Where were you on March 7, 2020?
On the face of it, Dumbarton’s 2-0 defeat to Danny Lennon’s Clyde at Broadwood didn’t look like a bad game for Sons fans to miss.
Heading into the tie on the back of three straight victories - including a dramatic last gasp success against Raith Rovers - hopes of a late push to the playoffs were high.
At full-time, even the most optimistic Dumbarton fan would accept that they looked a long-shot.
What nobody would’ve expected however was that it would be another 213 days before the Sons would next take to the pitch - whilst the wait for a game in front of supporters now stretches beyond the year mark.
Back in early March 2020 the terms lockdown, furlough and R number would’ve meant little.
At the time the main concern of a Sons fan could’ve been injuries which had ruled key men Kyle Hutton and Isaac Layne out of action - with both making a welcome return to the squad at Broadwood.
At a typically freezing Broadwood it was Dumbarton - already minus the injured Rico Quitongo - who suffered an early setback.
Captain Stuart Carswell picked up a knock inside the opening seconds and, despite trying to play on, found himself unable to manage more than the opening 20 minutes.
The changes looked to unsettle a Sons side who took time to get to grips with their opponents.
Conor Brennan had to be alert to beat Ross Cunningham to a high ball after a mix up in the Dumbarton defence, before the Sons somehow escaped after failing to clear their lines.
Cunningham, Ally Love and David Goodwilie all took advantage of hesitancy with the ball eventually finding Chris McStay - with his drive only being kept out by the woodwork.
After that escape the game settled into a lull, with the next real chance not arriving until the half-hour mark.
Ross Forbes’ wicked corner almost caught out David Mitchell, but the Clyde keeper punched the ball off the back of Ray Grant and back into his gloves.
Stefan McCluskey was the next to threaten as he opened up the Clyde defence with a driving run before firing tamely at Mitchell.
It took just four second-half minutes for Sons’ resolve to be broken.
Lewis Crawford, Morgyn Neill, Ryan McGeever and Conor Brennan got themselves into a difficult situation defending a long throw, with the ball eventually falling to David Goodwillie who finished clinically.
Sensing blood Danny Lennon’s side went in search of a killer second, with Chris McStay denied by a sensational last-ditch Lewis Crawford challenge.
Crawford’s heroics were nothing compared to Conor Brennan’s however, as the Northern Irish keeper went one better with a staggering save.
Ross Cunningham opened up space down the right before cutting back for Goodwillie who looked destined to tap in from four yards, but Brennan appeared from nowhere to somehow deflect the ball onto the bar and out for a corner.
Unfortunately for Brennan, and the Sons, it counted for nothing as Clyde sealed the game in injury time when Rankin blasted home Goodwillie’s cutback.
That was that. Dumbarton’s final game for seven months ended in defeat - with the 700 or so who filtered out of Broadwood into the cold late evening sun having little idea of what would lie ahead.
