Dumbarton 0
Forfar Athletic 2
League (League 1)

Match Report

THIS wasn't supposed to happen.

Nobody said League One would be easy for Dumbarton. Everybody should have known it would be a huge exercise with 36 rounds of hard work.

But things weren't expected to be like this on matchday two.

The first home game of the campaign is an opportunity to make an impression early doors. To show your new opponents that this is your fortress, that it is a place to fear visiting.

Sons did not do that. A double by Forfar assistant manager John Baird undid a lot of the positive start to the season at East Fife the previous week.

On another day, this game might have been better for Sons. Maybe Rory Loy's early header would have found the net. Maybe Calum Gallagher's penalty, six minutes from half time, wouldn't have been saved.

One bad result at that stage, of course, is not fatal to a season, any more than one good one wraps anything up.

But for the second Saturday in three, Dumbarton reached 5pm knowing they needed a response to a hugely disappointing afternoon.

Loy's header in the second minute came from a Ross Forbes cross, but his header was over.

Forbes then tried himself with a 25-yard free kick, but the keeper turned his shot wide before Baird headed wide from a decent position.

He was then given a second chance on 26 minutes, and this time made no mistake. After connecting with a high ball into the area, he spun away from the defence and finished.

Dumbarton's response was decent but failed to make the desired impact. Gallagher headed past before the keeper saved from Andy Dowie's header.

Then six minutes from half time, the same keeper saved from Gallagher's penalty after the striker was held in the area by Michael Travis.

Seeking more threat in the second half, Sons had most of the possession but the keeper remained largely untroubled.

And with 20 minutes left, Forfar passed their way through and Baird was left to roll the ball home from 18 yards.

Kyle Hutton and Iain Russell forced further saves, but despite the late flurry, Sons first home league game of the season ended in a disappointing defeat.

Match report written by Andy Galloway