SONSARCHIVEDumbarton FC History
League · League 2

Forfar Athletic0–2Dumbarton

6 Apr 2024Saturday, 6 April 2024 · 3pmStation ParkAttendance: 616

Lineups

Forfar Athletic

Dumbarton

Forfar Athletic · Starting XI

  • Marc McCallum
  • Tomas Brindley
  • Roberto Nditi
  • Adam Hutchinson
  • Andy Munro
  • Matty Allan
  • Kieran Inglis
  • Seb Ross
  • Daniel Scally
  • Finn Robson
  • Josh Skelly

Dumbarton · Starting XI

Forfar Athletic · Substitutes

  • Mark Whatley
  • Tyler Mykyta
  • Finlay Allan
  • Rayan Mohammed
  • Russell McLean
  • Dylan Lobban
  • Zach Paris

Dumbarton · Substitutes

Forfar Athletic · Substitutions

  • Finlay Allan for Seb Ross63′
  • Rayan Mohammed for Kieran Inglis63′
  • Russell McLean for Josh Skelly80′
  • Tyler Mykyta for Daniel Scally80′

Dumbarton · Substitutions

Forfar Athletic · Manager

  • Ray McKinnon

Dumbarton · Manager

Forfar Athletic · Cautions

  • Finaly Allan82′

Dumbarton · Cautions

Match report

Stevie Farrell heaped praise on stand-in striker Jinky Hilton, as the Sons secured a commanding victory in Angus - without star man Michael Ruth. A dead leg ruled the influential forward out of the game, with Hilton given the nod at centre-forward. And he impressed in a comfortable win for the Sons - who also had two goals chalked off for offside. Boss Faz said: “I’ve worked with Jinky Hilton a number of times and I’ve played him as a number nine, and he was excellent. He linked the game really well. “He’s playing really well just now and we…Read moreRead less
Stevie Farrell heaped praise on stand-in striker Jinky Hilton, as the Sons secured a commanding victory in Angus - without star man Michael Ruth.
A dead leg ruled the influential forward out of the game, with Hilton given the nod at centre-forward.
And he impressed in a comfortable win for the Sons - who also had two goals chalked off for offside.
Boss Faz said: “I’ve worked with Jinky Hilton a number of times and I’ve played him as a number nine, and he was excellent. He linked the game really well.
“He’s playing really well just now and we didn’t miss Ruthy as much because of how well James played.
“I thought we bossed the game for the first 25 minutes until they changed shape. Then we got a grip of it again.
“We’re going in the right direction. And we’re bobbing along quietly with not a lot of the spotlight on us. That suits us.”
Sons were forced into two changes from the side which had drawn 0-0 with Stenhousemuir a week previous with Ruth joined on the sidelines by Callum Wilson.
Carlo Pignatiello and Blair Malcolm earned recalls.
With a serious crosswind blowing at Station Park, it was the visitors who looked more comfortable early on.
After just 10 minutes Pignatiello’s deep cross was bulleted into the net by the onrushing Tony Wallace via the crossbar - with the flag of the assistant cutting any celebrations short.
A neat passage of play then opened up space for Jinky Hilton, but his low drive was parried away by Marc McCallum.
The two players renewed battle shortly after as Hilton tried his luck from range with a dipping effort, but again McCallum got a strong hand to the shot.
After a long spell where both sides struggled with the wind, Hilton whistled wide from the edge of the box after a surging run from Finlay Gray - before the Loons began to show their threat.
First Matty Allan flashed the ball across the face of goal with no takers in navy blue, before Josh Skelly attempted to chip Sons keeper Jay Hogarth after a mix-up at the back - but the ball held up in the wind.
The second-half started with another scare for the visitors.
Hogarth scuffed a clearance straight to Kieran Inglis, but - with the wind at his back - he got his effort all wrong and it failed to reach the goal from 30 yards.
That proved vital, as Sons took the lead seven minutes into the second-half.
A trademark surging run from Finlay Gray tempted ex-Son Tam Brindley into a poorly timed challenge - leaving referee Joel Kennedy with no option but to point to the spot.
Tony Wallace dispatched from 12 yards to celebrate his 14th goal of the season.
That forced the hosts to commit bodies forward, and they could’ve levelled when Skelly flashed across goal - with Aron Lynas turning the ball inches wide of his own post.
At the other end Carlo Pignatiello curled narrowly wide after a driving run.
A long ball forward then sent Finlay Allan in on goal for the hosts, but he lashed wide with just Hogarth to beat.
With 11 minutes remaining Sons then thought they’d added a killer second.
A superb Pignatiello run saw the versatile ex-Morton man weave his way into the box before being denied by McCallum.
The ball broke - via a Loons defender - to Kalvin Orsi to tap into the empty net - with the goal initially given.
However after a lengthy discussion with his assistant referee Kennedy chalked the strike off for offside.
It wouldn’t matter however as, four minutes later, Sons had a second.
Hilton’s corner was only half-cleared, with Tony Wallace winning back possession and finding Pignatiello - who drilled into the bottom corner from the edge of the area to secure the three points.

Fraser Clarke

Match media