SHIRE 5 DUMBARTON 2

A devastating display from Shire kept the unbeaten run going and put Dumbarton to the sword.

A superb performance all-round left the Sons shellshocked and Brian Graham was  the hero of the hour and a half after scoring twice and putting in a power of work.

The victory doesn’t improve the team’s league standing, but it does provide another massive confidence boost for a team that has now won six and drawn one of their last seven matches.

There were three changes from the side that beat Annan Athletic in midweek. David Dunn’s hamstring problem kept him out while Colin Cramb and Gary Kelly were left out of the starting eleven in a bid to bring some fresh legs to the side. Sean Anderson and Brian Graham, who had impressed as a late substitute in recent games, came in.

Dumbarton’s Gary Wilson was suspended after his sending-off last week against Stenhousemuir. He was replaced by former Queen’s Park full-back Mick Dunlop.

Shire lined up with five across the middle and Graham on his own up front, with Andy Rodgers supporting him wherever possible. The first few minutes were spent testing each other out but it was Shire who created the first opening on seven minutes. Paul Hay slipped a free-kick to Rodgers whose low cross was bundled behind for a corner.

Dumbarton responded with a good bit of wing play from Iain Chisholm which ended with a cross which Michael Bolochoweckyj had to clear behind for a corner,

Dean Richardson should have given Shire the lead after 13 minutes. Brian Graham crossed from the right, Sons’ centre-half Ben Gordon miskicked and Richardson only had the keeper to beat but somehow hit the ball straight at Mark McGeown from six yards.

That was the prelude to a sustained piece of Shire pressure. Rodgers then had a shot from the 18 yard line which was blocked for a corner. Eventually, though the breakthrough came on 22 minutes.

Dumbarton’s Gordon Lennon was dispossessed by Richardson midway inside the Sons’s half and the Shire man played a great ball across the face of goal to Graham at the back post who swept it into the net.

Dumbarton tried to respond  and made their most promising progress through Derek Carcary down the left. He fired a cross-cum-shot after 32 minutes which had Jamie Barclay scrambling across his goal before supplying a cross for Paul McLeod to head wide when it seemed much easier to score.

But Shire should have doubled their advantage on 42 minutes. Graham’s left-wing cross was deflected into the path of Donaldson, who ought to have burst the net, but instead he blasted over the bar.

It hardly mattered, because two minutes later they had their second goal. Rodgers was pushed in the back by Michael O’Byrne as he attempted to reach Graham’s cross and ref Steven McLean pointed to the penalty spot. Rodgers scored the resulting spot kick himself.

The first action of the second half saw Shire take a 3-0 lead. Craig Tully’s ball out wide released Derek Ure who reached the by line before crossing low for the unmarked Donadson to roll the  ball into the net from five yards.

Shire had more chances. Ure shot over for from 20 yards on 48 minutes, then Rodgers was set up by Anderson but still managed to blaze his effort over the bar from just inside the box when he might have done better.

But a fourth goal wasn’t long in coming. Derek Ure hit a corner long to the back post which Bolochoweckyj headed back across goal and, as Dumbarton struggled to clear their lines, Graham cracked in a hook shot from the back edge of the box that hit the far post and went in.

Jim McInally felt a four goal cushion gave him the opportunity to make changes. Richardson was replaced by David Dunn on 62 minutes and a couple of minutes after coming on he found the back of the net. Rodgers was fouled wide on the right and Dunn  whipped in the resulting free-kick just under the bar and into the back of the net.

Dumbarton were well-beaten but they at least kept going. Carcary pulled one back on 87 minutes with a low shot and in the second minute of injury-time Ben Gordon headed home a Stevie Murray free-kick from wide on the right.

Shire finished the game with ten men after Bolochoweckyj was carried off injured.

SHIRE : Barclay, Hay, Richardson(Dunn 64), Forrest, Bolochoweckyj, Tully, Donaldson(Kelly 47), Anderson, Graham(McKenzie 70), Ure, Rodgers.

DUMBARTON : McGeown, Lennon(Moore 52), Dunlop, O’Byrne, Gordon, Clark(Canning 76), Cracary, Geggan, McLeod, Chisholm, Murray.

REFEREE : S. McLean

ATTENDANCE : 516.