Dumbarton 5-0 East Fife

Losing five goals in a game is bad enough, but that each of them came from a set-piece is indefensible.

Of course, take nothing away from Dumbarton, they played to their strengths and brutally exposed East Fife’s weaknesses.

They were ruthless while the Fifers were toothless.

There was a feeling that the side had turned the corner following back to back wins, and clean sheets, against Peterhead.

But it all came crashing back down to earth in Dumbarton, the loss returning the Fifers to the foot of League One.

It’s early days and everyone around Bayview knows the squad is more than capable of getting themselves out of trouble, but they must start showing it and a good place to start would be to stop shooting themselves in the foot.

Dumbarton never cut East Fife open at any point in the game, they were gifted all five goals by the visiting team’s inability to defend a corner or a free-kick on the day.

Boss Darren Young said: “It was a joke to be honest

“We’ve told the players who they’ve to pick up at set-pieces, it’s not happened and goals have come from three corners and two free-kicks, or the other way around.

“The players need to take responsibility, if you’re given a man to mark then do your job.

“Over the past two games against Peterhead we had 18 corners given against us and defended them brilliantly, not a problem.

“But I don’t think it was a 5-0.

“They’ve worked hard to put us under pressure but the goals are all set-pieces.

“In the first half we have a stonewall penalty as well and these things can change games.

“But after that, to lose the goals we did, it’s absolute schoolboy stuff.”

Dumbarton took the lead when Connor Duthie’s free-kick was met by Ryan McGeever.

Fife goalie Scott Gallacher palmed McGeever’s effort into the penalty box where Ross Maclean was waiting to pounce.

East Fife had a couple of chances to pull level, Andrew Osei-Bonsu and Pat Slattery getting shots away before Scott Mercer’s free-kick came crashing back off the crossbar.

But East Fife shipped a second when Callum Wilson’s free-kick found Gregor Buchanan unmarked six yards out.

East Fife started the second half well and Jamie Semple got a decent effort away.

But Dumbarton grabbed the game’s crucial third goal, Buchanan again heading home a Wilson delivery.

Ryan McGeever’s header made it 4-0 before salt was rubbed firmly into the wounds when Eoghan Stokes nodded home a Joe McKee corner.