Dumbarton 0 - 1 Inverness CT

League - League 1
Saturday, March 8th, 2025, 3:00 PM at Dumbarton Football Stadium
Attendance: 757
Referee: Steven Kirkland
Dumbarton Inverness CT

Goalscorers
None. Alfie Bavidge (93)

Team Managers
Stevie Farrell

Starting Eleven
Milosz Sliwinski
Aron Lynas
Michael Miller
Mark Durnan
Kristian Webster
Matthew Shiels
Carlo Pignatiello
Ryan Blair
Finlay Gray
Craig McGuffie
Joseph Mumbongo
Musa Dibaga
Ben Brannan
Remi Savage
Daniel Devine
Keith Bray
Paul Allan
Adam Mackinnon
Charlie Gilmour
James Nolan
Alfie Bavidge
Billy Mckay

Bench
Shae Kelly
Greig Young
Kalvin Orsi
Antony Wallace
David Wilson
Mouhamed Niang
James Hilton
Michael Ruth
Cameron Clark
Szymon Rebilas
Matthew Strachan
Connall Ewan
Jack Walker
Calum MacLeod
Alfie Stewart
Robbie Thompson
Shae Keogh
Ethan Cairns

Substitutions
Michael Ruth -> Joel Mumbongo (71)
Mouhamed Niang -> Ryan Blair (75)
James Hilton -> Craig McGuffie (81)
Alfie Stewart for James Nolan (70)
Robbie Thompson for Billy Mckay (92)

Bookings
Matthew Shiels (19)
Aron Lynas (51)
James Hilton replaces Craig McGuffie (89)
Ben Brannan (25)
Alfie Bavidge (94)

Red Cards
None. None.
Appearances & Goals To Date
Musa Dibaga (GK) 27 apps -
Daniel Devine 245 apps10 goals
Ben Brannan 2 apps -
Remi Savage 51 apps2 goals
Keith Bray 38 apps6 goals
Paul Allan 25 apps3 goals
Adam Mackinnon 30 apps3 goals
Charlie Gilmour 63 apps6 goals
James Nolan 25 apps1 goal
Billy Mckay 327 apps114 goals
Alfie Bavidge 9 apps6 goals
Alfie Stewart (sub) 9 apps1 goal
Robbie Thompson (sub) 30 apps -

Starting Lineup
Youngest Player:Ben Brannan (18 years 42 days)
Oldest Player:Billy Mckay (36 years 146 days)
Average Player Age:23 years 287 days
Domestic Players:6 (54.55 % of starting eleven)

Matchday Squad
Youngest Player:Shae Keogh (17 years 336 days)
Oldest Player:Szymon Rebilas (2026 years 225 days)
Average Player Age:21 years 334 days
Domestic Players:14 (70.00 % of matchday squad)

First Team Debuts

Milestones

Sons on the Rocks



The Admin Derby saw plenty of changes from both clubs previous starting XI. Scott Kellacher was without Luis Longstaff with Ben Brannan taking his place. James Nolan came back into the starting XI with Alfie Stewart dropping to the bench. Michael Ruth who fired in a thunderba***rd of a free kick in midweek was on the home bench after taking a knock against Arbroath. Orsi, Wallace, Niang and Young all joined him on the bench. After a battling performance from the hosts including McGuffie rattling the crossbar, Inverness clambered out of the relegation zone with a last gasp goal from our saviour, Alfie Bavidge who scored his sixth goal since coming here in January nine games ago. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Inverness forced a corner in the opening minute after which there followed a scramble in the box when Sliwinski had blocked the ball before Adam MacKinnon shot over. With the visitors on the front foot James Nolan had an effort saved as we dominated the early exchanges. Carlo Pignatiello had a shot blocked as Dumbarton made their way forward. He then clipped a ball in but Finlay Gray glanced his header wide. Sliwinski then kept out a low shot from MacKinnon with his feet. Dumbarton were slowly clawing their way back into this game and Craig McGuffie shot over from a free kick. Ten minutes before the break Alfie Bavidge shot from a tight angle, winning a corner and Ben Brannan had an effort blocked as the corner count mounted, but still nothing to show for it. In the final minute of the first half, another corner as we ended the half as we started it but the opening goal has eluded both sides.

HALF TIME: 0-0

McGuffie bounced a twenty-five yard shot just wide as the Son's came out of the blocks fast on the restart. Minutes later he bounced a shot off the crossbar and over for a goal kick. Deserved better and a big warning for the visitors. Billy Mckay was denied by Sliwinski from inside the box and minutes later saw another effort blocked. Dibaga saved from Mark Durnan as the hosts reminded us they are still in this game, and as we entered the final ten minutes Dibaga saved a close range volley from substitute Michael Ruth and Aron Lynas headed over. Billy Mckay fired a volley just wide as time was running out to find a winner. However, up popped Alfie Bavidge to seal the deal with a 93rd minute winner. It started deep on the right with Danny Devine and Ben Brannan playing a neat one-two before a great ball into the box from Brannan found Charlie Gilmour who did well to control it and lay it back to Alfie some twelve yards out and he drilled it low into the bottom corner. Sensational ending to the game in the dying embers to leave Dumbarton floundering on the Rock.

FULL TIME: 0-1

What a finish to the game with Alfie scoring his sixth goal since coming in on loan. With Annan losing to Stenhousemuir we are no longer in the bottom two and the chance to go even higher should we beat the Warriors on Tuesday night. It might be a dream just now, but it could be reality.

Match report written by tm4tj



Pld W D L F A +/- Pts
1. Arbroath 28 16 4 8 48 31 17 52
2. Stenhousemuir 27 14 5 8 41 26 15 47
3. Cove Rangers 27 13 5 9 46 32 14 44
4. Alloa Athletic 28 10 10 8 41 35 6 40
5. Kelty Hearts 27 9 8 10 31 27 4 35
6. Queen of the South 28 10 5 13 29 35 -6 35
7. Montrose 28 7 11 10 28 35 -7 32
8. Inverness CT 27 12 8 7 30 28 2 29
9. Annan Athletic 28 7 6 15 29 53 -24 27
10. Dumbarton 28 5 8 15 34 55 -21 8