Peterhead 4 Dumbarton 0

Missing
By Sonny Rock
February 24 2002

Dumbarton were made to pay for missing a host of early chances as they slumped to yet another defeat in what is turning in to a nightmare start to 2002.Missing Paddy Flannery badly Sons dominated for the first 30 mins before being hit by two sucker punches before the break, then it was all downhill.

Peterhead vs Dumbarton at Balmoor Park, Peterhead Bells Division Three Saturday, 16th February 2002 (15:00) Peterhead 4 - 0 Dumbarton Stewart 24, 67 Tindal 34 Robertson 90   Report by Sonny Rock Dumbarton were made to pay for missing a host of early chances as they slumped to yet another defeat in what is turning in to a nightmare start to 2002.Missing Paddy Flannery badly Sons dominated for the first 30 mins before being hit by two sucker punches before the break, then it was all downhill. Sons started brightly and John DIllon (who like the rest of the midfield actually had not bad games), Danny McKelvie, Mark Crilly, Martin Lauchlan and John McKeown all had good efforts. Indeed Sons had hit the woodwork twice in the first 20 minutes. Sons could have taken the lead after John Dillon's 35 yard volley almost took Ivor Pirie in the Blue Toon goal over the line. Sons went behind after Peterhead's first attack. From a corner the ball was mishit towards the goal before Stewart got flicked a header past John Wight. Sons again took the game to Peterhead but their attacking options were further limited when the lively Danny McKelvie (who had been doing a solo job up front thanks to a terrible performance from Andy Brown) was crocked, trialist Robert Dunn came on to make his debut. Sons were hit with a killer second on 34 minutes when a rare Peterhead foray forward lead to a free-kick on the edge of the box when Kevin McCann was adjudged to have fouled Stewart. Kevin Tindall's curling free-kick gave John Wight no chance in the Sons goal as it rattled off the underside of the bar and in. Two attacks leading to two goals - unbelievable. Half-Time: Peterhead 2 Dumbarton 0 Sons still pushed forward after the break as the midfield of Robertson, Dillon, Crilly and Lauchlan still looked to be outplaying their opponents. Unfortunately this was broken up by big Andy Brown who was having an absolute stinker and failed to win a single header or create a single attack the entire match. Tom Carson should have taken the big fella off but instead stuck by him the entire match. Martin Lauchlan decided to take matters in to his own hands and ran at the Peterhead defence beating two men Lauchlan passed the ball netbound beyond Pirie unfortunately Andy Brown had got himself into an offside position and touched the ball over the line - no goal. This knocked the stuffing out of Sons and Peterhead took control of the match. It was no surprise Stewart put Peterhead 3-0 and finished the match as a contest. Tom Carson then made some strange substitutions when he took off Joe Robertson for Martin O'Neil. Joe may have been quite happy to be taken off after the barrage of foul mouthed abuse he received from a well known Dumbarton fan who constantly berated his own player whenever he ventured near the touchline - shameful stuff from someone who should know better. Amazingly Martin Lauchlan was then taken off for Craig Lynes which out Sons on the back foot for the remainder of the match. Keith Robertson completed the scoring for Peterhead as Sons goal difference took a pasting which may prove costly at the end of the season. Full-Time: Peterhead 4 Dumbarton 0 Speaking to Paddy Flannery at the match the big striker was full of concern for team-mate Davie Stewart and it was good to see him making the journey up with his fellow team-mates. The match against Queens Park now takes on even more importance as Sons must get back to winning ways.     LINK: Talk about it on the Message Board. Teams: Peterhead: Pirie, Canning, King, Stuart Mackay, Simpson, Tindal, Cooper (Bissett 82), Stewart, Wood (Robertson 79), Johnston (Clark 68), Livingstone  Unused Subs: Yeats, Buchanan. Dumbarton:  Wight, Bonar, Brittain, McCann, McKeown, Dillon, Lauchlan (Lynes 80), Crilly, McKelvie (Dunn 27), Brown, Robertson (O'Neill 71). Unused Subs: Jack, Hillcoat. Discipline Details Dumbarton: Yellow Cards: McCann Red Cards: None Peterhead: Yellow Cards: None Red Cards: None Referee: Attendance: G.Mitchell. 589.