Clyde v Dumbarton

Recap

The Bully Wee marked their long awaited return to competitive action after seven months with a win over Dumbarton in the Betfred Cup this afternoon.

New signings Jamie Bain, Matthew Shiels and Josh Jack were handing starting debuts, and there were also places in the XI for the returning Tom Lang and Ross Cunningham.

Clyde had a good chance to open the scoring when Jamie Bain was released down the right and fired a cross into the box. David Goodwillie got his header from close range on target but Dumbarton ‘keeper Kevin Dabrowski spread his big frame and made a block.

The opener did come shortly after though in some style. Barry Cuddihy picked up the ball around 30 yards from goal and, with options limited, decided to let rip. The shot beat Dabrowski and flew into the roof of the net.

Dabrowski pulled off another good save from Josh Jack’s free-kick before the lead was doubled midway through the half after referee Scott Lambie deemed that Goodwillie had been fouled in the box by a defender. Clyde’s captain made no mistake with the spot kick.

The Sons pulled a goal back after Chris Hamilton got in behind the Clyde defence and cut back inside, before rolling the ball into the net.

Clyde restored their two goal advantage just before the interval. Jack picked out Ross Cunningham with a precision pass, and he took a touch before rifling the ball home to open his Bully Wee goal account.

Dumbarton got their second goal of the afternoon ten minutes after the restart when the unmarked Robert Jones was able to get his head on a corner and power the ball over the line.

There wasn’t as much action in the second half compared to the first, but Norwegian forward Kristoffer Syvertsen, making his first appearance after injury since July 2019, started a move then provided Cunningham with a chance to bag his second, but Dabrowski turned it behind. At the other end David Mitchell made a good stop from Jones’ volley from the edge of the area.

The visitors’ hopes of grabbing an equaliser were dashed when Hamilton was shown a straight red card as the game entered the final minute, for a lunge on Cuddihy.