Dumbarton 4 - 2 Raith Rovers: Lister lifts Dumbarton to safety

A HAT-TRICK by James Lister helped Dumbarton come from two behind to boost their hopes of First Division survival.

Dumbarton: Lister (36, 64, 84), Agnew (70pen); Raith Rovers: Spence (4), Anderson (25)

This result lifts the Sons out of the relegation places and may just cause a few flutters of concern in the Raith ranks as the Kirkcaldy side now see the clubs below close in.

Rovers got off to a flying start after only four minutes when Anderson’s cross was teed up by Josh Watt for Spence to drill home from close range. Against the run of play, Spence and Jason Thomson combined well for Anderson to slot home his side’s second.

Dumbarton, though, refused to buckle and they got a deserved foothold before the break. Agnew provided Lister with an inch-perfect up-and-under for the striker to superbly turn his marker and beat McGurn with a close-range effort.

The home side were level when Lister powered home a near post header from Paul McGinn after 64 minutes and in the 70th the fightback was complete when Bryan Prunty went down under Simon Mensing’s challenge and Agnew netted the spot kick.

Lister provided the coup de grace on a fine night for the Sons when he finished off a move involving Gilhaney and Prunty.

Dumbarton: Grindlay, McGinn, Creaney, Graham, Smith, Turner, Gilhaney, Agnew, Lister (Ronald 86), Prunty (Phinn 81), McDougall (Lamont 88).
Raith Rovers: McGurn, Thomson, Malone, Murray, Hill, (S Anderson 14), Mensing, G Anderson (Clarke 81), Walker, Graham, Spence, Watt (Hammill 62).
Referee: R Madden. Attendance: 483