 06/11/2022 at 10:24, Sons Fan said:

At the time I would have bet my house on it. I guess because he hit it so hard the net rippled I just assumed it hit the net 

I've only seen a ball go in and bounce out once in my life. That was when U stanchions were in vogue.  The ball shot in, hit the centre curve of the U stanchion with a loud metallic clang and shot straight back out again.  Other than that scenario I've never seen it happen. We didn't get a goal for it. So it has happened, but that's how.

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7 hours ago, WC Boggs said:

I've only seen a ball go in and bounce out once in my life. That was when U stanchions were in vogue.  The ball shot in, hit the centre curve of the U stanchion with a loud metallic clang and shot straight back out again.  Other than that scenario I've never seen it happen. We didn't get a goal for it. So it has happened, but that's how.

It happened at Love Street on Christmas Day 1971. One of my best Sons memories. Big Roy McCormack thumped one from way out near the touchline about fifteen yards into St Mirren's half and it soared over the keeper, hit the stanchion and bounced out to beyond the penalty spot. The ref wasn't going to give it but the linesman did - apparently, I later learned, because (as Big Roy tells it) St Mirren's left back sportingly said it had gone in.

That was the middle one of three Big Roy belters in a row. He'd scored a screamer against Alloa at Boghead the game before and repeated that at Clydebank in the New Year's Day game. Happy days.

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