3rd May 2020 Edinburgh City 4 Dumbarton 1

 

Off to Ainslie Park tonight for the League Two play-off semi-final between Edinburgh City and Dumbarton. Last time I went to a City match the direct bus journey took ages as due the closure of North Bridge traffic was being diverted onto the Mound and moving at a crawl. I decided tonight to take an alternate route and walked to Haymarket and down Orchard Brae. I could have continued to walk but I saw a bus coming down the Brae and jumped in that to the Crewe To,L roundabout. From there I walked along the old railway path to the ground arriving there at 19.10. There was a fast-track turnstile open for those with Fanbase tickets and I was in the ground in plants time for the 19,45 kick-off. I bought my £3 programme and then texted Jim who had just reached the ground. After he came through the turnstiles we moved to our usual viewing point on the grassy embankment at the Pilton end of the ground. A crowd of young Dumbarton fans with banners and drums arrived soon after. The stewards initially directed them to the stand however shortly afterwards moved them round behind the goal to allow the City ‘Ultras’ into their usual area in the stand.

City finished fourth in League Two and as the lowest ranked qualifier for the play-offs had to play against Dumbarton who were highest ranking qualifier, finishing ninth in League one. The sides had met in last year’s playoffs with Dumbarton winning 3-1 at Ainslie Park and City despite a 1-0 win away from home going out 3-2 on aggregate. City had fielded a number of fringe players players on Saturday and had lost 5-0 at Stirling Albion. However they were back to full strength tonight and their intentions were shown with strikers Ouzy See, Ryan Shanley and Danny Handling all starting with another striker in John Robertson on the bench. The Dumbarton team were unfamiliar to me but I recognised a few names including Stephen Bronsky who played for. City in the first half of the season before being released in the January window. Other familiar names included former Hearts U21 striker Russell MacLean and former Hibs U21 Connor Duthie.

The game started with Dumbarton doing most of the attacking and Joshua Oyinsan chad an early chance s his header narrowly missed the goal. The first sign of a City chance came when See chased a through ball. Dumbarton keeper Kieran Wright rushed out to clear, then hesitated before thumping the ball away as See tried to close him down. City took the lead in eleven minutes and again it was due to defensive hesitancy. George Stanger misjudged his pass-back and See nipped in ahead of the onrushing Wright, took one touch to round the goalkeeper, and shot into the empty net. City then took control and after Shanley had headed a Cammy Logan cross wide scored a second after 27 minutes. Handling hit a corner from the left into the penalty area and the ball, after a deflection, hit Gregor Buchanan's head and flew into the net for an own goal. City continued to press forward up till halftime as they look for a third goal. City then lost centre-back Lee Hamilton to Injury, bringing on Ciaran Brian in his place. 

At halftime Dumbarton brought on Callum Wilson and Calvin Orsi replacing Krisofter Syvertsen and Oyinsan at halftime. The changes had a positive effect and Dumbarton began to press forward looking for a goal to bring the back into the game. Just before the hour mark a cross from Paul Paton picked out MacLean, whose header landed just under Brian Schwake's crossbar. Dumbarton continued to press for an equaliser however City broke well in seventy-one minutes. Innes Murray broke into the penalty area on the left and Wright did well to push away his shot. However the ball fell to See facing away from goal. He turned quickly and shot home form about ten yards. Dumbarton continued to press but the City defence held firm and they added a fourth goal in injury time. Substitute Robertson twisted past two defenders and hot past Wright for an excellent goal.

On the final whistle I will admit I was surprised. I have seen City several times this season and did not think they stood a chance against Dumbarton. However victory in the final against either Annan or Forfar will give them their first promotion since rejoining the SPFL. I walked up to Ferry Road and, given the injury time added by the referee, had only four minutes to wait for a 27 bus. I was home by 22.15 and took Carlos out for his final walk of the day after another good game, although not quite the standard of Man City v Real Madrid last week !

Teams

Edinburgh City: Schwake, McIntyre, Hamilton, Tapping, See, Handling, Logan, Shanley, Murray, Travis, Crane,

Subs: Brian, Jardine, Robertson

Dumbarton: Wright, Pignatiello, Boyle, Carswell, Buchanan, Syvertsen, Stanger, Duthie, Oyinsan, Paton, MacLean. 

Subs: Orsi, Wilson, Wylde