Late Annan penalty is a ‘body blow’ to Forfar
DUMBARTON 1 EDINBURGH CITY 1 (agg 2-5)
Alan Maybury is relishing the prospect of a League 1 play-off final for Edinburgh City against Annan Athletic after his side safely guarded a three-goal first-leg lead at Dumbarton.
A header by Kristoffer Syvertsen just before the hour mark looked as if it had thrown Sons – 4-1 down from the first leg – a lifeline, only for Ryan Shanley to equalise for City four minutes later to crush hope of a comeback by the hosts.
And Maybury is now looking ahead to this week’s final against Annan, with the two teams having beaten each other twice this season in the four league meetings, but now with promotion at stake.
The City gaffer said: “Nobody wanted to make a mistake in the first half – they were kicking it as far from our goal as they could.
“We knew a goal was coming after they made the changes and went for it in the second half, but I thought we carried a threat and that was the way we set up.
“We ended up with three strikers on the pitch at the end even though we were seeing it out, because we wanted to continue to carry a threat. The boys have put in a shift in and we’ll need to do a head count to see who can play in Tuesday’s first leg.
“We’ve played Annan recently and we’ve had some good results against them this season. We’ve been on a good run and scoring goals, but we’ll play our game and they’ll play theirs.”
Annan went closest to scoring in the first half, but Innes Murray was denied by a fine save from Kieran Wright.
Dumbarton’s hope of staying in the tie faded as the minutes ticked away, but Syvertsen gave a glimpse of optimism with a close-range header from Kalvin Orsi’s cross.
But Shanley broke through to equalise just four minutes later, and that was the final blow needed to see of a battling, but toothless, Sons side.
Home manager Stevie Farrell said: “Once they got the equaliser everybody knew it was a long way back. Over the two legs we deserved nothing and we deserve to be relegated.”
SPFL PLAY-OFF SCHEDULE PREMIERSHIP SEMI-FINALS
Tuesday – Inverness CT v Arbroath (7.05pm). Friday – Arbroath v Inverness CT (7.45pm)
CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI-FINALS
Thursday – Queen’s Park v Airdrieonians (7.30pm). Sunday, May 15 – Airdrieonians v Queen’s Park (1.10pm). LEAGUE 1 SEMI-FINALS
Tuesday – Edinburgh City v Annan Athletic (7.30pm). Friday –Annan Athletic v Edinburgh City (7.30pm).
PYRAMID FINAL SECOND LEG
Saturday – Cowdenbeath (0) v Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic (3) (3pm).