Clyde v Dumbarton

Recap

Clyde returned to winning ways and made it eight league games without defeat this afternoon, courtesy of a 3-1 win over Dumbarton.

Darren Young made two changes from the side which was eliminated from the Scottish Cup last week, with Jay Hogarth returning in goals and Jamie Bradley re-instated having been cup-tied last week. They replaced Brian Kinnear and Scott Williamson respectively, whilst there was a welcome return to the bench for Ross Lyon following two months out injured.

The visitors started the game slightly the brighter and had half chances from a corner and a long-range strike by ex-Clyde man Dom Docherty, but the home side started to make inroads as the half developed and took control of the game.

After a few subsequent looks of their own – with Darren Hynes and Bradley failing to test visiting ‘keeper Shay Kelly – it was the hosts who broke the deadlock. The former had started to find space out wide and, after the ball was sprayed out to him again, he swung in a cross which was bound for the unmarked Kyle Connell. Visiting captain Mark Durnan stole in ahead of the Clyde striker, but made a mess of his clearing header and could only send it into the back of his own net.

The Bully Wee continued to probe following the opener, but couldn’t produce a telling final ball and were punished towards the end of the half. Forays forward had grown rare for The Sons, but Scott Tomlinson found half a yard of space to smash a low ball into the box and Leighton McIntosh stole ahead of his marker at the near post to poke home from close range.

Both sides emerged for the second half with impetus, but the pendulum once again swung Clyde’s way after five minutes. The hosts built play up nicely and a ball into the middle found Andy Murdoch at the edge of the area; following some lamentable defending, the ball broke very kindly for James Hilton in the middle of the visitors’ box and the former Dumbarton man pounced to lash home and register his seventh goal of the season.

After that strike, Clyde managed the game well but looked to their ‘keeper to preserve the lead with a quarter of an hour to play. Tomlinson found himself in space outside the area and whipped a fabulous effort inside the far post, but Hogarth scrambled across his goal and produced a superb save to tip the ball around the post. Moments later, Clyde had an excellent chance to extend their lead but Bradley selfishly opted to go for goal himself, drawing a fine stop from Kelly.

The home side dropped ever deeper to protect their lead as full time approached, but they remained a threat on the break and made sure of the win late on. Two substitutes combined as Darren Lyon measured a cute ball in behind the Dumbarton defence and Williamson raced on to it, rounding Kelly and – after a few extra touches that had nerves jangling in the stands – emphatically firing home to draw a jubilant cheer from the home end, as Clyde cemented their third place standing in the table.