‘Roll up sleeves and compete’
STRANRAER 0 DUMBARTON 0
Stranraer and Dumbarton will do it all again on Tuesday after this goalless stalemate at Stair Park.
It was a cagey affair with defences on top throughout and chances at either end were limited.
Darryl Duffy went closest for the hosts in the first half, while Connor Mcmanus and Tom Orr were inches away from finding a breakthrough for Stranraer after the interval.
Rabin Omar tested Greg Fleming after the break, while Ross Forbes fired a first-time volley wide of the target.
Stranraer boss Stevie Farrell felt his team looked solid at the back, and said: “I didn’t think we looked like losing the game. We probably had the better chances with Darryl through on goal one v one in the first half and you fancy him to score.
“I think 0-0 is probably a fair result. You look at all the play-off games today and they were all tight.
“If someone had said before the game that it would be 0-0 and we were still in the tie, I probably would’ve taken it.”
Experienced striker Duffy had the two best chances of the first half.
The first came just before the half-hour mark when he capitalised on a defensive mistake and found himself with just Sam Ramsbottom to beat.
However, the Dumbarton goalkeeper stood tall and made the block with an outstretched boot.
Then, two minutes before the interval, Duffy collected Orr’s knockdown and fired a dipping volley just past the post.
Omar tried to catch out Fleming at his near post after the interval, but the best chance of the game would come in the closing stages. Sean Burns’ teasing low delivery was begging for someone to get a touch, but neither Mcmanus or Orr could get on the end of it from close range.
Dumbarton’s final chance of the contest would fall to Forbes, but he dragged a volley harmlessly across goal and wide.
Dumbarton manager Jim Duffy felt both teams had cancelled each other out.
He said: “I would have thought all the play-off games are going to be decided on fractions here and there.
“Maybe an element of good fortune or a wee bit of quality that can turn the tie for you.
“We came down and tried to be positive.
“We said to the players that we wanted to play on the front foot and take the game to Stranraer.
“However, the game dictated it was basically ‘roll your sleeves up and compete’ and that is what we did.”