Dumbarton 1 Dunfermline Athletic 5

Pars rock Dumbarton on their first visit to the Strathclyde Homes Stadium.

With Kevin Harper and Mark Burchill harbouring knocks from Tuesday night`s trip to Brechin, the Dunfermline team was always going to have changes. In the event there were six Pars changes to face the Sons of Dumbarton. There was no Scott Wilson but in came Jamie Harris. Sean Murdoch replaced Roddy McKenzie between the sticks and there were starts for Owen Morrison, Calum Woods, Scott Muirhead and Jim Hamilton.

The Pars looked comfortable in the opening minutes with Muirhead and Morrison making headway down the left and Calum Woods getting in an early effort. The scoring was to be opened at the other end however. David McFARLANE latched on to a through ball in 11th minute taking advantage of a lapse of concentration in defence to break into the left side of the penalty box and coolly slot the ball home from an angle into the bottom right of Murdoch`s goal.

Dumbarton kept up their early pressure and four minutes later Murdoch was forced into a spectacular save to touch a Tommy Coyne cross cum shot over his crossbar.

The first real chance for the visitors was produced from a Muirhead ball from just inside the Sons half that Jim Hamilton nodded down for Stevie Crawford but his well struck attempt from 30 yards was ably taken by the former Pars youth keeper Peter Shaw.

Dumbarton were pumping up an uncomfortable number of through balls but none that were to cause any damage. For the Pars Stephen Glass was controlling everything in midfield and Morrison seeing a fair amount of service but he was finding it difficult to place a killer delivery.

A swept in cross from Andy Geggan was headed down by Coyne but easily taken by Murdoch before a Scott Muirhead ball from the left found the head of Jim Hamilton. Shaw could only block the powerful downward header and Scott THOMSON was on hand to accept the rebound and squeeze the ball in at the far post. Scott`s first goal since 23rd October 2004 should put an end to the dressing room ribbing he has borne for all too long!

Nine minutes later a simple pass from Hamilton allowed Stevie CRAWFORD to break through the left side of the Dumbarton defence and he clinically finished from 15 yards.

Half Time: Dumbarton 1 Dunfermline 2

Three subs were introduced after the break; Greg Shields came on at right back and Scott Thomson moved to central defence replacing Jamie Harris. Stephen Simmons took Stephen Glass`s role over and Nick Phinn was brought on wide right in place of Calum Woods.

Many in the 300 strong Pars crowd were crying `good ball` as Thomson switched play from the edge of the centre circle to find Owen MORRISON wide left. The Irishman cut inside before releasing a wonderful shot that flew into the top right corner making 3-1 after 54 minutes.

In 62 minutes Crawford went through into the Dumbarton box and when his effort was blocked it presented a good chance for Simmons but Shaw was able to deflect the shot over the crossbar. Phinn and Shields worked hard on the right to set up Young with a drive on target that hit a defender. Simmons too took a pop at goal but his sights were too high.

The fourth goal came as the Pars exerted pressure on the Third Division side. All ten outfield players were in the Dumbarton half as Phinn fed a square ball to the shout of Thomson on the right touchline. The captain placed a fine ball for Shields to run on to in the right side of the opposition penalty box and he did well to send the ball over for CRAWFORD to stick past Shaw for number four with twenty minutes still to play.

Shields was denied a goal when a defender was able to get in the way of his rocket and Shaw stopped a fine strike from Simmons after substitute Iain Williamson set him up. Williamson`s follow up was also beaten down by a yellow shirted defender.

Hamilton provided light entertainment for the travelling support pouncing on a mishit Shaw clearance 35 yards out that stopped Williamson`s progress. The striker`s opportunist lob from 45 yards out, ended up closer to the right corner flag prompting the wise crack "watch my car".

HAMILTON had the last laugh however converting an 88th minute penalty awarded after Williamson was taken down in front of goal by O`Byrne. Hammy won the argument with the youngster and made no mistake as he dispatched the ball into the bottom right.