The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Lichties blow as Sons strike late play-off winner at Gayfield.
ARBROATH: Dumbarton’s late winner is cruel on dominant hosts
Arbroath suffered late Championship play-off heartache as Craig Barr’s injury-time strike handed advantage to Dumbarton.
Barr struck from close range after Bobby Linn had cancelled out a Callum Gallagher strike to make it 2-1 ahead of Saturday’s clash in Dumbarton.
The score was cruel on Arbroath, who had dominated their visitors for long spells and means they must now clinch a win on the road to stay in the promotion hunt.|
It has been an incredible two years for Arbroath and Dick Campbell welcomed Dumbarton to Gayfield hoping for another fairytale ending.
Just 362 days ago, Campbell’s men were popping the champagne corks to celebrate the League 2 title and they stood on the brink of back-to-back promotions.
The sight of near neighbours Montrose celebrating their own League 2 title was surely the inspiration Arbroath needed to spark their own promotion party.
And as Dumbarton made the long trip north bidding to halt a horror run of nine defeats in 10 games that saw them plummet into the Championship playoffs, Arbroath were in confident mood.
They charged down every tackle, confidently sprayed the ball about the park and had enough chances in the first half to put the tie out of sight.
Defender Tam O’Brien was first to have a go in five minutes as he headed a Ricky Little free-kick inches wide and it was a sign of things to come.
Sons keeper Scott Gallacher then made saves to deny long-range efforts from both Ryan Wallace and Danny Denholm before Linn’s 25-yard screamer rippled the side-net.
At the other end, David Hutton made a stunning fingertip save to claw a Danny Handling header away from the top corner. The rebound fell to Tom Walsh but he cracked his close-range drive wide.
Arbroath then had a penalty claim turned down by referee Nick Walsh as the ball appeared to bounce off Sons defender Craig Barr’s hand in the 18-yard box.
And they continued to threaten Scott Gallacher’s goal in search of the opener, with Wallace coming closest as he skimmed the top of the crossbar with a 20-yard strike.
However, the hosts were left to rue their missed opportunities as Dumbarton took a 61st minute lead.
A deep, searching cross hung in the air, allowing Andy Stirling time to pick his spot with a looping header to the back post and team-mate Gallagher was on the line to prod home.
However, Arbroath responded almost immediately as Linn met a Wallace freekick to loop a header over Sons keeper Gallacher.
Moments later, Gallacher was the hero for Stevie Aitken’s side as he somehow got down to a Blair Yule header to turn it wide for a corner.
The game was now ebbing and flowing from end-to-end and Stirling’s looping cross cracked off the base of the post.
As the time wore on neither side could find the winning goal until that injury time strike. Attendance: 892 Arbroath: Hutton, Little, O’Brien, Hamilton, Martin, Linn, Swankie, Yule, Denholm (Gold 71), Wallace (Hester 80), McKenna (McIntosh 79). Subs not used: Skelly, Gomes, Whatley, Kader.
Dumbarton: Gallacher, Smith, Dowie, Barr, Dick, Carswell, Hutton, Stirling, Walsh (Burt 80), Calum Gallagher (Russell 72), Handling. Subs Not Used: Grant Gallagher, Stewart, Ewings, Froxylias, Nisbet.
Referee: Nick Walsh.