Dumbarton1–2Alloa Athletic

PRE-MATCH, the attention fell on just how much sand was needed on the pitch to get this game played to schedule.

Post-match, it was on how Dumbarton's season had got into the rough again.

Sons were beaten by an Alloa Athletic side who simply made better use of a playing surface which could be described as difficult.

They went into the game off the back of a fine victory at Clyde, and with the potential to close in on sixth place with another win.

After Paul Paton equalised Kevin Cawley's opening goal for the visitors, the hope was that they would get that result.

But the only goal of the second half came after a bad break of the ball resulted in Adam King winning the game for Alloa.

Back to square one it was, but Dumbarton's next matchday could end with them five points clear of the bottom two. It just has to be hoped for.

The first clear chance fell to Alloa after 15 minutes. A Scott Taggart cross found Mouhamed Niang in space in the box, but the midfielder got the finish all wrong and his shot rolled mercifully wide.

Five minutes later, a corner dropped invitingly to the feet of Paton, but his shot was no more on target and the chance was gone.

And in the next attack, King set up Cawley from the right, six yards out for a chance that he could not miss.

Shortly after that, Steven Boyd had a shot from further out but Kieran Wright turned it wide.

Dumbarton were struggling to offer a response, although things escalated towards half time in terms of possession at least.

They did in fact get the ball over the line after the Alloa keeper spilled a shot, but he was clearly fouled in order to carry the ball over the line. It looked like a frustrating end to the half.

That was until Paton made space 20 yards out and crashed home a fine low finish with the last meaningful touch of the half.

After the restart, Adam Hutchinson fancied his chances from distance, but his shot just missed the upright.

But just short of the hour mark, Wright had one for the highlights reel. A free kick found Mark Durnan at the back post but the keeper somehow turned his effort away at close range.

It then became a bit of a scrap. With 12 minutes left, Niang sent in a shot from the edge of the area which spun narrowly past.

And then Wright was forced into a race for possession with King with nine minutes left after a bad break of the ball. The Alloa forward won it, and won the match for his team despite having a lot to do at a narrow angle.

A sequence of four corners was forced by Dumbarton towards the end, but none of them could find the net.