Livingston 1 Dumbarton 2

FOURTH place had become almost a dot on the horizon for Dumbarton as evening descended on Livingston.

With less than five minutes left, Sons seemed set for their third defeat in a week, with Nejc Mevlja’s goal for the hosts being the only one of the game. Even with Livi down to 10 men, the visitors’ dreams of a play-off place were heading off into the sunset.

But then one swing of Chris Turner’s boot, to drive home a penalty, started the journey back to contention.

And within a further two minutes, Chris Kane scored the goal that meant Sons, while still facing a tall order, stayed in with a fighting chance.

There was something quite bizarre about this game, which also saw Livi’s Jason Talbot sent off for a dangerous lunge on Paul McGinn just before the comeback started.

Every bit as much as Sons were disappointing in the first half, they were good after the restart. Their determination and cutting edge in each half were almost polar opposites.

For that, they just about deserved the result, and the chance to keep aiming for a top four place, although there is still much to be done to achieve it.

Beating floundering Morton, and thereby relegating them, on Tuesday night remains utterly necessary. So does victory over fourth-placed Queen of the South when they visit the Rock on Saturday, April 19.

That will make up the six-point gap between the sides, but another point that the Doonhamers don’t get will probably have to come from somewhere.

However, the second half at Livingston was more like the real Dumbarton, who have performed so often. If that side keeps showing up, why can’t it be done?

They weren’t there for most of the first half, which meandered along lifelessly before the opening goal on 28 minutes.

A corner from the right caught the defence standing absolutely still, with Slovenian Mevlja heading Livi in front.

Six minutes later a second goal looked a real possibility, with Danny Mullen this time given a free header, only for keeper Jamie Ewings to save.

With half time approaching Colin Nish twice showed Sons’ first signs of attacking threat. Firstly, he got on the end of Jordan Kirkpatrick’s free kick only to fire across goal and wide.

Then his low 20-yard shot had the Livi keeper scrambling but ended up just the wrong side of the post.

The second half started with the home side’s Danny Mullen forcing another save from Ewings before Sons ramped it up again.

McGinn’s shot from the edge of the area was saved while a free kick by Kirkpatrick, from similar range, was deflected off target.

With 63 minutes Livingston could have sealed it only for Ewings to again be on form. The keeper beat away Kyle Jacobs’ shot and then denied Marc McNulty at close range from the rebound.

Nish soon found another opening but again his effort narrowly missed the target. It was his last contribution before being replaced by Garry Fleming, whose shirt was then pulled in the area but nothing was doing penalty-wise.

The minutes ticked away with Sons dominating but ultimately failing to put the ball away. Mark McLaughlin’s flick set up Kane but his attempted lob from the edge of the area was blocked by the keeper.

Kane was then fouled in the area – an incident obvious to everyone in the stadium except the referee and assistant, who again were totally disinterested in the appeals.

But two key decisions were then to go Sons’ way. With eight minutes remaining McGinn took a faceful of Talbot’s boot in a wild challenge, which earned the Livi man a straight red card.

And four minutes later Kane had his shirt pulled by Craig Sives inside the area. It was definitely the softest of Sons’ three second half penalty appeals – but was third time lucky as the spot kick was given.

Chris Turner, who had already scored one penalty at Almondvale in November, did so again, ending Sons’ three-match wait for a goal.

So see out time, take a point and we all go home? No chance.

Just two minutes later Fleming turned in the area only to see his shot parried by the keeper.

It was all about who reacted fastest to the loose ball. Kane did. Sons had the points.

Someone is going to leave Cappielow on Tuesday with a dream still alive. Either Morton of staying up, or Sons of a play-off place. Game on.

Livingston: Jamieson; Talbot, Fordyce, Ke Jacobs, O’Brien, McNulty, Denholm (Wilkie 68), Sives, Ky Jacobs, Mevlja, Mullen (Burchill 77). Subs: Walker; Mampuya, Scott, Praprotnik, Lander. Booked: Mevlja, Sives. Sent off: Talbot.

Dumbarton: Ewings; McGinn, Graham, McLaughlin, Turner, Megginson (Prunty 80), McDougall (Gilhaney 60), Kirkpatrick, Nish (Fleming 68), Kane, Miller. Subs: Grindlay; Smith, Agnew, Thomson. Booked: McDougall.

Referee: Greg Aitken.

Crowd: 949.

Falkirk 2 Dumbarton 0

THE birth of Ian Murray’s son meant that the Dumbarton boss wasn’t at the game until midway through the first half.

But several of his team barely turned up at Falkirk as they failed to provide a response to Saturday’s hard luck story against Dundee.

David McCracken’s free header gave the home side a 25th-minute lead and Rory Loy doubled the gap between the sides with 16 minutes remaining before Hugh Murray was sent off.

In truth, though, this was a game that the Bairns could have won by more against a Sons side which, until tonight, had been unbeaten against them this season.

Murray watched a side which was almost unrecognisable from much of the campaign so far. The effort was there from them – that’s a given. However, they were badly missing creativity, dig and cutting edge.

All of which they are capable of recovering on Saturday’s visit to Livingston. This game is in a minority of bad days this season but it needs to be consigned to history fast.

The game was slow to get going. Indeed, it took the first of many bizarre decisions by referee Stephen Finnie for either side to create a chance.

Falkirk, absurdly, were allowed to re-take a free kick in midfield after the first effort didn’t quite go to plan. The result was a Blair Alston drive which went narrowly over from the edge of the area.

That was the start of a spell of pressure from the home side, with Mark Millar’s corner setting up Loy only for the striker to fire over from six yards.

But two minutes later another corner by Millar found the unmarked McCracken in the area and the defender snapped up the chance. It had been coming.

Sons’ only test of the home keeper in the first half came on 32 minutes when Garry Fleming – one of five new faces in the team from Saturday – connected with Chris Kane’s flick. However, his effort was blocked at close range.

Within a minute of the second half Jamie Ewings, whose introduction in goal was another change to the side, pulled off a similar save from Loy.

Then came the closest Sons got to scoring all night. Scott Agnew had taken a corner on the right, but ended up being the one going for goal.

His low drive from the edge of the area was saved on the line. Some optimistic claims were made for a goal, but the officials were unmoved.

It was all about the Bairns again after that. Craig Sibbald was given a free header from a cross from the right but could only direct it wide.

Ewings pushed away another shot by Alston before turning Millar’s shot from 12 yards over the bar. From the resulting corner, Mark Beck headed against the woodwork.

Questions could have been asked about whether those missed chances would end up costing Falkirk. On 74 minutes, though, they were answered.

Loy turned the defence at the corner of the area and scored with a low drive to clinch the points.

Substitutes Colin Nish and Jordan Kirkpatrick were close to grabbing consolation goals for Sons while Kane had a shot saved at a narrow angle.

But Falkirk could just as easily have had a third, with Connor McGrandles finishing only to be denied by an offside flag.

The last word went to referee Finnie, whose woefully inconsistent display ended with a soft second booking for Murray, for an innocuous foul, with a minute left.

The damage had long been done to Sons, though, as they lost at the Falkirk Stadium, indeed dropped points there, for the first time ever.

Their response will just have to come at Livingston on Saturday. They now have two doses of disappointment to make up for.

Falkirk: McGovern; Kingsley, Vaulks, Beck, Alston (Leahy 75), Sibbald (Small 87), McGrandles, Loy (Hogg 87), McCracken, Millar, Chalmers. Subs: Bowman; Durojaiye, Flynn, Shepherd. Booked: Loy.

Dumbarton: Ewings; McGinn, Graham, Turner (Nish 60), Gilhaney, Agnew (Megginson 73), Fleming, Linton (Kirkpatrick 40), Kane, Miller, Murray. Subs: Grindlay; Smith, McDougall, Prunty. Booked: Graham, Nish. Booked and sent off: Murray.

Referee: Stephen Finnie.

Crowd: 2,489.

Joy and despair

CHRIS Turner watched the ball roll over the line. Then celebrated with his team-mates.

But his joy turned to horror when referee Brian Colvin ruled out his ‘goal’ for Dumbarton against Dundee on Saturday for an alleged pushing offence.

And while the midfielder admitted there was contact between him and the visitors’ Kevin McBride, he felt he had a fairly good case for a goal.

It was the first instalment of Sons’ latest hard luck story against Dundee, which saw them go down 1-0 – their third defeat to the Dark Blues this season.

Fourth-placed Queen of the South extended their lead over Sons to six points after beating Cowdenbeath 2-1.

However, Chris and his team-mates, who have a game in hand on Queens, aren’t giving up.

He said of the 12th minute flashpoint against Dundee: “It was 50-50 really. I’ve seen people get away with them.

“I’ve leaned into the defender to win the ball and he’s made the most of it. I thought I’d got away with it at first and the goal had been given.

“The referee seemed to be pointing back to the centre circle and everyone was celebrating.

“We felt we were very good in the first half and were very unlucky to go down to defeat after they got the goal.

“It just seems to be our luck against Dundee this season. We were very good up there the last time and ended up losing that game as well.

“But you just have to dust yourselves down and go again. We will continue to chase fourth place.”

Tuesday night sees Sons go to Falkirk, where they have won on each of their last three visits.

They’ll be keeping everything crossed for Dundee this time, as the Dark Blues are at home to Queen of the South. The right results would put Sons within three points of fourth place again.

They were beaten on Saturday by an 82nd-minute goal by Peter MacDonald, with Bryan Prunty missing a penalty just three minutes later after his effort went straight at keeper Kyle Letheren.

However, Chris has Falkirk firmly in his sights for a response.

He added: “We do quite well when we go to Falkirk. It’s a good stadium to go and play at and hopefully we can lift our game again.

“We have a lot of games coming up in the next few weeks and we have to keep ourselves right and prepare for them all.

“As a team, and as players, we are not looking at the bottom of the league. We are looking to push towards the top half. We’ve shown that we’re a good enough side to do that.

“Saturday was the fine line in football. Last week we got a break with the third goal against Cowdenbeath and against Dundee, their keeper made two or three great saves.

“And nine times out of ten the keeper usually dives to either side for a penalty. Anyone can miss from the spot.

“We’ll look to respond at Falkirk.”

Dumbarton 0 Dundee 1

PART of the beauty of football is that if you don’t get the breaks, they’ll maybe come along next time.

But Dumbarton, whatever it is about games against Dundee, are still waiting.

Three times they have faced the Dark Blues this season, the latest of which they lost to a Peter MacDonald goal on Saturday. On every one of those occasions, luck has deserted them.

In truth, it probably took only 12 minutes on Saturday to realise it wasn’t going to be their day again.

Chris Turner’s header was fumbled into the net by visiting keeper Kyle Letheren. The assistant referee awarded the goal, fans and players were celebrating and the tannoy announcer had started playing the goal celebration music.

However, after a wait of several seconds it became clear that the goal would not stand, for an alleged pushing offence by the Sons midfielder.

It was a controversial decision to say the least – given by the same referee, Brian Colvin, who was involved in a similar flashpoint during Sons’ 3-0 defeat at Dundee in December.

Two vital elements of the game were within the home side’s control, though. One was the goal, cheaply conceded to MacDonald with eight minutes left.

And three minutes later they got the break of one of Colvin’s decisions when Chris Kane was fouled for a penalty. Bryan Prunty, only just on as a sub, stepped up to take it but his effort was straight at Letheren.

It may have been right that Dundee won the sides’ first meeting this season, although not by the 4-1 scoreline. But Sons definitely should have taken something from the teams’ other two clashes.

They went close within the opening minute on Saturday as Letheren parried Scott Linton’s effort, with Kane unable to cash in on the rebound.

Shortly afterwards Mitch Megginson went for goal from the edge of the area, in similar fashion to how he scored against Cowdenbeath last week. This time, though, the keeper saved.

Then came the moment of controversy. Turner’s header spun out of the keeper’s reach and, in the eyes of assistant ref Gavin Harris, crossed the line.

There couldn’t have been many people who saw anything wrong with Turner’s efforts to win the ball. Unfortunately, Colvin did.

The chances kept coming Sons’ way. Kane’s angled shot went narrowly over. He then beat Gallagher inside the area only to fire his shot off target. Colin Nish intercepted the resulting goal kick but couldn’t score.

Despite being league leaders Dundee were finding it hard to come up with a response. They did on 32 minutes when Christian Nade headed Willie Dyer’s cross wide.

But it was still all about Dumbarton. Jordan Kirkpatrick’s angled shot was blocked at close range by a defender, followed by Kane blasting over from six yards.

The game was still goalless at half time despite almost total domination by the home side. Many football followers know what tends to happen. However, with Sons so much in the ascendancy, surely something had to give?

There were fewer chances in the second half, although Mark McLaughlin’s header from Linton’s free kick was narrowly off target.

Linton tried another set piece a few minutes later, with Gary Irvine almost deflecting into his own goal but the keeper saved in time.

Both teams were restricting each other’s contributions until the 82nd minute, when the price of that disallowed goal, and all the missed chances, rocketed.

MacDonald intercepted a clearance on the edge of the area, with Stephen Grindlay stranded out of his goal. From an almost impossible angle, he slotted the ball away.

Still there was one last lifeline for Sons, three minutes later, when Kane was fouled in the area by Kyle Benedictus.

Surely this time? Surely? But Prunty’s first touch of the game was the penalty which went straight at the keeper, with Dundee hacking the ball clear.

A game where Grindlay didn’t make a save all day, with his opposite number pulling off several, ended in a defeat.

They say that’s football. But there are games where the injustice leaves you staggered.

Falkirk had better ready for Tuesday’s game. Sons don’t take defeats like this lightly. They respond.

Dumbarton: Grindlay; McGinn, Graham, McLaughlin, Turner (Gilhaney 66), Megginson, Kirkpatrick (Fleming 74), Linton (Prunty 83), Nish, Kane, Miller. Subs: Ewings; Agnew, McDougall, Murray.

Dundee: Letheren; Irvine, Dyer, Davidson, Riley, McBride (Rae 22), Conroy (Beattie 76), Benedictus, Gallagher, McAlister, Nade (MacDonald 59). Subs: Twardzik; Lockwood, Doris, Cummins. Booked: Irvine, Riley.

Referee: Brian Colvin

Crowd: 1,222

Michael Hoops for more success

THERE was a time when Michael Miller idolised Paul Hartley.

But now the on-loan Celtic youngster wants to put his former hero to the sword when Dumbarton play Dundee this Saturday.

The 19-year-old boyhood Hoops fan has shown impressive form of late during his loan spell in the Championship with Sons.

He has scored in both of his last two league outings, including last week’s 5-1 demolition job at home to Cowdenbeath.

And the previous Saturday he did something no other Celtic player has done this season – he played in the William Hill Scottish Cup quarter-finals.

Sons narrowly lost 1-0 at Aberdeen that day, but still have their sights set on a top four finish in the SPFL Championship.

A win over Dundee, managed by ex-Celtic man Hartley, would help their cause – and Michael, from the nearby village of Duntocher, hopes they can get it.

He said: “I remember Hartley playing in Gordon Strachan’s team when I was supporting them. He was a good player in that team.

“I haven’t played against Dundee since coming on loan but from what the boys are saying, we will have to be on our ‘A’ game to beat them.

“It was good to win last week against Cowdenbeath after losing to Aberdeen, and it puts us right back into the league race.

“You never know what can happen. We just want to get as close to fourth place as possible and get a decent number of wins on the board.

“I train with Dumbarton twice a week at Toryglen, and spend every other day at Lennoxtown with Celtic.

“It’s great experience and makes me realise it’s what I want to do. You get to play in front of the fans, which you don’t get at under-20 level.

“I signed for Celtic when I was nine after playing for Duntocher Boys’ Club. It was a dream come true because I’ve grown up as a Celtic fan.”

Michael hopes to follow in the footsteps of teenager Liam Henderson, who made his first-team debut for Celtic last week in a 3-0 win at Kilmarnock.

But he is in familiar company while on loan at Dumbarton, as he is already friends with right back Paul McGinn.

Michael added: “I know Hendo from the youths at Celtic. He’s a nice boy, from through in Edinburgh, and it was good to see him get a first team game.

“Everyone is different – you just have to do well individually and fulfil your potential. It’s good to see your mates doing well.

“I’ve played some under-18 and under-19 games for Scotland but not any under-21 matches. My aim is just to do as well as I can.

“I knew Paul before I came to Dumbarton and his brother John was in my year at school. All the other players have been really nice guys and that’s made it easy to settle.”

Dumbarton 5 Cowdenbeath 1

SEVEN days. That was all it took to wait.

Only one week until Dumbarton responded to their Scottish Cup hard luck story at Aberdeen.

Someone had to be caught in the crossfire. Had to be the subject of all Sons’ frustrations at the Pittodrie quarter final defeat. That someone was Cowdenbeath.

What had looked like being a close encounter, with only a goal between the teams with 20 minutes remaining, turned into a demolition job as Sons turned it on.

Mitch Megginson had them a goal ahead at half time and Michael Miller doubled the lead before John Armstrong responded for Cowden.

Then on 70 minutes a Jordan Kirkpatrick free kick rolled under visiting keeper Thomas Flynn and into the net. Sons, realistically, were home and hosed and cashed in with further goals by Garry Fleming and Chris Kane.

At the start of the season fellow part-timers Cowdenbeath and Alloa were Sons’ main targets for points. The most crucial points in their bid to stay in the Championship.

In seven league fixtures against those two teams, they’ve won taken 14 points, losing only at Central Park at the end of August. They’ve beaten both teams 5-1 and, in total, scored 19 goals.

Even with a visit from the Wasps to come in early April, that is a professional job done on their fellow part-time sides. Survival still isn’t officially a done deal but it gets closer with result after result from Sons.

And they are still just a win away from catching up on Queen of the South’s tally of 42 points in fourth place. The teams’ meeting at the Rock on Saturday, April 19 is looking potentially more crucial every week.

The early stages against Cowden saw both sides go close. On five minutes the visitors’ Rory McKeown sent in a low angled shot which hit the post before rolling along the line and moving clear of goal.

Shortly afterwards Colin Nish was played in by Mark Gilhaney but a defender deflected his shot wide.

Instead it was the 20th minute when Nish turned provider for the opening goal. He laid off Megginson on the edge of the area and the forward bent home a stunning shot into the top corner of the net.

It could have been 2-0 just three minutes later when Kane beat McKeown to a through ball to score with an angled shot but was deemed guilty of a foul in the process.

Cowden finished the first half more strongly and James Fowler shot narrowly wide before keeper Stephen Grindlay turned Jon Robertson’s effort away from the target.

Nine minutes into the second half, though, came the goal that brought the points closer to Sons. Kirkpatrick’s free kick from the left caused a scramble in the area, with Miller thrashing home the loose ball.

Greg Stewart was close to pulling one back for Cowden straight away, and then on 62 minutes Robertson’s narrow angled shot was deflected behind.

However, from the resulting corner, another goalmouth scramble resulted in Armstrong firing into the net behind Grindlay, possibly with a deflection.

It was game on again, but with Sons still having a slight edge. And on 70 minutes, the nerves could be relaxed again.

Kirkpatrick’s free kick from the right hand corner of the area didn’t have much pace but rolled under Flynn’s body and into the net. Not quite game, set and match – but close enough to it.

Then seven minutes later it was done and dusted, courtesy of another assist by the busy Kirkpatrick. After beating two defenders, he cut the ball back from the goal line for the newly-introduced Fleming to score with only his second touch.

The next 12 and a half minutes were played out with Sons set to celebrate victory. However, the final 30 seconds contained one last hurrah.

It came from another lapse by Cowden, with a slack passback intercepted by Kane. The striker wasn’t caring about how it came, though – he was keen to snap up his first goal in three games and rounded the keeper to slot the ball home.

Another fine afternoon in a vintage season was rounded off in style. Is another one in store next Saturday?

Dundee are the visitors to the Rock, having taken all six points and scored seven goals against Sons in highly controversial fashion this season.

Ian Murray’s men will be up for revenge – and new Dens Park boss Paul Hartley failed to beat Dumbarton in three attempts as Alloa manager.

Be there.

Dumbarton: Grindlay; McGinn, Graham, Turner, Gilhaney, Agnew (Murray 65), Megginson (McDougall 79), Kirkpatrick, Nish (Fleming 76), Kane, Miller. Subs: Ewings; Smith, Prunty, Thomson. Booked: Kane.

Cowdenbeath: Flynn; McKeown, Armstrong, Wedderburn, Stevenson (S Stewart 76), G Stewart, Brett, Fowler, Milne, Robertson (Miller 76), Brownlie. Subs: Usai; Adamson, O’Brien, Gold, Kane. Booked: Milne.

Referee: Crawford Allan.

Crowd: 687

Do Sons have bouncebackability?

SATURDAY’S game at home to Cowdenbeath is Dumbarton’s annual test of a certain skill.

An attribute that was introduced to the game by Iain Dowie, then manager of Crystal Palace, in 2004.

Bouncebackability.

The match against the Blue Brazil is Sons’ first since going out of the William Hill Scottish Cup, with many keen to see how they react to last week’s exit at Aberdeen.

And the good news is – in that respect, they have shown fairly good bouncebackability over recent years.

In the last four seasons, they have taken seven league points out of 12 from their first league games since exiting the national knock-out competition.

The only defeat in that time was sustained in a high-octane game at Ayr United in 2011 – which was played FORTY-THREE days after the cup exit due to the big freeze.

On Saturday Sons are aiming to make it three unbeaten matches in a row after going out of the Scottish Cup.

Last season’s return to league action was the start of the renaissance under the management of Ian Murray.

Twelve days after the new boss’s debut, a 3-1 Scottish Cup fourth round defeat to Hamilton, they defeated Falkirk 4-3.

Two years ago, Sons recovered from their Scottish Cup third round exit at Brechin by drawing 0-0 against Saturday’s opponents, Cowdenbeath.

The result at Central Park was all the more notable due to the howling wind and lashing rain the game was played in – which saw an advertising hoarding blown almost the length of the pitch.

In total, over the last 10 full seasons, Sons have provided a winning response to a Scottish Cup exit three times, drawing three and losing the other four.

However, the defeats have come in some tough fixtures. Of the four teams who beat them, only Annan Athletic, during the 2008/09 season, did not go on to win promotion from their league.

As Sons have usually exited the Scottish Cup during the winter, the weather has forced them to wait various lengths of time to play their next match.

But there should be no problem weatherwise this Saturday when they go out on to their Bet Butler Stadium pitch looking for three vital points against Cowden.

Sons’ first games after going out of the Scottish Cup for the last 10 years:

2012/13: WON 4-3 away to Falkirk; 12 days after losing 3-1 to Hamilton Accies in round four.

2011/12: DREW 0-0 away to Cowdenbeath; 7 days after losing 3-0 to Brechin City in round three.

2010/11: LOST 2-0 away to Ayr United; 43 days after losing 2-1 to Morton in round three.

2009/10: WON 1-0 at home to Peterhead; 4 days after losing 1-0 to Morton in round three.

2008/09: LOST 2-1 away to Annan Athletic; 5 days after losing 2-1 to Ross County in round three.

2007/08: LOST 2-0 away to Stranraer; 7 days after losing 3-0 to St Mirren in round four.

2006/07: WON 1-0 away to Elgin City; 21 days after losing 4-0 to Celtic in round three (N.B. had been beating Arbroath 1-0 at half time 7 days after losing to Celtic, but game was then abandoned, and next game, at home to Stenhousemuir, was also called off)

2005/06: LOST 1-0 at home to Gretna; 7 days after losing 1-0 to Arbroath in round two.

2004/05: DREW 1-1 at home to Ayr United; 9 days after losing 3-1 to Berwick Rangers in round two.

2003/04: DREW 1-1 away to Stenhousemuir; 14 days after losing 4-0 to Gretna in round one.

Hard lines for Scott

SCOTT Linton would like nothing better than for Dumbarton to bounce back from cup disappointment with victory over Cowdenbeath on Saturday.

There’s just one thing, though – they’ll have to do it without him.

The romance of the Scottish Cup almost deserted the left back in Saturday’s 1-0 quarter final defeat at Aberdeen.

He conceded the corner that led to Adam Rooney’s winner after 53 minutes – before hobbling off with a hamstring injury 10 minutes later.

And while he’s still awaiting the verdict on his injury, it’s likely he’ll watch from the stands as Sons go up against his former club Cowden in this week’s league encounter.

But he has every confidence in his team-mates after a real hard luck story which saw Sons deserve to take at least a draw at Pittodrie.

He said: “I’m still not 100 per cent sure what the prognosis is. I’ll see the physio at training tomorrow and that will determine how long I will be out for. I can walk, but it is really tight in my hamstring area.

“Even if I feel an improvement, I might be better to sit out the Cowdenbeath game. You need to be 100 per cent sure with this injury that it will not happen again.

“It’s a general feeling of pride that we have after Saturday. We wanted to go up there and show Aberdeen that we can compete at a really good level.

“We gave them a fright with how well we played and we feel we should at least have got a draw to bring them back to our place.

“A couple of people have said that I was nudged in the back when they got the corner but I didn’t feel it at the time. I just knew that the ball had come off me.

“I haven’t stopped thinking about it since the game. I’ve spoken to Ian Murray and Jack Ross about it.

“But Aberdeen had 10 or 11 corners in the game and could have scored with any of them. It’s just something that’s happened.”

Despite that and the injury, it wasn’t all bad news for Scott, who left Cowden during the close season after five years as a first-team regular.

After 16 minutes he waltzed past high-profile duo Barry Robson and Willo Flood before sending in a shot which went narrowly wide.

And the defender hopes he can repeat the move later this season – with better results.

He continued: “I was quite surprised at how I managed that – I think I even surprised myself! I’ve not really been one for taking on players.

“I was a bit disappointed with the strike at the end because I am quite confident in my right foot.

“But hopefully you’ll see more of that build-up play from me. I’m not writing it off completely and have confidence from taking those two players on.

“We knew Saturday was going to be a tall order but we were all happy with how we played.

“As soon as the game was finished our focus switched to the next game. Our confidence is certainly not dented after taking Aberdeen right to the last minute.”

Many are viewing Saturday’s clash as a chance for Sons to put possibly irretrievable daylight between themselves and second-bottom Cowden.

But Scott insists that he and his team-mates aren’t worried about that particular battle – instead focusing on getting into the Championship’s top four.

Sons are unlikely to return to the top four this weekend as they are currently three points and a nine-goal difference behind fourth-placed Queen of the South.

However, they can do their case a lot of good with victory on Saturday – and Scott is targeting that whether he plays or not.

He added: “We are where we are in the league for a reason.

“To be honest, we haven’t really been looking over our shoulders for a while.

“The only way we have been looking is up, and whether we win on Saturday or not that will still be the case.

“When you look at the teams below you, you start to worry.”

Aberdeen 1 Dumbarton 0

WHAT was it the Rolling Stones sang?

You can’t always get what you want – but if you try sometimes, you might find you get what you need.

Dumbarton tried at Aberdeen on Saturday. And tried, and tried, and tried. On and off the pitch. But the needed romance of the cup just wasn’t there for them.

More than four months after their Scottish Cup trail began, it ended at the quarter final stage with an Adam Rooney header for the Dons on 53 minutes.

No-one outside Dumbarton seemed to rate their chances. But those with Sons connections knew just what a close game this would be.

And so it proved. Chances were limited in front of Sons’ goal, while they created their share of opportunities at the other end.

Right up until injury time, when Paul McGinn’s header was about a foot away from earning a deserved replay.

It would be no surprise if Aberdeen left the pitch after Sunday’s League Cup final, against Inverness CT, having enjoyed a more comfortable afternoon than they had against Sons.

However, they prevailed. Fifteen years after ‘A Shot at Glory’ rolled into town, Dumbarton’s cup campaign ended with similar heartache to that of Robert Duvall’s Kilnockie.

They were up against an Aberdeen side which had only three changes to the side which beat St Johnstone on league duty the previous week.

It was Sons’ Scott Linton who threatened first, though – after tying both Barry Robson and Willo Flood in knots out wide. His shot after cutting into the area went past the post.

Shortly afterwards Stephen Grindlay – restored in goal ahead of Jamie Ewings – kept out Robson’s header from six yards. A minute later, the same player sent in a shot which the keeper turned wide.

On 27 minutes Sons again went close, with another defender threatening to finish. This time it was Andy Graham who had the opportunity, but keeper Jamie Langfield just beat him to Scott Agnew’s downward header.

The skipper was then back in his normal duty, getting in the way of a powerful Rooney shot to deflect it off target.

Five minutes from half time Chris Kane found himself well placed in the area, but lost his footing at the vital moment and the chance disappeared.

When that happens, it usually tends not to be your day. But this was no ordinary occasion and no optimism was lost.

Just three minutes later Mitch Megginson found space to meet Mark Gilhaney’s cross but shot wide at full stretch.

Some may have felt Aberdeen would come out to dominate the second half from the off. They were wrong.

Two minutes after the interval Langfield dropped Agnew’s high ball into the area, with Russell Anderson just beating Kane to the loose ball.

Then Colin Nish set Agnew up inside the area but Langfield saved, with Andrew Considine getting in the way of the shot.

Agnew tried again from 20 yards but again the keeper denied him, before the decisive moment came.

Aberdeen forced a corner out of Linton on the right hand side and from Robson’s delivery, Rooney powered home a header.

Six minutes later another corner threatened a second home goal, but Anderson’s header was wide.

Then Johnny Hayes met Flood’s cross at the back post but headed across goal and off target.

And Ryan Jack then found space 20 yards out only for his low shot to hit the post.

All of those were close, but justice was being done. A one-goal deficit was harsh on Sons; a wider gap would have been ridiculous.

The game progressed to the 88th minute with no further sign of a goal from either side. Then came one last gear change from Sons for the final stages.

Sub Bryan Prunty got close to Jordan Kirkpatrick’s cross, but unfortunately for him Jack got closer and cleared.

Then, with injury time imminent another replacement, Garry Fleming, crossed into the area, where McGinn was waiting.

A stadium containing more than 10,000 fans held its breath. The right back headed downwards and beat Langfield, but the bounce was too much and the ball went over.

It simply was not to be.

Perhaps the breaks will come at home to Cowdenbeath this Saturday, back on league business.

It would be fully deserved for everyone’s efforts on the playing, coaching and supporting sides which, desperately unfortunately, were not rewarded at Pittodrie.

Next season’s Scottish Cup will be a Road to Hampden once again, with the national stadium re-opened.

Eight months to the third round. And counting.

Aberdeen: Langfield; Anderson, Considine, Reynolds, Flood, Hayes, Smith (McGinn 70), Robson (Low 88), Rooney (Vernon 84), Jack, Logan. Subs: Weaver; Shaughnessy, Zola, Tate.

Dumbarton: Grindlay; McGinn, Graham, Gilhaney, Agnew (Prunty 70), Megginson, Kirkpatrick, Linton (Smith 64), Nish (Fleming 60), Kane, Miller. Subs: Ewings; McDougall, Thomson, Murray.

Referee: Kevin Clancy.

Crowd: 10,600.

The momentous day?

DAYS, weeks, months, years. They all pass.

And in some cases, decades.

But they never lose their value. Never cease to be relaid to friends or family who weren’t there to share the moment.

The times in football when you can say: “I was there.”

The occasions when what happens on the pitch results in such euphoria that it engraves itself into your memory straight away.

When it’s your team, it becomes an immortal memory. When it’s your team on the receiving end, or you’re a neutral, you wonder when it’s going to happen to you.

It could happen to Dumbarton this Saturday.

It could be Sons and their fans who travel home from Aberdeen with memories of a moment that will live with them forever.

Memories like those enjoyed by 40,000 Manchester City fans of May 2012. They can watch Mario Balotelli laying the ball off for Sergio Aguero to put his laces through against QPR. And justly say that they were there on that glorious day.

Similar to those who followed Manchester United to the 1999 Champions League final against Bayern Munich. Injury time. Teddy Sheringham. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. They were minutes away from trying to forget they were ever in Barcelona.

Teams don’t have to win anything either. Barnes…Rush…Barnes. Thousands of Liverpool fans can still remember being there when Collymore was “closing iiiiiiin” against Newcastle.

We do have those in Scottish football as well. James McFadden provided one in Paris in 2007. Gary Caldwell, perhaps to a lesser extent, did so against the same France side at Hampden in 2006.

The events listed in the last four paragraphs all have one thing in common. They are occasions which, even when watched back on TV today, still have the witnesses recalling that they were there.

And this Saturday, at Pittodrie, could be Dumbarton’s ‘I was there’ moment.

When was the last time Sons REALLY had one of those, on the scale of Manchester City 2012 or Faddy 2007? How would a victory at Pittodrie compare with the various triumphs the club has enjoyed in recent times?

Airdrie 2012? Annan 2009? Both phenomenal events to be part of, and days which will live long in the memory, but in both cases, the hard work had arguably been done in advance.

The first leg against the Diamonds had already been won, while only a mathematical nightmare could deny Sons the post-match title celebrations at Annan.

John Wight, Queen’s Park, 2002? Dramatic it certainly was, and another deserved place in the club’s history.

Stirling 1995, though? A day when Sons, having been in the Second Division’s top two for much of the season, were underdogs going to Forthbank on the campaign’s last day. Nineteen years later, the 2-0 victory in the winner-takes-all clash still lives on.

But it’s probably the closest you’ve got in (fairly) recent times to what a victory at Pittodrie would mean. In terms of ‘I was there’ value, a Sons win in Aberdeen would be off the scale.

There will be no trophy in front of Ian Murray on the team bus dashboard when it returns. Not even a place in a final.

But this is a game where, let’s face it, very few outside of Dumbarton give the visitors much hope of winning. To paraphrase the late Sid Waddell, Sons aren’t just the underdog, they’re the underpuppy.

This assignment, though, is undertaken with what many view as the best Sons side in a generation. Perform as they can, and Aberdeen won’t finish them off with one blow. They’ll have to keep battering until the end.

And if it’s the same Dumbarton standard as we’ve seen in the vast majority of games this season, the Dons won’t get that chance. They won’t be allowed to attack relentlessly. This Sons team won’t let them.

Their reward for victory is to be the first Dumbarton squad in 38 years to play in a Scottish Cup semi-final. But this season, three league points have usually been enough incentive.

It is going to be a special day at Aberdeen. Dumbarton – promotion-chasing Dumbarton – will be roared on by hundreds of fans as they bid to stand out on the map they’ve already put themselves on this season.

If they come out of the game with victory, they’ll give friends, family, children, grandchildren and further generations three words to hear endlessly.

I was there.

But no-one will get bored of telling the same story over again.

Good luck Sons.