Dumbarton3–0Spartans

Dumbarton secured their first win of 2026 in style by sweeping aside title chasers Spartans.

A diving header from Gordon Walker, a cute Leighton McIntosh flick and Scott Honeyman’s late strike secured just a second victory of the Frank McKeown tenure - after a commanding performance.

Boss McKeown handed Celtic loanee Aidan Rice a debut in place of Brett Long, with fellow Glasgow teen - Rangers youngster Alex Smith - also handed his full debut, and Scott Tomlinson recalled.

Brett Long, Ryan Blair and Jack Duncan dropped to the bench.

Straight from kick-off, Sons looked the more threatening - with Ayr United loanee Tomlinson’s blistering pace immediately causing the hosts all kinds of problems.

He had an early effort blocked after a clever Adam Livingstone pass had set him free down the left, before the game’s first big chance fell to the 20-year-old.

A superb counter attack saw Alexander Smith win possession from a Spartans corner and charge forward, eventually squaring for Scott Honeyman to lay the ball into the path on the onrushing Tomlinson - but he blazed over.

Spartans responded, with Cammy Russell calling Aidan Rice into his first piece of serious action as Dumbarton keeper - beating the offside trap to race clear, but being denied one-on-one by the Celtic loanee.

It was Dumbarton who were enjoying more of the chances however, with two of boss McKeown’s January arrivals next to threaten.

First Josh Todd superbly controlled a Mark Durnan ball forward and went for an audacious dipping volley that landed on the roof of the net, before a charging Ali Omar drilled a low effort wide of the far post with visiting keeper Paddy Martin stranded.

For all their good play, Sons almost gifted the capital side the lead five minutes before the interval.

A deep ball into the area was only half-cleared, and eventually fell to Mark Stowe - but the prolific forward, who already has 22 goals to his name this season, couldn’t test Rice.

The second-half started in a similar fashion, with Spartans on the attack. But this time Rice was called into action.

Cammy Russell found a gap in Dumbarton’s backline and sprinted clear, but Rice sharply blocked with his leg.

And that proved a pivotal moment, as Sons took the lead just five minutes later.

Adam Livingstone found the hard-charging Ali Omar, with the big defender’s deep cross perfect for Gordon Walker to power into the net via the bar with a diving header at the far post.

That ignited a real belief around The Rock, with Sons going close to a quickfire second.

Another Omar run saw him pull the ball back for Leighton McIntosh, but the top scorer’s low drive was well held by Spartans keeper Martin.

Trademark play from Alex Smith then saw the diminutive attacker open up space and find Adam Livingstone in the box, but his wait for a first Dumbarton goal continued - despite a terrific turn and shot, that was matched by an equally as impressive Martin save.

The second goal was coming however, and when it duly arrived with 20 minutes to play there was no surprise about the source.

Rice’s quick throw found the tireless Walker on the half-way line, with his ball forward catching out Ethan Drysdale who stumbled to set Scott Tomlinson free.

The winger pulled the ball back for top scorer Leighton McIntosh, who cutely flicked the ball around Martin and into the net for goal number 13 of a productive first season as a Son.

Scott Honeyman twice came close to adding a killer third, sending a header from Walker’s outside of the boot cross over - before sliding wide of the far post after bursting clear from a deep position in midfield.

He wouldn’t be denied the final say however, as Sons wrapped the game up in style with five minutes remaining.

Honeyman won back possession on the edge of the area from a Spartans corner and set Smith free.

The 17-year-old timed his pass perfectly to set Tomlinson in behind Drysdale, with his ball across goal giving Honeyman the simplest of tasks to lash into the net and put the result beyond any doubt.