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IN a way, it was somewhat fitting.
That the first victory of ’15 came with game number 15 of Dumbarton’s unbeaten run against Alloa.
But out of Sons’ previous eight games this year, how many had seen them play better and come away with less than the three points?
Rangers, Raith Rovers and Falkirk away, unquestionably. Most of the Cowdenbeath home game, and even in spells against Hearts and Livingston despite the 5-1 defeats.
Throw in last week’s home game against Queen of the South, which was solid if lacking in serious threat. And you just have the one-sided Hibernian match left.
However, all that counts for nothing courtesy of one fact. Dumbarton put the ball in the net during this game, Garry Fleming doing so from the penalty spot on 42 minutes.
Alloa, for all the times they went close, didn’t.
And while Sons can’t yet totally relax about the prospect of Championship football again next season, their position suddenly looks a whole lot better.
They did enough. Fleming’s conversion, from his first-ever penalty attempt in a Sons jersey, was decisive.
But there was more than one occasion when their second consecutive clean sheet was under threat. Liam Buchanan missed a gilt-edged chance after rounding Danny Rogers, while the keeper somehow kept out Greg Rutherford at point blank range.
Despite being beaten by Sons on all three occasions this season, Alloa have certainly not been the worst opposition. They are creative and do not give many goals away.
They don’t take many for themselves either, though. This was their seventh failure to score in nine games this year.
A fact that may well have handed Sons this game. It was the kind they’d have lost a few weeks ago.
The breaks even themselves out over a season. Rarely truer than in this game.
In saying that, Sons were denied a break after only five minutes when Ben Gordon hauled down Chris Duggan, who was through on goal.
Despite his well-placed assistant flagging for a foul, referee Andrew Dallas bewildered almost everyone in the stadium by playing on.
The first threat came from Scott Agnew’s volley, which went over, before Buchanan chased down a long ball on 12 minutes.
His touch took him away from Rogers, but from a tight angle, he shot across goal and past the far post.
Scott Linton was next to go close with a shot which was cleared off the line, while Scott Taggart had an effort saved.
But Rogers again had to be on form, saving from Isaac Layne, with the ball spinning loose but eventually cleared.
A tepid first half was proving frustrating for both sides, but the breakthrough came Sons’ way three minutes from half time.
Dylan Easton’s clever run was ended by a trip from Kevin Cawley inside the area, with Fleming dispatching the penalty.
With the wind advantage, it was hoped that Sons could finish the job in the second half.
However, after Agnew had again gone close with a 25-yard effort, they somehow scrambled the ball off the line following a corner. The ball fell to Jonathan Tiffoney, but Rogers got behind his shot.
Agnew tried again, this time from the edge of the area, but again his finish was narrowly wide.
And after Michael Doyle’s shot was deflected off target, the luckiest escape of them all came along.
Rutherford met a cross from the left at the back post, looking certain to score, but Rogers turned his effort on to the bar, with the loose ball cleared.
Mitch Megginson had an injury time chance to seal it for Sons when, in similar fashion to Buchanan, he got round the goalkeeper.
His finish was on target, but Ryan McCord got there just in time to clear.
Maybe it was a case of ‘better lucky than good’. But how many times have Dumbarton been more good than lucky?
It’s hard to see two of Alloa, Cowdenbeath and Livingston overtaking them in the final quarter of the season.
However, it’s never too early to finish the job.
Dumbarton: Rogers; Linton, Graham, Turner (Petrie 63), Gilhaney, Agnew, Duggan, Taggart, Fleming (Megginson 87), Easton (Campbell 82), Findlay. Subs: Ewings; McCallum, Wilson. Booked: Turner.
Alloa Athletic: McDowall; Docherty, Gordon, Meggatt, Cawley, McCord, Marr, Doyle (Rutherford 81), Buchanan, Layne (Spence 68), Roberts (Tiffoney 46). Subs: Couser; Holmes, Benedictus, Flannigan. Booked: Gordon, Meggatt.
Referee: Andrew Dallas.
Crowd: 791.
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