The Thistle Archive

Fraser Clarke, 20-Jul-2021, Daily Record

Aside from a speculative Kyle Turner effort from range that was beaten away by Sam Ramsbottom there was little to report in the first 20 minutes, as both teams adapted to the baking Glasgow heat. As the half wore on chances began to arrive. Ryan McGeever nodded over Joe McKee’s corner in Sons’ first opportunity, before McKee lashed wide from the edge of the area after pouncing on a slack pass. Jags skipper Turner then sliced a clearance beyond his own post from Kalvin Orsi’s cross, before the best chance for either side arrived on 32 minutes. Another McKee corner was flicked on by Edin Lynch to Gregor Buchanan, with the big defender’s volley cleared off the line at the back post by Ricky Foster. Suddenly the match became far more frantic, with Sam Ramsbottom called into action minutes later to beat away Kevin Holt’s header and Brian Graham blazing the rebound over the bar. Ross Maclean then weaved his way to the edge of the box before slipping at the vital moment as the game continued to swing from end-to-end. As half-time neared a deep McKee cross found Ryan McGeever who towered above Jamie Sneddon - only to see his looping header hooked off the line by Jags forward Brian Graham. Graham then proved his worth at the other end as the game ticked into injury time. Ross MacIver was given acres of space down the Dumbarton left and lifted a perfect ball across goal for the veteran forward to nod into the net.

Having lost skipper Stuart Carswell to suspected heatstroke at half-time, Sons quickly found themselves two down. Jags sub Connor Murray found space down the right and picked out Graham, who made no mistake with an excellent low finish from the edge of the area. Despite knowing the game was all but over, Sons continued to move the ball well - and came close to pulling a goal back when Joe McKee’s deflected cross was touched over the bar acrobatically by Jamie Sneddon. McKee then curled a free-kick into the keeper’s arms, before Jags forward Zak Rudden could only sclaff Ross MacIver’s delivery wide of goal from a great position. Sons’ Kalvin Orsi then had a low drive deflected wide, whilst Thistle defender Kevin Holt saw his effort from Kyle Turner’s corner cleared off the Sons’ line with Sam Ramsbottom beaten. The game looked certain to fizzle out until there was more drama in the final minutes. Ross Docherty burst in on goal before being caught by the onrushing Sam Ramsbottom - with Jags fans calling for a red card. Referee Mike Roncone elected to book the Englishman, with the resulting free-kick fired straight into the wall. Then in the final seconds Ricky Foster’s wildly misjudged backpass had to be clawed away from goal by Sneddon, with Sons awarded an indirect free-kick on the penalty spot. The 11 man Thistle wall stood strong however, and blocked Eoghan Stokes’ drive for a corner.

ptfc.co.uk

It wasn’t a performance that we were absolutely ecstatic about but the main thing was always to get the three points. We didn’t move the ball as quickly as we’d have liked and we gave it away a bit too easily at times but we got more minutes in the players’ legs and got the win so we were satisfied. It’s been great to see Brian and Zak scoring early in the season. You always want your strikers to be scoring of course and the earlier they get into that habit the better so both of them getting on the scoresheet in these cup matches can only be good for us. We’ve got high hopes for the pair of them because we think they could be one of the best striking partnerships in the league if not the best.

Dumbarton boss Stevie Farrell:

The players were excellent in the first-half. I thought the first 20 minutes were even, but after that I felt like we were the better side by far. We had two chances cleared off the line, we passed the ball really well and with a purpose. I felt like our structure looked really, really good. And then we lose the goal. That’s just naivety. You’ve got to know in your own body when it’s coming to half-time. If we don’t lose that goal then you just don’t know how the game will end. There’s a lot to be positive about tonight though. I’m a happier man after that than I was on Saturday, that’s for sure.

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6 IN 6 FOR GRAHAM

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