St Mirren couldn't take a valuable three points back to Paisley after drawing 2-2 against Dumbarton away from home this afternoon. The Buddies led twice in the match after goals from David Clarkson and Harry Davis. But Saints were pegged back by a stubborn Sons side who kept up their unbeaten form against St Mirren this season.
It was Cammy Smith, who looked bright in his Saints debut the previous week, who fashioned the first chance of the match when he picked up the ball on the half way line. The forward went bounding forward before an effort from the edge of the area ended up in the arms of Alan Martin in the Dumbarton goal.
Smith thought he had put the Buddies ahead with just 11 minutes on the clock when his deflected effort was cleared off the line. He burst into the box and lashed the ball goalward which saw it cannon off the legs of a Sons defender and loop over Martin only to be scrambled away.
Craig Storie went into the referee's book when he took out a Dumbarton player on the edge of the box after Davis failed to clear his lines. The ball was laid off to Gregor Buchanan who sclaffed the effort high and wide with a shot that may well as have seen the ball end up in the nearby River Clyde.
It was Smith who was integral to Saints going ahead on 35 minutes through Clarkson. The loanee was the recipient of a tremendous cross field pass from Craig Storie and drove into the Sons before a great cross into a dangerous area was flicked home by Clarkson to send the sizeable away support wild.
Saints were given a reminder of the fragility of a one goal lead just before half time when Sons striker Christian Nade almost put his side on level terms. The striker rose above the Buddies defence to get on the end of a corner that went fractionally wide.
Half Time: Dumbarton 0-1 St Mirren
Stephen Aitken's side came out showing real intent early on after the break winning a corner. Substitution Tom Lang was up for Dumbarton, but sent his near diving header by the post.
It was a warning sign for St Mirren and Dumbarton would make them pay when they equalised just 10 minutes into the second half. Unlike in the first half, Nade would make no mistake from this corner kick as he bulleted his header beyond Billy O'Brien. The ball was whipped deep into the box with the Frenchman on his own able to force the ball into the net to make it 1-1.
This seemed to stir the St Mirren support and the Buddies eventually started putting the pressure on the home side. Gary MacKenzie, who has proved to be a threat from corners in the last few weeks, rose the highest only to put too much on the header and see it go over.
A few minutes later Saints would be ahead but only after Nade threatened to put Dumbarton ahead when he broke away from the defence and flashed a shot wide.
Good work on the right hand side won St Mirren a corner. The ball in was cleared but Saints kept the ball in the home teams half and won a free kick. From the free kick debutant Harry Davis headed the Buddies ahead for the second time of the match.
Dumbarton weren't out of the match though and continued to threaten with Lewis Vaughan going close from long range. And they weren't to be denied with 10 minutes to go when Robert Thomson netted from close range after Saints failed to clear the initial danger.
It was a blow for Jack Ross' side who continued to press into the final few minutes of the match, winning a succession of corners, but ultimately had to settle for a point.
Full Time: Dumbarton 2-2 St Mirren
St Mirren: O'Brien, Irvine, MacKenzie, Davis, Eckersley (Stelios, 73), Magennis, Storie, McGinn, Smith, Morgan (Sutton, 63), Clarkson (Todd, 79)
Subs Not Used: Langfield, Webster, Baird, Fjelde
Dumbarton: Martin, Docherty, Buchanan, Carswell (Vaughan, 55), Thomson, Stanton (Fleming, 55), Harvie, Barr, (Lang, 26) Smith, Stirling, Nade
Subs Not Used: Brown, Gallagher,
Referee: John Beaton
Assistant Referee: Graeme Stewart
Assistant Referee: Daniel McFarlane
Attendance: 1,377
