Pherson’s Barn defeated by Dundonald

“That’s as good a Dundonald side as I’ve seen,” said manager Jim Pherson. “Their big striker was the complete centre-forward; he turned our boys all day long.

“We didn’t match them in the first half. They were first to the second ball all over the pitch, they looked after the ball better than us – but then it was really all over for us once we had two sent off. We can’t take on the likes of Dundonald with 10 men, let alone nine. But we’ll just have to improve and up our game!”

The Duns opened the scoring on 37 minutes, through a smart header from their striker – and things degenerated even more right on half time when Marc Kelly was dismissed for a second bookable offence.

Ten minutes into the second session, Dundonald went two up and they could really have turned the screw but for two super saves from Stephen Brennan.

When Neil McKnight saw red the Duns were well and truly in the driving seat.

Barn, to their credit, pegged one back 12 minutes from time when Nicky Sharples flicked on a Gary McKee free-kick for substitute Neil Lammey to head in from six yards.

Dundonald, though, restored their two-goal lead, with a third which Barn felt was offside, before adding a fourth in injury time.

Barn United: Brennan – Armstrong (Lammey), McKnight, Stewart, Kelly – J Mathers (Patterson), McKee, Sharkey, Omar (Alexander) – Sharples, Kane.

Player in: Wayne Patterson, S/M, Wellington Rec.