Cowdenbeath 1 Dumbarton 3

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WHISPER it. Do it so quietly that even in the confines of Central Park’s old stand, you couldn’t hear it.

But Dumbarton just might be on the brink of starting 2015 with a win over Rangers at Ibrox.

Sound fanciful? It’s all adding up.

Exhibit A was Sons’ performance at Cowdenbeath. It gave them their fourth win in six games. It closed the first half of the league season. Most importantly, it was their best display of the season by a stretch.

Colin Nish’s opener may have been equalised by Craig Sutherland for Cowden during a rare subdued spell by Dumbarton in the second half.

But within minutes they were back in front through Lee Mair’s header. Then the moment which sealed it was simply stunning.

After the hosts had Thomas O’Brien sent off, the resulting free kick by Garry Fleming was a cannonball which left the home keeper floundering.

But goalie Robbie Thomson can at least take some consolation from the fact he saved his team from even more of a doing. This was 3-1 going on seven or eight.

From the start Sons were slick, efficient and threatening on a scale not seen since they destroyed Hamilton Accies’ title dreams in April.

Now, in this sort of form, they have Rangers in their sights on Saturday.

And other evidence of why they should talk about it is manifesting itself at Ibrox. The Gers’ off-field situation is speaking for itself and their 4-0 defeat at Hibernian suggests that trouble is translating on to the pitch.

Despite that, not many outside G82, G83 or G84 will give Sons a chance on Saturday. But just consider this – if not now, when can they go to Ibrox and get a result?

They weren’t always in control of the first half at Central Park, but consistently looked the more likely side to score.

Fleming was played in on goal but after getting to the edge of the area, his shot was blocked at close range. Keeper Danny Rogers was then on form to deny Kyle Miller from distance.

Nish had a shot from Chris Kane’s downward header which just hit the wrong side of the net, while the returning Archie Campbell was given a glorious opportunity.

However, after being set up with just Thomson to beat on the edge of the area, his low finish was wide. There was better luck for Nish, though, eight minutes from half time.

Scott Linton, also back in the starting line-up, laid the ball off for the striker, whose finish was deflected into the net.

A bigger cushion would not have been unmerited at half time, but Andy Graham, and then Nish, had further efforts saved as the interval loomed.

Sons were slower to get going at the start of the second half, and a warning sign came just after the hour mark when Sutherland turned the defence of the area but shot wide.

It wasn’t a strong enough warning as the equaliser came in 66 minutes. In saying that, it arrived after a clear foul on Fleming right in front of the assistant referee.

Nothing was given and, after a low ball across goal Sutherland – twice a pre-season trialist at Dumbarton in previous days – couldn’t miss.

But two minutes later the earlier version of Dumbarton resurfaced to the best possible effect.

Scott Agnew sent over a corner from the right, and Mair’s glancing header at the near post gave him his first goal for the club.

And four minutes later O’Brien got too close to Kane, clipping his heels as he ran through on the penalty area.

He saw red. Fleming saw an opportunity. He buried it.

The red card may have contributed, but the rest of the game was an onslaught which went unrewarded. After the keeper parried from the inspired Nish, he somehow kept him out from the rebound.

Nish then had an audacious first time volley from Mark Gilhaney’s cross, but the keeper again saved.

And in the final minute, the striker had the final sign that he had to settle for one goal on the day. His low shot rolled towards goal with the keeper beaten, but hit the post.

As final games of the year go, this was great. And all the signs are there that 2015 can start in similar fashion.

Because if it can’t happen now, it’s hard to think when it will.

Cowdenbeath: Thomson; O’Brien, Wedderburn, Robertson, Milne, Sutherland, Higgins, Kane (Scullion 69), Miller, Marshall, Halsman. Subs: Sneddon; Campbell, Jurisic, Brownlie, Lynas, Callaghan. Booked: Wedderburn. Sent off: O’Brien.

Dumbarton: Rogers; Van Zanten, Linton, Graham, Mair, Turner (Taggart 88), Agnew, Nish, Fleming (Gilhaney 81), Campbell (Megginson 77), Kane. Subs: Ewings; Murray, McDougall, MacDonald. Booked: Linton.

Referee: Kevin Clancy.

Crowd: 556.

Scottish football’s greatest moments of 2014 – number 1

THE walk up Easter Road, away from the stadium towards the main carriageway, is a long one.

In the aftermath of a match, it can be riddled with emotion either way. It offers time to reflect on a glorious triumph which gives you what you want. There’s also the possibility of hundreds of steps of thinking of what might have been. Of where it went wrong, of why you’ve ended up where you are.

One of those was going to be handed down to Hibernian supporters, the other to Hamilton Accies fans, on Sunday, May 18. And four days in advance, there was a strong inkling of which was going to be which.

Two goals by Jason Cummings, unanswered by Hamilton, had given Hibs a strong advantage in the first leg of the Premiership play-off final. Not only did the Edinburgh side hold a 2-0 advantage, they were taking it into the second leg on their own pitch. All they had to do was keep it simple and sensible. They could even lose by the odd goal.

For the neutral, this wasn’t ideal. Tuning into TV for the second leg was more in hope than expectation of the deficit being overturned. Hamilton didn’t have an air of total resignation, but were in no doubt about how hard they had to work to pull it off.

And it took only 12 minutes for that graft to start paying off. Jason Scotland scored and this game was well and truly on. The longer it continued, the more nerves became frayed, the closer hands got to heads, the more it became a question of looking through the gaps in your fingers. But Accies still needed another goal.

Ninety minutes arrived. It was all set to come to nothing, how hard Hamilton had pushed champions Dundee over the Championship season, and then to beat Falkirk in the play-off semi-final. Then, just when it was all vanishing before their very eyes, a touch of the ball from Tony Andreu rescued it all. He equalised. An extra half hour was on its way, with Accies having total momentum with them.

Those 30 minutes saw no further goals, meaning the last place in the 2014/15 top flight would be decided by penalties. Kevin Cuthbert saved Hibs’ first kick from Kevin Thomson. Then Cummings, the man whose double made it look a fait accompli after 90 minutes of the tie, had the same fate.

A tie which had looked over at the midway point had become pure sporting theatre. Something which 2014 in Scottish football will be remembered for.

Scottish football’s greatest moments of 2014: number 2

2. Alloa Athletic 3 Rangers 2 – Wednesday, December 3

As soon as the ball left Dean Shiels’ boot and headed for the corner of the Alloa net, that was it. Surely. The scene was set for a Livingston v Rangers Challenge Cup final.

After all, the part-time Wasps had been working all day and despite the fact that they’d already drawn with the Gers twice in the league, this was almost certainly a bridge too far. Even if they did manage to secure a third level scoreline after 90 minutes, extra time would do them in. As 9pm approached, they still had the 2-0 deficit to overcome, with Shiels’ goal having added to an earlier effort from Kenny Miller. Having lost last season’s Challenge Cup final to Raith Rovers, Rangers were set for another crack at lifting the trophy.

In fact, even when Greig Spence pulled one back for Alloa with 18 minutes left, the doubts remained. Sure, it gave Rangers something to think about. But again – this is a part-time side we’re talking about, playing against a team containing many past, present and maybe future Scotland squad members? Following a full shift at work? Despite halving the deficit, the script is still written for the Gers to see this game out?

One hundred and twenty seconds after that goal, that script was only being followed very loosely. Eddie Ferns delivered a low ball into the box and Ryan McCord finished. Now it WAS going to be a case of Alloa trying to last an extra half hour, unless they could come up with one last knock-out blow, and withstand the prospect of any more from Rangers. The latter looked set to prevail going into the game’s final minutes, but Jon Daly was kept out by a point blank save from Craig McDowall. When that happens, and you’ve just fought back from being 2-0 down, it tends to be your night.

Alloa could just have looked to keep possession and try their luck over an extra 30 minutes, instead of going for the winner and risk losing the decisive goal themselves. But with one last throw of the dice, they provided the most stunning climax. Steven Hetherington’s pass from the left found Spence, who stuck away his second goal. The hundreds of Alloa fans, who less than 20 minutes earlier were preparing to congratulate their team on a valiant effort which just came up short, were now in ecstasy. With the successfully navigated dying minutes of the game, that was it. The blue and white ribbons could stay in the SPFL’s offices on Sunday, April 5. Black and gold ones are all they will need when Alloa take on Livingston.

It’s worth repeating again – this was a side who were not only given a prayer by very few outside Clackmannanshire, they had also been working all day. Yet they found it within themselves to fight back from 2-0 down with 18 minutes left. While much of the focus in the following day’s media was on how Rangers threw it away, there had to be recognition of Alloa’s efforts. An amazing evening, the likes of which we may never see again for a long time.

Honourable mention also to Queen of the South’s 2-0 win over Rangers nine days later, which was too late to be included in this countdown.

Number 1 will be published on Christmas Eve.

Scottish football’s 50 greatest moments of 2014 – number 3

3. Scotland 1 Republic of Ireland 0 – Friday, November 14

No-one said anything about this being a countdown only for club football…did they?

Ahead of facing the Republic of Ireland in a must-win Euro 2016 qualifier, questions were asked about when the last time was that Scotland won a fixture of this magnitude. Probably when some managers of today were turning out in the navy blue shirt. Ukraine at Hampden in October 2007 was probably the last occasion. Since then, amidst the dross served up under George Burley and Craig Levein, key home matches against Norway, the Czech Republic and Serbia had each seen two points frittered away. Now it was time for a statement to be made.

There was no doubting the start Gordon Strachan had made as Scotland manager ahead of this game. Performances were improved, morale was raised and there was genuine hope that the Euro 2016 qualification campaign could end in success. However, the points his team gained in the World Cup 2014 process were just for points’ sake. The two wins over Croatia, and the victory in Macedonia, while all enjoyable, were obtained after, to our shame, we became the first European side to officially exit the World Cup.

A 2-1 defeat in Germany wasn’t unexpected, but was made harder to accept in the games to follow, with both Poland and the Republic of Ireland taking points from the world champions. While that was going on, we gained a victory over Georgia and got a not-too-shabby draw in Poland. But this really was it. The Republic of Ireland simply had to be beaten on our home territory if we were to keep ourselves on course.

We knew it wasn’t going to be easy. And for 74 tense, nervous minutes, it proved exactly that. Chances came for both sides, chances were missed by both sides, and neither goal was breached. Then all it took was five touches for the deadlock to be broken. Corner taken short by Shaun Maloney to Ikechi Anya, and then returned. Another one-two, from slightly longer distance, with Scott Brown. And whack. Goal.

The goal that kept us on course. The next big game isn’t until June – let’s face it, if we can’t beat Gibraltar, and beat them well, at home in March then we really don’t deserve to be in with a shout. Then it is on to Dublin.

While on the international theme, it’s worth noting that the Scotland national women’s team also achieved a goal of their own this year, reaching the play-offs for the 2015 World Cup. However, the Netherlands eventually proved too big an obstacle to overcome.

With two automatic places up for grabs in the men’s qualification group, let’s hope play-offs aren’t needed and we’re off to France. It’s about time.

Number 2 will be published on Tuesday, December 23.

Skipper hits a century

THE end of the year is approaching – but for Andy Graham, tomorrow is about rounding off a century.

Dumbarton’s game against Falkirk tomorrow is set to be the skipper’s 100th game for the club – and he’ll play it live on TV.

And the 31-year-old wants to mark the occasion by beating the Bairns and making it four wins in five for Sons.

That’s a run which has moved them up to sixth in the Championship table – eight points clear of the bottom two.

But while it’s mostly been down to performances and goals, Andy reckons there may be a bit of the luck of the Irish involved.

He said: “We went to Dublin for our Christmas night out at the end of November and we’re unbeaten since we came back!

“Two years ago we tried to get a night out planned, but our Scottish Cup tie with Hamilton kept getting re-arranged and we had to cancel the party, so we had it early this year.

“It’s brilliant that I’m about to reach 100 appearances. It’s good to do that for any club, especially in this day and age when players move from club to club.

“Someone told me after we beat Raith Rovers last week that I’d just played my 75th consecutive game for Dumbarton as well. I don’t think I’ve ever got anywhere near that before!

“We’re looking forward to playing Falkirk. We’re on a good run of form and are in a positive frame of mind.

“When we played them away from home in September we got a draw but we didn’t play very well.

“So we have a point to prove that we are better than that day when we play them at our place.”

Tomorrow’s game is a 5.30pm kick-off and will be watched by a Scotland-wide audience on BBC Alba.

However, Andy, who has played live on TV before for Hamilton Accies, insists that the players won’t feel the presence of the TV cameras.

He continued: “It will be a bit different for us. With it being a late kick-off things will be a bit out of sync with our pre-match preparation, but these occasions are why you play football.

“There’s also a bit extra incentive as you know your mates will be watching, so you try not to make any mistakes!

“I played live on TV for Hamilton against both of the Old Firm. The build-up to the game was big because they were both going for the league title.

“But when it gets to the game, your last thought is with the TV cameras. You don’t think about it once it starts.”

The Falkirk match is Sons’ last home fixture before the season’s midway point, with just next Saturday’s trip to Cowdenbeath remaining in 2014.

And there are New Year resolutions among the squad, with a triumph over one of the Championship’s high-profile clubs in Sons’ sights.

Andy added: “We would definitely have accepted the position we’re in at the start of the season, especially with how much stronger the league is.

“It’s been our main focus to stay in the league and we’re on course to do that.

“We’ve taken a point off Hearts and Hibs so far and we’re aiming for something from the Rangers and Hearts games at the start of the New Year.

“We know what those teams are about and done okay in most of the games against them. Against Hearts away I thought they were very strong, and we maybe let ourselves down in the home league game against Rangers.

“But we’ve held our own the rest of the time and we are looking forward to the matches to come.”

Dumbarton v Falkirk – BBC Alba; 5.30pm tomorrow (December 20).

Scottish football’s 50 greatest moments of 2014 – numbers 5 and 4

5. Dundee win the Championship title

Quite often in this series, it hasn’t just been what teams have done. It’s been the way they’ve done it.

And in this case, it could hardly have been more dramatic. Even in the away enclosure of Dens Park, watching Dumbarton as very much the underdogs, there was a lot to be said for attendance on Tayside on Saturday, May 3.

The scenario was simple – a win for Dundee and they were on their way back to the top flight after only a season away. Failure by Hamilton Accies to win at home to Morton would also do the job, but as we’ve already established in this countdown, that wasn’t quite the case.

Half time arrived with the deal looking done. Christian Nade had given Dundee the lead and then Peter MacDonald, just as he did in the other three games against Sons over the season, scored to widen the gap. This, though, was a Dumbarton side who on several occasions this season had shown real battling quality. Giving up wasn’t on their agenda.

A Scott Agnew penalty conversion sent most of the bumper Dens Park crowd very quiet. Another goal and, with Hamilton already running riot, the helicopter was changing direction. Then with eight minutes left Sons’ Chris Kane chased a through ball only to go down under Kyle Benedictus’ challenge.

Referee Bobby Madden said no to the appeals. And with the final whistle imminent, Bryan Prunty asked one last question of Dundee. His effort was saved at point blank range.

In the end the Dark Blues survived to become champions. But this was an afternoon for the neutrals every bit as much as home fans.

4. Raith Rovers win the Challenge Cup

Some cup finals are viewed as a write-off by much of the national media from the word go.

Manchester United v Millwall 2005 prevailed as such. Hearts v Gretna 2006 only just saw the favourites triumph. Raith Rovers v Celtic 1994 – we know what happened there.

Twenty years later Raith were back in a final as the underdogs. But this was different. Against Rangers in the Challenge Cup final, they were the team in the HIGHER division. Yet in the eyes of many of the press, it was a simple matter of how many they would be beaten by at Easter Road.

Even though it was the same ground where they had already famously booted Hibernian out of the Scottish Cup, already featured in this series.

The contest rumbled on without a goal as chances came and went for both sides. The full time whistle arrived with neither goal being breached, but still those tipping Rangers for the honours weren’t worried. They’d surely do it in extra time.

But the longer the added half hour went on, the more doubts crept in. And with four minutes left, John Baird created space in the area and fired home the goal that won the cup for Raith.

Addendum: Yep, on reflection, St Johnstone’s Scottish Cup victory should have been ranked closer to this position. It’s a first go at doing this series and mistakes are made to be learned from.

Number 3 will be published on Monday, December 22.

Scottish football’s 50 greatest moments of 2014 – number 6

6. Alloa Athletic’s great escape – Saturday, May 3

This correspondent wrote it in the programme for Dumbarton v Hamilton Accies on the penultimate day of the season: “There will be an ‘Aguerooooooooo’ moment somewhere in the Championship next Saturday.”

What it was impossible to predict was that it would happen in one game, but positively impact on a team playing elsewhere.

Alloa Athletic entered the final day of the season a point clear of Cowdenbeath, who occupied second-bottom place ahead of long-time relegated Morton. However, it wasn’t quite so straightforward. The Wasps’ last match of the season was away to Falkirk, who depending on results elsewhere could still be champions. Cowden’s game was at home to Queen of the South, who had one foot in the play-offs and could only be denied a place by defeat at Central Park and a big enough victory for Dumbarton at Dundee to overturn the goal difference. If Alloa were going to stay up in their first season back in Scottish football’s second tier, it would be done with real guts – especially as they had won away from home only once since Saturday, December 7 2013, and that was at Morton.

Mark Beck opened the scoring early on for Falkirk, but Kevin Cawley equalised for Alloa within six minutes. Half time arrived with both Alloa and Cowdenbeath’s matches deadlocked and with Dumbarton 2-0 down at Dundee, Queens’ play-off place was pretty much guaranteed. Which was bad news for the Wasps, as the Dumfries club had virtually nothing to go out and play for in the second half. Worse news was to follow at Falkirk as, just after the hour mark, Craig Sibbald restored Falkirk’s lead. Then disaster followed – along the motorway at Central Park, where Kane Hemmings scored for Cowdenbeath. In the final minute at Falkirk, Beck scored again for the home side and, as it stood, Alloa’s season would have to be prolonged by another four games if they were to survive.

Upon the final whistle, players and fans were reflecting on the possibility of surviving through the play-offs, and whether optimism could be restored in time for a trip to Ayr the following Wednesday. But as plans were being made for Somerset Park, sensational news emerged. Some say it was Danny Carmichael, others say it was Bob McHugh. Queen of the South had scored after what seemed endless injury time. In doing so, they had saved the club who were newly-promoted with them at the end of last season. Moments like those are why fans with radios are synonymous with the last day of the season.

Because sometimes, it does happen for you elsewhere.

Number 5 will be published on Friday, December 19.

Scottish football’s 50 greatest moments of 2014 – number 7

7. Stirling Albion win promotion – Sunday, May 18

Since the play-offs were introduced in 2005, the levels of drama in the finals have been mixed.

Sometimes they’ve been done and dusted after the first leg. Other times one team has had an advantage going into the second match, before crushing the opposition once and for all over that 90 minutes. Case in point for the latter would be Dumbarton’s triumph over Airdrie in 2012. But occasionally, the drama and excitement the play-offs were brought in for has been in full evidence. One Sunday afternoon in Methil was a perfect example in a dramatic swing of emotions for both sets of fans.

Stirling Albion’s players, fans and officials would have been forgiven for leaving Forthbank Stadium on Wednesday, May 14 with only the faintest hope left. They’d lost 2-1 to East Fife in the first leg of the play-off final, with home advantage, and with a late winner. Ross Forsyth’s opening goal that night looked as if they would make the most of that home advantage, but Scott McBride’s equaliser with 20 minutes left hinted that it was all to play for at New Bayview. And then, with a minute to go, Nathan Austin’s winner handed the Fifers a massive advantage. All they had to do to stay up was see the game out on their own turf. Stirling, in a bid to return to the third tier after two years away, had to dig deep. Very deep.

Fifteen minutes remained of the second leg, with the game still goalless and East Fife still retaining hope of another four local derbies with Dunfermline in season 2014/15. Then – salvation for Stirling, with Jordan White, their talisman over the season, lobbing home a shot from a tight angle. The job wasn’t done – there is no away goals rule in the play-offs and as it stood, an extra half hour was in prospect. As the minutes ticked by, it was being prepared for. A season’s worth of effort, by both sides, was going to be extended.

But nine minutes were left when one of those moments happened that this type of fixture was invented for. Sandy Cunningham slammed home a volleyed shot and suddenly it was the visitors in control. From a position of desperation merely eight minutes beforehand, they were nine minutes away from being rewarded for their efforts after all.

They succeeded where East Fife had failed. They hung on.

Number 6 will be published on Thursday, December 18.

Putting the boot into Raith

SCOTT Agnew took to the field on Saturday not knowing whether his new boots were shooting ones.

Within 22 minutes he had his answer.

Thirty-five yards from goal, the Dumbarton midfielder delivered a netbuster of a shot to open the scoring against Raith Rovers.

And as if that wasn’t enough, one of the same pair of boots stroked home the winning goal from the penalty spot.

That was Scott’s third goal of the season – and they have all come against the men from Kirkcaldy.

All the more reason for BBC Alba to interview him ahead of Dumbarton’s live televised fixture at home to Falkirk this Saturday – his second recent TV appearance after featuring on Sky’s Soccer AM.

Scott said: “They’re new boots so I was under a bit of pressure, but obviously they worked for me, so I’m delighted.

“It was more important that we got the three points and we’re now looking forward to the next game.

“I don’t know if I wish the Sky cameras had caught my first goal but I’m sure there will be highlights somewhere.

“It was one I just had to go for and I was delighted to see it hit the back of the net.

“It seems that Raith Rovers are a lucky side for me but I’m just glad I was able to get on the scoresheet.

“I did an interview for BBC Alba through the week for their coverage of the Falkirk game and was more than happy to take part.”

The win was Sons’ third in the last four games, and the aim is for them to continue the sequence against the Bairns, and then at Cowdenbeath.

That is followed by a visit to Rangers at New Year, and then a home clash with league leaders Hearts.

Without a win against any of the more high-profile clubs in the Championship, Scott and his team-mates are well aware of the opportunity to put themselves on the map.

He added: “We’ll just take every game as it comes. We will treat Saturday no differently to how we usually do, even though it is on TV.

“It’s great to be on a run, especially by beating the teams around us in the league.

“We’re looking forward to the New Year games but every fixture is a big one for us. These are matches that you look back and remember.

“Alloa’s recent win over Rangers just shows what can happen and hopefully we can do something like it.”

 

Scottish football’s 50 greatest moments of 2014 – number 8

8. Rangers 1 Albion Rovers 1 – Sunday, March 9

Even with only one division separating the sides, in the eyes of many this was set to be the story of plucky part-timers bowing out of the Scottish Cup to the heavy favourites.

Albion Rovers had already knocked out Motherwell in round four of last season’s competition – an event which happened in November 2013 and therefore doesn’t make this countdown. However, having then edged out Stenhousemuir, their quarter final assignment was a write-off in just about every quarter. An away tie with Rangers was set to be a major payday for the Coatbridge club and that was that. They were going to Ibrox to be tourists and the Gers, already cantering to the League One title, were set to add a Scottish Cup semi-final place to their roll of honour with a minimum of fuss. But 10 men in yellow, and one in a green goalkeeper jersey, had other ideas.

Twenty three thousand fans were in attendance in Govan – and most of them fell into stunned silence after 14 minutes. The goal that put them into that mode could barely have had a more fitting scorer, either. Ciaran Donnelly, a loyal servant to Albion Rovers through bad times and good since 2005, took advantage of a slack loose ball in the Rangers area and blasted home. Having already bowed out of the Challenge Cup to Rangers this season by way of a 4-0 defeat at ‘home’ (at Almondvale Stadium in Livingston), were Rovers about to get their revenge?

For more than an hour, it was on the cards. Half time arrived with Rovers – who had missed out on league fixtures against the Gers by virtue of their relegation and the Ibrox club’s promotion – still ahead. Sixty minutes passed. Seventy-five minutes passed. Still the score was in lights as a one-goal lead to the visitors. Then, on 78, David Templeton sent over a ball which Bilel Mohsni went up for, in a close battle with goalkeeper Neil Parry. The ball found the net, but the attention was on the officials, as to whether they felt the defender had impeded Parry in going for the cross.

Referee John Beaton ruled that the goal was good. Twelve goalless minutes later the game ended with a 1-1 scoreline. Rangers, the team thought by so many to have an easy path into the semi-finals, had survived by the skin of their teeth.

The teams went back to New Douglas Park in Hamilton for the replay – the scene of Rovers’ earlier victory over Motherwell. However, this was where their fortune ran out, as Rangers won 2-0 and got their semi-final place. On another day, who knows if they’d even have had the opportunity of a second go at the Coatbridge club?

Number 7 will be published on Wednesday, December 17.