Irn-Bru Scottish 3rd Division result
Dumbarton 1	Elgin City 0
Tiernan 71

City lost 1-0 away to Dumbarton in their 3rd Division opening game of 2007/08.  It was Fergus Tiernan's second half strike which did the damage and minutes later City were down to 10 men after Willie Martin received a second yellow card.

It really was a game of two halves today. In the first half Elgin competed really well and anyone coming in and not knowing the sides would have wondered who the league favourites were and who the pundits favourites for the wooden spoon were.

It was a pity that City lost Shally so early he really looked up for the game and most of the passing was centred around him. He was on the receiving end of a nasty challenge from behind and that was the end of his game. Even after that Elgin passed the ball fairly well and Joe Malin really didn't have a great deal to do.

The second half was totally different. Dumbarton took it by the scruff of the neck and almost totally dominated. The goal when it did come on 71 minutes was a bit of a disaster for the Black and White defence. It looked like at least three players had the chance to get it clear, but in the goal mouth confusion, their number eight - Fergus Tiernan - lashed it home past most of our defence and midfield.

Earlier on in the game when Darren Shallicker had come off injured, Willie Martin had replaced him, and had received a silly booking for disputing an offside decision. Worse was to follow for Willie, when only three minutes after the goal, he and the Dumbarton right back Geggan both went for the ball. The full back got to the ball first but left a leg in there which Willie proceeded to kick.

Much ado about nothing - in fact the full back got up and had a right go at Willie. The referee intervened at this point and showed both players yellow cards, and of course it was Willie's second, so he was sent off. Shortly after Mark (Rusty - pronounced Rooshty) Smith came on and in spite of not being 100% fit showed he will be an asset to City when he is.

Near the end of the game, Craig Campbell swung over an inviting cross which Rooshty got on the end of and headed it narrowly past the post. A word on Joe Malin - his positioning sense and shot stopping were absolutely brilliant and did save Elgin on a few occasions in the second half. Overall it was not a bad perfomance and especially in the first half - City were every bit as good as their opponents.  Original report by Lethen.

Dumbarton: Nugent; Geggan, Russell, O'Byrne, Craig, Canning, Hamilton, Tiernan, Coyne, McFarlane, Campbell (McQuilken 67). Subs: Haswell, Gentile, Yule, Shaw.

Booked: Geggan (74, unsporting behaviour), Tiernan (87, foul).

Elgin City: Joe Malin, Craig Campbell, Allan Dempsie, David Hind (Mark Smith 76), Hugh Dickson, Kenny Gilbert, Craig Frizzell, Mark Nicolson, Darren Shallicker (Willie Martin 11), Martin Charlesworth, Ross O'Donoghue. Subs: Kevin Duguid, Andrew Lewis, Reid Alsop.

Booked: Willie Martin (67, dissent), Craig Campbell (85, foul), Mark Nicolson (86, foul), Martin Charlesworth (88, unsporting behaviour).
Sent off: Willie Martin (74, second caution - foul).

Referee: Craig Charleston

Attendance: 636