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(FM'09) Mission -: Conquer Scotland


neilhoskins77
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Tuesday 1st July 2008
As a little known and unproven football manager, I have scored the biggest job of my career to date at the ripe age of just 30 years old. I've been appointed the new man in charge of Scottish Third Division side Dumbarton. They've shown huge faith in my abilities by offering me a one year deal on just £95 per week! 

The Board are hoping for a season where we finish nicely in mid table. But I'm setting my sights much higher than that! From the outside looking in, Scotland is a country just waiting for a club to conquer it and destroy the annual dominance of the Old Firm clubs. A club that won't sit back and watch them snatch up any half talented player and then leave them to rot in the reserves while they bring in an over-priced, over-paid and over-rated foreign striker. My plan is to make Dumbarton the club to challenge their dominance.....once we win three promotions, maybe a few Cups, build a new ground, attract a billionaire owner, and convince some of the best players in the land that this small town on the west side of Scotland's 'central belt' is the place to play their football......

Obviously we'll need a good season under our belts to earn me a new contract extension before I can start to unleash my full plan to dominate in domestic and continental football. With a bit of money in the transfer kitty, and some room in the wage budget, I plan to start by bringing in veterans with huge experience and exploit the loan market.

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DUMBARTON FC
Season 1 - 2008/09
Target - Achieve a respectable league position in the Third Division
Transfer Budget - £26,000
Wage Budget - £2,200 per week (£1,860 current spend)
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Hi. Welcome to my latest offering for your reading, entertainment, and ultimately amusement, as I spectacularly fail. This is the first of at least two new stories I have been planning and lined up for you. The intention has been explained. The idea is a quicker paced and lower detail content read to allow some quicker paced play, designed to keep your attention and allow me to move through the game a bit quicker than normal.

This save is using FM'09 once again. Every nation and league available is loaded and playable. Unfaking has been done, but other than that, only cosmetic editing for strips and logos has been applied. My past experience has been set to automatic. Enjoy. Comments, questions, queries etc are all welcome as always.

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If this were a experiment in trying to achieve with a young group of players, then you'd be pretty happy with the hand dealt, as there are some excellent young prospects in the Dumbarton squad. But it isn't, and with just under two weeks until we start a pretty packed schedule of half dozen games in a 12 day span for pre-season, I quickly set about adding to the squad. We already have two players brought in on loan before I got here. 28 year old Kieran McAnespie is a versatile 28 year old left footer who is on loan from Morton for the season, and they're covering his wages. 21 year old Irish right winger Dennis McLaughlin is also here for the season from Heart of Midlothian. Again, we're not paying the wages, but he is much more raw, and much less likely to earn playing time with us.

Wednesday 2nd July 2008
There is a press conference to announce my arrival at the club. I stay for two questions, then leave. And to be fair, I didn't really give any kind of answer either. I've more important things to do.

Thursday 3rd July 2008
Like completing the signing of my first signing. A genuine superstar, a name synonymous with goalscoring at the highest of levels. Jean-Pierre Papin is 44 now though, but he still has excellent natural fitness, and you just never lose that ability to find the net, hopefully. At this level, would you back against him scoring goals on a regular basis? 30 goals in 54 caps for France says banging them in here shouldn't be too much of a problem. He was playing for an amateur team in France, and jumped at the chance to play in a more competitive environment.

Friday 4th July 2008
Two more arrive today, as we improve our full back options. 18 year Sam Peters signs for £2,000 from Team Wellington, his British passport meaning no work permit is required for the right back with 12 Under-21 caps for New Zealand to his name already.

Very much at the other end of his career is Darren Barnard, the 36 year old left back is known mostly for his time with Barnsley after being a youngster at Chelsea. He signs from Camberley Town for £3,000, and he will also work as our Youth Coach, as well as bringing his considerable dead ball skills to the club.

Saturday 5th July 2008
A much needed centre back is next in the door. A bit of a gamble, as former five times capped Israel Under-21 International utility player Guy Melamed hasn't played much football in the last few years. He's still only 28 though, and has returned to the game to sign for us, using his British passport and leaving the American one at home. He's previously played for Maccabi Haifa. He should be very effective at our current level.

Sunday 6th July 2008
With the wage budget now spent, unless we start putting in some of the transfer kitty, we'll be looking at loan deals now, though I don't think we need too much more. Four players have had loan offers from us accepted by their clubs.

Two Cup draws are made this lunchtime. The League Cup will give us our first shot at a giant killing, as we're drawn away to First Division club Dunfermline Athletic, which will take place at East End Park on Tuesday 5th August.

Before that, we have a kinder, though only slightly, outcome of the League Challenge Cup First Round draw. There we get a home tie, this time against Arbroath of the Second Division. That one is taking place on Saturday 26th July. As a result, we chop away the last two scheduled pre-season friendlies.

Thursday 10th July 2008
That attempt to bring in a loan player looked set to be unsuccessful, and then the last of the bunch gave us the nod today. 21 year old David Armstrong of Hearts has chosen us ahead of Berwick Rangers and Stenhousemuir, and the one time capped Northern Ireland Under-21 International will spend the season with us. His impressive pace will be much welcomed in the middle of our defence. All of his first team football has come from loans so far, with Cowdenbeath and Crusaders in his homeland twice. He's eager to get involved again.

Monday 14th July 2008

Ayr United v Dumbarton
Pre-Season Friendly
Somerset Park, Ayr

Our opening pre-season tilt takes us an hour down the east coast to Ayr. With the games close together, I do some mix and matching, with two of our new veterans getting us off the mark from a set piece, Darren Barnard's corner headed home off a post by Guy Melamed. There was a quick equaliser from the hosts by Mark Roberts, before we lost on loan David Armstrong to injury just over five minutes before the break. Fortunately it wasn't too bad an injury, but the reshuffle did cause us issues, and Roberts low drive was saved by Dave McEwan, and Ryan Borris guided home the rebound on the half volley. I made five more changes at the break, including the introduction of Kieran McAnespie and Jean-Pierre Papin. The French veteran snatched at a chance on the hour, and didn't get the power he wanted, meaning an easy save for Stephen Grindlay. Moments later, Papin was the mid guy in a one-two with Michael Moore, the striker smashing a shot off the bar. I made the rest of my changes, and with Ayr making theirs too, the game petered out. Not a bad first run out though.

Ayr United (2) 2 - Mark Roberts (24), Ryan Borris (41)
Dumbarton (1) 1 - Guy Melamed (16)
Attendance :- 336
Dave McEwan (Mark McGeown 71); Gordon Lennon © (Andy Geggan 45), Darren Barnard (Patrick Boyle 71), Guy Melamed (Mick Dunlop 71), David Armstrong (inj - Ben Gordon 39); Mark Canning (Jason McLaughlin 45), Ryan McStay (Ross Clark 45); Derek Carcary (Dennis McLaughlin 71), Stephen Murray (Kieran McAnespie 45); Paul Keegan (Jean-Pierre Papin 45), Michael Moore (Paul McLeod 71).

Tuesday 15th July 2008
It looks like a twisted knee for on loan centre back David Armstrong, so he will be out of contention for a little while, though it didn't look that bad at the time.

Wednesday 16th July 2008

Dumbarton v Kilmarnock
Pre-Season Friendly
Strathclyde Homes Stadium, Dumbarton

It's another Ayrshire opponent, this time with us as the hosts as we welcome SPL side Kilmarnock. I'm delighted to report that for the opening half hour or so, we were easily the better side. We pummelled our Premier League visitors, with set pieces very much the order of the day. Darren Barnard hit the side netting when a corner came back to him, while Guy Melamed forced a superb tip over from Damien Rascle when he connected with a header from a Barnard delivery. The Welshman had another go, a low drilled free kick that was only just wide of the target from his gifted left foot. Despite losing talented Moroccan International playmaker Mehdi Taouil to injury, Killie took the lead before the break, James Fowler ignoring the narrow angle, and beating Dave McEwan at his near post. Half a dozen changes at the break didn't seem to diminish our spirit in any way, sub Paul McLeod first hitting the post, and then finding the net with a shot on the turn, but on both occasions he was offside. That would be as good as it got for us, as Kilmarnock slowly took control, and wasted several chances to increase their lead late on. We suffered another late injury too, Mick O'Byrne damaging an elbow. Another defeat, but again we gave a very good account of ourselves.

Dumbarton (0) 0
Kilmarnock (1) 1
-
James Fowler (38)
Attendance :- 1,232
Dave McEwan (Mark McGeown 71); Gordon Lennon © (Andy Geggan 71), Darren Barnard (Patrick Boyle 45), Guy Melamed (Mick Dunlop 71), Ben Gordon (Mick O'Byrne 71); Mark Canning (David Gray 71), Ryan McStay (Ross Clark 45); Derek Carcary (Dennis McLaughlin 45), Stephen Murray (Kieran McAnespie 45); Paul Keegan (Jean-Pierre Papin 45), Michael Moore (Paul McLeod 45).

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Friday 18th July 2008

Crawley Town v Dumbarton
Pre-Season Friendly
Broadfield Stadium, Crawley

A trip south of the border as we enter the second half of our pre-season, and a match against a Blue Square Premier outfit. Rotation was required for an unseasonably wet and windy Friday evening kick off, but one thing didn't change, and that was the danger we presented from set pieces. Different cast, same result, Stephen Murray swung over the corner, and Mick Dunlop headed home, though keeper Simon Rayner should have done better. Jean-Pierre Papin got a chance from the start, but lasted only midway through the first half before going off with a hamstring injury. Paul McLeod came on, and soon combined with Derek Carcary to cause chaos in the Crawley penalty box, where the ball fell to Michael Moore, and he smashed home our second from close range. I made five more changes at the break, including the introduction of 16 year old Scottish/Swedish 6'3 centre back Anders Molander. As has been the pattern throughout these games, the second half saw the quality drop significantly as both sides cleared their subs benches, but that suited us, and we'll head north for home with a nice win under our belts.

Crawley Town (0) 0
Dumbarton (2) 2
-
Mick Dunlop (17), Michael Moore (31)
Attendance :- 349
Dave McEwan (Mark McGeown 69); Andy Geggan (Sam Peters 69), Patrick Boyle (Darren Barnard 69), Mick Dunlop (Guy Melamed 69), Ben Gordon (Anders Molander 45); Jason McLaughlin (Mark Canning 69), Ryan McStay (David Gray 45); Derek Carcary (Dennis McLaughlin 45), Stephen Murray (Kieran McAnespie 45); Jean-Pierre Papin © (inj - Paul McLeod 22), Michael Moore (Paul Keegan 45).

26 year old physio David Paterson joined the club today. His first job is to assess 44 year old French striker Jean-Pierre Papin. It's a pulled hamstring, and around a month on the sidelines. That's a disappointment for us in more ways than one. We were hoping the presence of the veteran would put some numbers on the attendance figures.

Paterson also runs the rule over our two injured defenders. Neither is going to be back during pre-season, Mick O'Byrne's damaged elbow will leave him sidelined for a few weeks, while David Armstrong's twisted knee isn't serious enough for him to have to head back to Edinburgh to get treated by his club Hearts.

Sunday 20th July 2008
Two scouts join the club today, and their first job is to find us a loan striker. We have plenty of striker options, but I'm not convinced we have a young striker that can find the net on a regular basis. Three offers are sent out and accepted by their clubs.

Monday 21st July 2008
It's our final pre-season game tonight before the domestic campaign begins on the weekend. It's time to select our Captains for the season, with right back Gordon Lennon given the armband, and new signing Guy Melamed selected as his stand in.

Dumbarton v West Ham United Reserves
Pre-Season Friendly
Strathclyde Homes Stadium, Dumbarton

Gianfranco Zola doesn't make the trip North of the Border, leaving his assistant Steve Clarke in charge as Premier League side West Ham United's second string pay us a visit. They bring some talented youngsters with them, but it was a tough watch for the Scot on his return to the country. He watched his young charges go two-nil down, Darren Barnard's cross field pass setting Derek Carcary off on the right, and his cross picked out Paul McLeod for a simple finish. There was nothing simple about Ryan McStay's finish midway through the first half, an absolute screamer into the top corner from 20 yards out, seconds after Sam Peters header was cleared off the line by Junior Stanislas. We ran into trouble when Michael Moore was injured shortly after, and West Ham came roaring back. Freddie Sears hit the post, before a Jack Collison cross found Stanislas, and he slid home one back before the break. It was the same provider when Tony Stokes slotted home the equaliser quickly after the second half kicked off, before Stanislas' 50th minute curler beat Dave McEwan at his near post and into the top corner. We were a bit lucky to keep the score down after that, with our guests missing a host of chances to increase their lead, while we suffered another injury late on, left back Patrick Boyle taking a knock this time.

Dumbarton (2) 2 - Paul McLeod (6), Ryan McStay (22)
West Ham United Reserves (1) 3 - Junior Stanislas (40,50), Tony Stokes (46)
Attendance :- 162.
Dave McEwan (Mark McGeown 68); Sam Peters (Gordon Lennon 68), Darren Barnard (Patrick Boyle 68 (inj - 86)), Guy Melamed © (Mick Dunlop 68), Ben Gordon (Anders Molander 68); Mark Canning (David Gray 68), Ryan McStay (Ross Clark 68); Derek Carcary (Dennis McLaughlin 68), Stephen Murray (Kieran McAnespie 68); Paul McLeod (Paul Walker 68), Michael Moore (inj - Paul Keegan 35).

And so our pre-season ends with another defeat. We looked really good in the opening quarter of the game, but once West Ham got a foothold back in the game, we couldn't live with them. Patrick Boyle has only stubbed a toe, so not to much to worry about there. But striker Michael Moore has sprained an ankle, and with Jean-Pierre Papin already sidelined, I dive right into the loan market with my final available domestic loan slot.

Tuesday 22nd July 2008
That loan move is completed very quickly, as 18 year old Motherwell's striker prospect Mark Archdeacon joins our ranks on loan for the season. His parent club will cover his wages for the duration. He's been on the SPL clubs books for two years without making his senior debut, and this is his chance to get some first team football under his belt.

Wednesday 23rd July 2008
I can still bring in one more player on loan, but it cannot be from a Scottish club. It will be a pretty tough sell getting a player worth adding to come to us from clubs south of the border, but that won't stop us trying if we can find someone who will add some quality to our squad.

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Dumbarton FC 2008/09 Pen Pictures :-
(* denotes new signing)

Goalkeepers :-

Dave McEwan (GK) - Scottish (2 Under-21 Caps)
26 years old - 6'0

Signed - 23/5/2008 from Free Agency
Our first choice keeper right now, and a steady eddie. No more or less than that.

Mark McGeown (GK) - Scottish
38 years old - 5'11
Signed - 30/5/2008 from Free Agency

The Player/Goalkeeper Coach at the club. Who likely won't be doing much of the playing.

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Defenders :-

Guy Melamed* (SW, DC, DM, MC) - Israeli (5 Under-21 Caps)
28 years old - 6'1
Signed - 5/7/2008 from Free Agency

Been out of the game for a while, but judging on pre-season, he is going to really improve our defence.

Gordon Lennon (D RC) - Northern Irish
25 years old - 6'1
Signed - 20/1/2008 from Free Agency

Our new Club Captain who is very experienced at this level. Might be a little too defensive for my style though.

Sam Peters* (D R) - New Zealand (12 Under-21 Caps)
19 years old - 5'8
Signed - 4/7/2008 from Team Wellington for £2,000

Has played almost as much International football as he has club games. Good pace, good going forward. Watch out Lennon.

Andy Geggan (D R, M C) - Scottish
21 years old - 5'8
Signed - 2006 from Free Agency

Finishes like a striker, dribbles like a winger, passes like a midfielder, defends like a defender. Should really decide which ones he wants to be. And fast.

Mick Dunlop (D/WB LC, DM, M C) - Scottish
25 years old - 6'1
Signed - 23/5/2008 from Free Agency

Left footed centre back who could really benefit from our prowess at set pieces. Has never scored more than two goals in a season. I'd bet he has more than that this side of Christmas.

Ben Gordon (D C) - Scottish
22 years old - 5'11
Signed - 30/5/2008 from Free Agency

Has never played senior football before, but defensively, he is probably the best we have.

David Armstrong* (D C) - Northern Irish (1 Under-21 Cap)
21 years old - 6'1
Signed - 10/7/2008 from Heart of Midlothian (season long loan)

Has played all his senior football during loan spells, and brings some much needed pace to our defence.

Mick O'Byrne (D C) - Scottish
19 years old - 6'1
Signed - 2007 from Free Agency

Young and raw centre back, who may struggle to make an impression on the first team this season.

Darren Barnard* (D/WB L) - Welsh (22 Caps)
36 years old - 5'7
Signed - 4/7/2008 from Camberley Town for £3,000

Hugely experienced left footed dead ball specialist. His physical attributes may be diminishing, but technically, he's still top drawer. Is also the Youth Coach at the club.

Patrick Boyle (D/WB L) - Scottish
21 years old - 5'10
Signed - 2008 from Free Agency

Former Everton youngster who was let go this summer after only mildly successful loan spells. A very capable understudy for Barnard.

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Midfielders/Wingers :-

Mark Canning (D C, DM, M C) - Scottish
24 years old - 5'11
Signed - 2006 from Free Agency

Ball winning midfielder who enjoys the combative side of the game. Strikes a mean free kick too.

Kieran McAnespie (D/WB L, AM LC) - Scottish (4 Under-21 Caps)
28 years old - 5'8
Signed - 1/5/2008 from Morton (season long loan)

A career that hasn't gone the way many expected when he broke into the St Johnstone side as a teenager, before heading south of the border. Likely to be used in a more attacking role than he has previously taken up.

Jason McLaughlin (DM, M C) - Scottish
19 years old - 5'10
Signed - 2006 from Youth Intake

I hear good things about him, but as yet, I don't see anything that makes me think he'll make it here.

David Gray (M RC) - Scottish
20 years old - 5'5
Signed - 10/5/2008 from Kilmarnock on a Free Transfer

Was out of his depth with both Dundee United and Kilmarnock and didn't get to play in the SPL. Can the diminutive midfielder make the grade here? 

Ross Clark (M C) - Scottish
25 years old - 5'9
Signed - 2007 from Alloa Athletic on a Free Transfer

Has played over 150 times at this kind of level with Queen's Park and Alloa, but has been labelled as 'gifted, but lazy'. He needs to lose that tag if he's going to stay here and be successful.

Ryan McStay (M C) - Scottish
22 years old - 6'1
Signed - 2008 from Free Agency

Has bounced around several clubs trying to make his way, but this is his first time outside the top two tiers. Exceptionally talented, and should show his class at this level.

Dennis McLaughlin (AM R, ST) - Irish
21 years old - 6'1
Signed - 1/5/2008 from Heart of Midlothian (season long loan)

He clearly has something, as there is always a queue of clubs to sign him on loan. But none of them ever want to keep him, and it might just be that he is over rated.

Derek Carcary (AM RL, ST) - Scottish
22 years old - 5'7
Signed - 1/7/2008 from Free Agency

Had such a good first senior season at Queen's Park that Rangers picked him up. But he never played at Ibrox, and Raith Rovers failed to get the best from either. Lightning quick, can dribble and cross with both feet. Needs to show he can produce now, as it might be his last chance.

Stephen Murray (AM RL, ST) - Scottish
25 years old - 5'4
Signed - 30/6/2008 from Free Agency

Was a regular at Kilmarnock for several seasons, but when they cut him loose he had poor seasons at Patrick Thistle and Queen of the South. Won't win too many headers, but very capable of supplying our strikers with plenty of opportunities to win them from either wing.

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Strikers :- 

Paul McLeod (AM R, ST) - Scottish
21 years old - 5'10
Signed - 2008 from Free Agency

Former Hamilton Academicals youngster who still hasn't worked out his best position. I'm seeing him more as a striker playing off the knock downs from a big target man type forward.

Paul Keegan (ST) - Irish
35 years old - 6'1
Signed - 1/1/2008 from Partick Thistle on a Free Transfer

Being long in the tooth isn't too much of a problem here. Having a strike rate of a goal every seven or eight game might well be know. Unless he finds the net regularly when he plays, he may be on the fast track to retirement.

Jean-Pierre Papin* (ST) - French (54 Caps / 30 Goals)
44 years old - 5'9
Signed - 3/7/2008 from AS Facture Biganos on a Free Transfer

Even in his mid-40's, and after a career that has seen him play for some of Europe's best clubs, Papin still has the desire to play and score goals. If he still has 'it', then he could put bums on seats and balls in the net in our colours.

Mark Archdeacon* (ST) - Scottish
18 years old - 6'1
Signed - 22/7/2008 from Motherwell (season long loan)

An eager teenage striker with capabilities in the air and on the deck. Hungry for a first taste of senior football, and could learn all there is to know from someone like Papin.

Michael Moore (ST) - Scottish
27 years old - 6'2
Signed - 2008 from Ayr United on a Free Transfer

Back for a second spell with the club after leaving last summer to join Ayr for £1,000. Has scored goals everywhere he has been, but will miss the opening few months with a sprained ankle.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Friday 26th July 2008
Our domestic season begins tomorrow afternoon, and a very early chance to pull off a Cup upset, as we are visited by Arbroath of the Second Division in the opening round of the League Challenge Cup. The bookies have us as narrow favourites for the game too following our squad additions. It would certainly be a cracking start to the campaign for us if we could get into the Second Round.

It's a peculiar one to work out though. Those wise fellas who come up with the odds have us as favourites to turn over a side that they predict will get relegated from the Second Division this season. But when it comes to the odds for the Third Division Title, they have us as virtual non-runners, pricing us at 20/1. In fact, they think we might struggle to stay off the foot of the table. The media don't agree with that, and they have us as third favourites.

Saturday 27th July

Dumbarton v Arbroath
League Challenge Cup, First Round
Strathclyde Homes Stadium, Dumbarton

Injuries up front means starts for Paul Keegan and new loanee Mark Archdeacon. From an early Darren Barnard corner, Guy Melamed failed to get his header on target, while an outswinging Mark McCulloch free kick found Ian McGrane at the other end, but he also missed. Derek Carcary had a penalty shout turned down, while Keegan's shot on the turn was pushed away. McGrane took too long when he was played into space and the chance went as the first half remained goalless. The second half started at some pace though, and Barnard got the ball back from Ryan McStay after a corner, and his low cross caused chaos, Darren Hill tried to parry it away, but it hit McCulloch and rolled in. That lead lasted just two minutes, right back Paul Lunan's cross to the far post found Steven Weir, who's header appeared to be straying wide, but took a huge deflection off skipper Gordon Lennon and found it's way inside the near post. That gave Arbroath a huge confidence boost, and just after the hour Weir played a short pass to John Fraser, who took it from all of 30 yards, his curling shot just beating Dave McEwan's stretching fingertips, and crashing in off the underside off the bar, a really special goal. Now we had to push forward, almost getting caught on the counter attack quickly, Melamed taking one for the team with a foul right on the edge of the box that cost him a booking. When a chance did come our way in the final ten minutes, Mark Archdeacon was just beaten to the ball by Craig Forsyth when Paul McLeod flicked it on into the box. We're out.

Dumbarton (0) 1 - Marc McCulloch (54 og)
Arbroath (0) 2 - Gordon Lennon (56 og), John Fraser (62)
Attendance :- 490
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard, Guy Melamed (Ben Gordon 69), Mick Dunlop; Mark Canning, Ryan McStay (Ross Clark 69); Derek Carcary, Stephen Murray; Paul Keegan (Paul McLeod 69), Mark Archdeacon.

It's always disappointing to be knocked out of Cup competitions early, but we were facing a team a Division above us. I do think that if we played that match again in a month or so, then we could have come out of it with a win. But hopefully there will be plenty more opportunities to trip up opponents from higher divisions in the future. We bank £2,100 in prize money after the loss.

Wednesday 30th July
It's been a quiet week so far, with the only event of note being several players from bigger clubs in England refusing options to join us for a loan spell. Today I agree that the players will receive a bonus on the higher end of the scale at the end of the season, depending on their League position. The Cup bonus remains more along normal lines.

Friday 1st August 2008
We start our League campaign tomorrow with a trip to face Montrose, a club who are not expected to be part of the promotion race this season. They've gone down a similar line to us this summer, as they are currently trying to bring in now 37 year old veteran Scottish International midfielder Don Hutchison, who we are also in the hunt to sign. Despite being away from home, the bookies are making us favourites to open up with a win. Mick O'Byrne has resumed training today, but too late to be considered for tomorrow's game.

Saturday 2nd August

Montrose v Dumbarton
Scottish Third Division
Links Park, Montrose

We head cross country and towards the North East coast to face Montrose on a beautiful sunny day. Our lack of forward options leaves me going with a conservative tactic, and skipper Gordon Lennon had to bail us out early on twice from corner deliveries that should have been cleared before they got to his back post area. In a first half limited on quality chances, our big one came midway through, Ryan McStay sending a pinpoint pass with the outside of his foot into the box, Stephen Murray letting it run across his body, and striking left footed back across goal and wide of the near post. Dave McEwan had to make a smart save from David Cox at his near post, while Roddy Hunter smashed a shot just over the bar after tricking his way past Lennon. As the second half began, it looked as if a gilt edged chance would be needed to break the deadlock, and it came just over ten minutes after the restart. Chris Hegarty's cross field pass found skipper David Worrell in space on the right, and his low cross picked out Hunter on the penalty spot, who had time to set himself and put his low shot beyond McEwan's dive and into the bottom corner. And after being opened up once, our defence were quickly broken down again, Hegarty again involved with a pass from midfield into Cox's feet, he was stopped by a well timed Guy Melamed sliding tackle, but the ball fell to Hunter, and he swept a shot into the near top corner from ten yards out. We regrouped to be a lot more attacking, and as the final ten minutes neared, Paul Keegan's attempt to get onto a loose ball saw Jamie Buchan bring him down in the penalty box. Darren Barnard stepped up and planted his low left footed spot kick into the bottom corner, his first goal for the club, and we were back in the game with only ten minutes left to play. Montrose were now in survival mode, while we were on all out attack. In injury time, Keegan went down again, but this time the ref said no, and we opened the League campaign with a defeat and the closest we got to a haul of three was a near three hour trip back home.

Montrose (0) 2 - Roddy Hunter (58,63)
Dumbarton (0) 1 - Darren Barnard (79 pen)
Attendance :- 468
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard, Guy Melamed, Mick Dunlop; Mark Canning, Ryan McStay; Derek Carcary, Stephen Murray (Kieran McAnespie 68); Paul Keegan, Mark Archdeacon (Paul McLeod 68).

Maybe I set us up a little too defensively for that one, and we paid for it by having to come out of our shell too much once we fell behind. Kieran McAnespie gashed an arm late on, the on loan left sided player will likely miss a week or so with that knock. Meanwhile, we need to find the best way to suit us, and the fine line between defensive stability and attacking intent. With a trip to Dunfermline in the League Cup next, things won't be getting any easier right away.

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Sunday 3rd August 2008
Don Hutchison is one of several Free Agent players we are chasing and trying to bring into the club to give us a bit more depth, and frankly, some better options. Some are more keen than others. We've sold 240 season tickets for this campaign, and we're going to have to do a bit better to stop them turning against us in a hurry.

Monday 4th August
Getting things better tomorrow night might be a tough ask. We are travelling cross country again, this time into Fife to face Dunfermline Athletic of the First Division in the First Round of the Scottish League Cup. Despite being already much better stocked in their squad than us, this summer they added dozen times capped veteran England winger Trevor Sinclair, and 1995 English Premier League Winners Medal holder, centre back Ian Pearce. Any wonder that the bookies have us pegged to get an absolute stuffing at East End Park then.

Tuesday 5th August

Dunfermline Athletic v Dumbarton
Scottish League Cup, First Round
East End Park, Dunfermline

One change for us as Mark Archdeacon starts up front in place of Paul McLeod. Not that the ball got anywhere near our strikers. Scott Muirhead got past Derek Carcary down their left, and pinged a quick pass to the feet of Francis Murphy. He shifted the ball away from Mark Canning, and curled in a cross towards the far post and Jamie Mole. But the ball was overhit, clearing everyone and finding the net via the inside of the post to give Athletic a 4th minute lead. His volley at the top corner moments later was a whisker off target, but the reprieve was momentary. Mole's diagonal pass into the box found Graham Bayne, who looked offside. The flag stayed down though, and he fired across goal and inside the far post to double the lead in the 9th minute. Mole was involved again in the 21st minute, a period of heavy pressure having us defend for our lives, but failing when Guy Melamed stretched for the ball and brought on loan Mole down to concede a penalty. Trevor Sinclair smashed the spot kick home, his first goal for the club. 3-0, and we weren't even a quarter of the way through the game. And they kept the pressure on. Stephen Glass headed down the ball from a corner, Sinclair fired it goalwards, but Darren Barnard headed that one off the line. When we did make an excursion up the park, Paul McLeod's cut back found Ryan McStay, but he dragged his shot wide of the target. Melamed picked up a booking as the frustration grew, peaking in injury time when Murphy curled home a superb left footed curling free kick after McStay had brought down Glass. The air was turned a distinct shade of blue in our dressing room as I berated my players effort and decision to seemingly throw in the towel very quickly. I challenged them to prove me wrong. And they did! Ben Gordon came on for Melamed after he'd been booked, and promptly got his name taken himself. But he did also cause chaos when Barnard delivered a corner, Carcary poking home his first goal in our colours to at least add a bit of respectability to the scoreboard. Our hosts hadn't taken their foot off the gas, but they were no longer taking their chances, Bayne, Murphy and Sinclair all missing when they should have scored. With more changes made in the latter stages, we got another one back, Stephen Murray's cross found sub Mark Archdeacon all alone, and he volleyed home his first ever senior goal. There was a wariness about Dunfermline now, and Ross Clark sent a long range effort curling just wide, before Gordon Lennon crashed a shot against the bar after joining the attack. We had got as close as we would manage though.

Dunfermline Athletic (4) 4 - Francis Murphy (4,45+1), Graham Bayne (9), Trevor Sinclair (22 pen)
Dumbarton (0) 2 - Derek Carcary (58), Mark Archdeacon (78)
Attendance :- 3,521
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard, Guy Melamed (Ben Gordon 45), Mick Dunlop; Mark Canning, Ryan McStay (Ross Clark 74); Derek Carcary, Stephen Murray; Paul McLeod, Paul Keegan (Mark Archdeacon 74).

A predictable defeat then, but that first half made for appalling watching, with my players showing no guts or pride when things started to go wrong. It took an absolute bawling session to get it into their heads how annoyed I was, and the second half was much, much better, and while there was never any real danger of us making a sensational comeback, they showed me something at least. I won't ever tolerate us giving up.

We are given a £10,000 prize for not winning a game in the competition, though Guy Melamed has picked up a one game ban that applies to all domestic Cup games after picking up a second booking in Cup competitions this season.

Wednesday 6th August
On loan centre back David Armstrong is back in training today following his knee injury. Now we need to make a decision on his availability for the weekend.

Friday 8th August
We're hoping to snap our run of three competitive defeats tomorrow afternoon with another away trip, once again heading north-east, though not quite as far as Montrose this time, though not far off. It's Forfar that is our destination, and they drew on the opening day at home to Elgin City. They got a goal from their dangerman, and on loan teenage striker Johnny Russell, who is at Station Road for the season from Dundee United. The home side are the narrow favourites with the bookies to be the first of our two clubs to pick up a League win of the season.

Saturday 9th August

Forfar Athletic v Dumbarton
Scottish Third Division
Station Road, Forfar

Four changes are made in total from the defeat in Dunfermline, three of them to the defence with only Darren Barnard remaining in the starting lineup. We resisted making another change when Mark Canning took an early knock, but he played on. It was the hosts who had the early initiative, Joshua Vermooten sending their best chance over the bar, while at the other end, Mark Archdeacon's shot on the turn was wide. An even better chance would go begging when Archdeacon's flick on sent Derek Carcary away in the clear, drawing out Alistair Brown, but sending a shot flashing across goal and wide. Ryan McStay had two cracks at opening the scoring as we slowly started to control the game, not getting all that he wanted on his first effort, but catching the second one beautifully, Brown tipping it over. And it was starting to look like it might not be our day when Barnard's cross was met by Archdeacon's powerful header, which thumped back off the bar. So a goalless first half, and at the break Ross Clark replaced Canning, immediately getting into the game to tee up McStay, who's dipping shot didn't dip enough. With our fair share of chances coming and going, we started to fear being caught at the other end, Callum Smith firing a first time shot wide, while a Craig Winter free kick was deflected wide. When the deadlock was finally broken midway through the second half, it wasn't without controversy. Clark and Vermooten battled for the ball in the centre circle. Clark came away with it, while Vermooten was left injured. He spread the ball to Stephen Murray, and he got it into the box for Paul McLeod. The striker held it up, and then cut it back for the arriving Clark, who sent a shot into the roof of the net to open his account for the club, while Vermooten went off injured. Talk about adding insult to injury! Then with just over ten minutes to play, and right as I was considering shutting things down, Barnard played a one-two with McLeod, and then sent a low cross to the near post that McStay met with a half volley to net his first competitive goal for the club from close range, and I was able to make my changes and help us see the game out, as we earned three points and an equally important clean sheet.

Forfar Athletic (0) 0
Dumbarton (0) 2
-
Ross Clark (68), Ryan McStay (79)
Attendance :- 409
Dave McEwan; Sam Peters, Darren Barnard ©, Ben Gordon, Mick O'Byrne; Mark Canning (inj - Ross Clark 45), Ryan McStay; Derek Carcary, Stephen Murray (David Gray 85); Paul McLeod (David Armstrong 85), Mark Archdeacon.

That was so much better, as we rode the early storm, and then slowly took control of the game, giving our wide players, Derek Carcary in particular, enough ball to express themselves and cause major issues. Ryan McStay picked up the headlines with a superb performance from the midfield, capped with his first goal for the club, and only the second of his career.

There also needs to be a big mention for Darren Barnard. The only member of the back four to keep his spot, he added an assist to the goal he netted last weekend to continue his sparkling early season form for us and defy his veteran status.

And hopefully that's a good omen too, as it's not just Jean-Pierre Papin's return from injury that we have to look forward to. As late tonight, we get the news that Free Agent veteran and former Scottish International midfielder Don Hutchison is to join us on a two year deal. Now 37 years old, this will be the first time he has played domestically in Scotland, heading North of the Border after being released by Luton Town at the start of the summer. It's news that delights our fans.

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Sunday 10th August 2008
Don Hutchison gets involved right away, part of a very strong Reserve side that made the long 200 mile trip north today to Elgin as our second string opened their Group 3 campaign. The former International played 70 minutes, and joined the likes of Kieran McAnespie who was given some game time as he returns from injury, and some other fringe squad players. An emphatic 3-0 win means some of these players will be pushing those in the First Team soon.

Monday 11th August
Darren Barnard joins weekend goalscorers Ross Clark and Ryan McStay in the Third Division Team of the Week selection.

Friday 15th August
It's our first home League game of the campaign tomorrow, as we host Cowdenbeath, relegated from the Second Division last season. The bookies have them as the Title favourites, the media don't think they're as good, and only have them pegged to finish second. But this might be a very good time to face them. They've taken four points from their two League matches, but now have half a dozen players out with injury, and that includes their first choice keeper, a centre back, their new signing Slovakian attacking midfielder, and a pair of strikers. Meanwhile, we've got Jean-Pierre Papin back in training  again. This could be perfect timing for us.

Saturday 16th August

Dumbarton v Cowdenbeath
Scottish Third Division
Strathclyde Homes Stadium, Dumbarton

Gordon Lennon is back at right back, Ross Clark replaces Mark Canning in midfield. We have great options from the bench with Kieran McAnespie, Don Hutchison and Jean-Pierre Papin all selected. Stephen Murray plays his 150th career League match. The sides swapped early chances, Derek Carcary's early cross just missing it's target Paul McLeod, while Brian Fairbairn almost made the most of Mick O'Byrne failing to find his feet, but he sent his shot over the bar. Cowdenbeath suffered further injury problems when full back John Armstrong was forced off. A clever free kick routine saw Stephen Murray send in a low shot that teenager keeper Sam Morris couldn't hold, but did push away. He was quickly called into action again, Lennon's cross volleyed at goal by McStay at the far post, Morris making the save again. A late first half free kick from Darren Barnard found Carcary, but the winger scuffed his shot well wide. The Welsh full back's next set piece was a corner that Ben Gordon headed goalwards, only to see it hacked off the line. Into the second half, and it would be fair to say we were dominating, a lengthy and nice passing move finally getting the ball into the box for Mark Archdeacon, who's shot was again turned aside by Morris. The young striker then sent a header wide from a Barnard corner when he really should've done better. Third time lucky though in the 72nd minute, as a counter attack sent Murray into space on the left, and his pinpoint cross found Archdeacon, who half volleyed home his first senior League goal! Moments later, we added a second, Murray once more the supplier from the left, this time a low drilled cross that McStay fired into the bottom corner. With our visitors suffering more injury woe, with ten minutes to go I emptied the bench, bringing on McAnespie alongside debuts for Hutchison and Papin for a brief cameo appearance in front of the home crowd. They could have seen a debut Papin goal though, after Carcary received the ball from McStay and set off on a mazy run past five players, that was only ended when Chris Shanks took his standing leg away as he was about to shoot. Papin really wanted to take the spot kick, but Barnard had none of that. He might have wished he did let him take it though, as he saw Morris turn his effort onto the post, and Papin didn't manage to complete his brief outing, hobbling off in injury time as we finished with ten men. It's easier to deal with when you're winning though.

Dumbarton (0) 2 - Mark Archdeacon (72), Ryan McStay (76)
Cowdenbeath (0) 0
Attendance :- 673
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard, Ben Gordon, Mick O'Byrne; Ross Clark (Don Hutchison 80), Ryan McStay; Derek Carcary, Stephen Murray (Kieran McAnespie 80); Paul McLeod, Mark Archdeacon (Jean-Pierre Papin 80 (inj -90)).

If we'd lost that, not only would I be hearing about our poor form, but I'd also start to be questioned about Jean-Pierre Papin, and if this was becoming a bit of a publicity stunt, with little intention of him playing. We all know that's not the case, he is genuinely here because I believe he can score goals at this level, but we are going to have to really nurse him to fitness. Fortunately, this one was just an impact knock and there was no damage done. He is annoyed that he wasn't allowed to take that spot kick though. Stephen Murray was man of the match, setting up both goals in an upturn of form for the former Kilmarnock man on his 150th League outing. The surprise early leaders are East Stirlingshire, and we host them at our place next weekend.

Sunday 17th August
It was another strong Reserve side that played at home to Albion Rovers today, and won again. 2-0 this time, with goals from Paul Keegan and Kieran McAnespie. Though there was bad news as Andy Geggan was injured half hour in, a sprained ankle ruling him out for two months.

Monday 18th August
It's three players in the Team of the Week once again, with Ryan McStay included once more, this time with wingers Derek Carcary and Stephen Murray.

Friday 22nd August
So the League leaders East Stirlingshire that visit us tomorrow afternoon. Perennial whipping boys in the bottom tier, they have improved their squad no end with a few loan signings. 21 year old striker Brian Graham is on loan from Morton, and has scored five times in three League games. Jamie Stevenson is also on loan from Morton, but hasn't played a competitive match yet after tearing a hamstring in pre-season. The bookies have us as Even money favourites due to our home advantage and impressive  form over the last couple of games.

Saturday 23rd August

Dumbarton v East Stirlingshire
Scottish Third Division
Strathclyde Homes Stadium, Dumbarton

Sit back with your feet up and enjoy the story of game of the season. Unless you support one of these clubs, in which case prepare to chew your fingernails down to the knuckle while perched on the edge of a seat. And it got of to a flying start, right from kick off Mick O'Byrne made an interception, and the ball fell to Gordon Lennon, who drilled a through ball down the park and between the defenders, Mark Archdeacon quick off the mark and rounding keeper Mark Peat, before sending the ball into the unguarded net to give us a lead with just 28 seconds on the clock. A short lived lead though, Brian Graham's shot saved by Dave McEwan, but the ball was sent back across by Colin Cramb, and Ray Scully headed home an equaliser with less than three minutes played! Paul Weaver picked out skipper Derek Ure a short time later, and McEwan had to make a save to prevent us going behind. But we would fall behind in the 16th minute in comical circumstances, Ure finding Cramb, who's shot took a huge deflection off O'Byrne, and Darren Barnard tried to hoist it clear, smashing the ball against Stephen Murray and past McEwan. The wingers chance to make things right came and went, Archdeacon's setup half volleyed wide from twenty yards out by Murray. As the half hour approached, he found a way to fix things, Murray collecting the ball down the touchline from Barnard, and his low near post area cross found Paul McLeod, who held off the challenge from Michael Bolochoweckyj, and fired inside the near post to level things up. Less than five minutes later, we had turned things around, Barnard picking out Archdeacon on the edge of the box, and he held the ball up before sending a deft through ball between the centre backs, where Derek Carcary nipped in and sent a shot beyond Peat and put us back ahead. Briefly. Again. Not quite as briefly this time, Peat's injury time hoist down the park put McEwan in two minds, and he chose the wrong one. He didn't come off his line, and Cramb punished him, reaching the ball and slamming it across goal and inside the far post. Half time, three apiece. I don't think anyone expected the second half to be as frantic as the first, but it still wasn't short on entertainment, both sides missing half decent chances to put themselves back in front. Ironically, it was as East Stirlingshire made changes to try and improve their defence that we struck midway through the half, Barnard's corner, and Ben Gordon connected with his header into the top corner, and we had something to hold onto. Weaver injured himself as he tried to prevent Carcary going for another of his jaunts down the right wing. Where he fell, he played everyone onside, Murray's volley saved, Archdeacon's follow up blocked. I started making my changes, as we sank back into a more defensive setup, with counter attacking on our minds. But unlike our visitors, I didn't take off my defender who had been poor on the day. But O'Byrne did smash the ball upfield and find Jean-Pierre Papin, and he was left one on one with Gerard McGranaghan. Not blessed with pace anymore, Papin still found a way through with his opponent booked and unable to take a risk, Peat bailing him out by kicking the shot clear. And we would pay for that. With the clock showing 89 minutes, Andy Rodgers found Sean Anderson on the right, and his cross wasn't cleared by O'Byrne, and Carl Peteffer headed home a late equaliser in this dramatic game!

Dumbarton (3) 4 - Mark Archdeacon (1), Paul McLeod (29), Derek Carcary (33), Ben Gordon (67)
East Stirlingshire (3) 4 - Ray Scully (3), Stephen Murray (16 og), Colin Cramb (45+1), Cark Peteffer (89)
Attendance :- 809
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard, Ben Gordon, Mick O'Byrne; Ross Clark (Don Hutchison 79), Ryan McStay; Derek Carcary, Stephen Murray; Paul McLeod (Jean-Pierre Papin 83), Mark Archdeacon (David Armstrong 83).

Wow! An early contender for game of the season, and all that to earn a solitary point, which felt more like a defeat with Peteffer's leveller coming as late as it did. Unbelievably, the man of the match award went to Mark Peat, despite the keeper being beaten four times. Go figure. East Stirlingshire remain top despite dropping their first points of the season, while we drop to third with seven on the board from our opening four games.

Monday 25th August
Darren Barnard and Derek Carcary are both included in the Third Division Team of the Week. There is now just one week remaining of the Summer Transfer Window.

Friday 29th August
Our final League game of August is tomorrow afternoon, and we'll make the trek South this time, into the border town of Berwick-upon-Tweed for a match with a Berwick Rangers side that have taken four points from their opening four matches, shipping nine goals during that time, and like us, they are also out of both Cups that have got underway so far. Despite those stats, they are priced as the Even money favourites for the win. Maybe the bookies are unconvinced by our defending after last weeks goal-fest?

Saturday 30th August

Berwick Rangers v Dumbarton
Scottish Third Division
Shielfield Park, Berwick-upon-Tweed

After a bit of a horror show last week, a change is made to the defence, Mick O'Byrne not making the journey, with on loan David Armstrong starting the game, and Guy Melamed returning to the matchday squad on the bench. We could have gone behind very early, Ben Gordon doing a good job holding up Michael Reddy and forcing him to shoot from range, Dave McEwan stopping the shot but not holding it, and Jamie Nolan blasted over from only 5 yards out. Our willingness to let them have the ball cost us soon after, an attempt to counter attack was snuffed out, Nolan ran at our defence, his shot being partially blocked, but only into the path of Fraser McLaren, who slid his shot under McEwan's dive to open the scoring. We hit back quickly, Paul McLeod battling to keep possession deep in the Rangers half, and getting the ball wide to Stephen Murray, who got into the box, and cut the ball back across goal, where Mark Archdeacon found himself unmarked and able to tap in the equaliser. We almost completed a very quick turnaround, Ryan McStay's inswinging corner coming back off the crossbar. Derek Carcary thought he was fouled in the box, but instead a free kick was awarded the other way. Instead it was the hosts who went into half time with a lead, Ross Clark conceding a free kick thirty yards out, and full back Craig James sent a low bullet like shot into the bottom corner, with McEwan helpless by the time he saw it. It was fairly calm in our dressing room, but I did tell the players that I needed to see more, and I got a fabulous response from them. Just five minutes after the restart McStay worked with Gordon Lennon to win the ball down our right, before the former played it into the feet of Carcary. His first touch got him away from James, and he sped into the box, beating two more players before firing between Ryan McGurk and his near post to bring us level again. All of a sudden, Rangers looked nervous, and they sank back into survival mode. Archdeacon sent in a shot that clipped the bar on its way over, while Carcary was causing mayhem down the right, running past James time after time, and almost recreating his goal with another run on the hour mark. McStay had a shot blocked on the line after a goalmouth scramble, before an Archdeacon header from a McStay corner crashed back off the bar. But midway through the second half we finally broke through and into the lead, Darren Barnard dropping the ball down the left for Murray, and he again picked out his man, McLeod sidefooting home at the near post. And we quickly doubled that lead, Barnard with a corner this time, Gordon's header was blocked by McLaren, but the centre back swept home the ball at the second attempt and gave us a buffer. Barnard and Clark came off, with Kieran McAnespie and Don Hutchison coming on, both quickly getting stuck in. McAnespie's cross field pass found Carcary in acres of space, the winger picking out Archdeacon with his cross, the striker volleying against the post, McStay sending the rebound wide. Guy Melamed came on for McLeod as we attempted to shut up shop, but we still found a way through again to net a late fifth. McStay carved Rangers defence open with a defence splitting through ball to send Murray into space on the left again. He picked out Archdeacon in the box, but with no route to goal and a shot, he unselfishly squared the ball to Carcary, who moved past a defender, and then slammed home his second to round off an exceptional second half performance.

Berwick Rangers (2) 2 - Fraser McLaren (14), Craig James (39)
Dumbarton (1) 5 - Mark Archdeacon (16), Derek Carcary (50,85), Paul McLeod (66), Ben Gordon (71)
Attendance :- 272
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard (Kieran McAnespie 71), Ben Gordon, David Armstrong; Ross Clark (Don Hutchison 71), Ryan McStay; Derek Carcary, Stephen Murray; Paul McLeod (Guy Melamed 80), Mark Archdeacon.

That second half showed exactly what we are capable off, and why I believe we will do better than the bookies have predicted this season. With five games played, we sit in third place, and we're now starting to score quite freely, with our two wingers getting right into their stride, with Derek Carcary earning man of the match today. On the whole, it hasn't been a bad month of August at all, despite exiting two Cups early on.

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Monday 1st September 2008
The month was rounded off nicely yesterday with the Reserve side winning again, with Mark Canning and Kieran McAnespie finding the net, and young full back Sam Peters being included in the New Zealand Under-21 Squad as they face New Caledonia in a Friendly double header at the end of the week and into next midweek.

Ben Gordon, Derek Carcary and Paul McLeod are included in the Third Division Team of the Week. But there were bigger prizes being handed out to two of the trio. McLeod was named as the August Young Player of the Month for the Third Division, while Derek Carcary walked off with the Player of the Month Award. No Award for me though, as I come third in the Manager of the Month stakes.

The Transfer Window comes and goes today, with no business taking place in or out of the club. Michael Moore returns to training to improve our options up front. The Board are satisfied with my opening month in charge, pleased with the signing of Mark Archdeacon on loan, less pleased with the opening day loss at Montrose. A profit of nearly £26,000 for the month has the club showing a healthy bank balance of £138,000.

Saturday 6th September
Sam Peters represented New Zealand Under-21's today as they played the first of two matches against New Caledonia, with this one in Nouméa. It was a bit of a surprise result too, as New Caledonia held on for a 0-0 draw, with Peters playing the full game at right back to earn his 13th cap at Under-21 level.

Sunday 7th September
It's a strong Reserve side that are selected at Strathclyde Homes Stadium today to face Queen of the South. On the positive side of things, Guy Melamed, Don Hutchison and Kieran McAnespie all played ninety minutes of football, while Michael Moore got seventy minutes under his belt. On the less positive side, they lost, 2-0.

Tuesday 9th September
Saturday see's us return to action after two weeks without a match. The Board have made that game against Annan Athletic a 'Fan Day', in an effort to boost the home attendances and interest in the club.

Friday 12th September
We go into tomorrow on a four match unbeaten run, and sat in third place, hosting Annan Athletic who are currently 7th in the table. We're heading into the game at home as comfortable favourites.

Saturday 20th September

Dumbarton v Annan Athletic
Scottish Third Division
Strathclyde Homes Stadium, Dumbarton

We buried Annan in the early stages. In the 6th minute, Darren Barnard found Ross Clark twenty yards or so out, and he moved infield, earned his shooting space, and then curled a low shot around a group of players that were impeding Graeme Loughman's vision, and into the far bottom corner. We could have quickly made it two when Derek Carcary's floated cross from the right was aimed at Mark Archdeacon, but Stuart Hill's last gasp touch knocked it away from him. But in the 12th minute Carcary took a pass from Gordon Lennon and swerved into the box, before cutting it back towards Paul McLeod, who would have had an easy finish had Hill not beat him to it and put it into his own net while trying to sort his feet out. We were blowing our visitors away, Ryan McStay's low driven shot only just turned around the post by Loughman at the last second. From the corner, Barnard picked out McLeod at the far post, and he volleyed home from close range to make it three nil with only fifteen minutes on the clock. Moments later a McStay corner picked out Ben Gordon, absolutely unmarked in the middle, but his powerful downward header was wide of the near post. We took a foot off the gas a little, a spell that coincided with Carcary taking a knock. Athletic created a few chances of their own, the best falling to Neil Young, but was cleared off the line. Two wayward efforts from range by Liam Cusack brought the first half to a close, and also Carcary's day, as I decided to take no further chances with the winger as the scoreboard was so heavily in our favour. Kieran McAnespie came on, with Stephen Murray moving across to the right. We were certainly less at the races after the break, though Gary Brown was booked for flattening McLeod early after the restart. Dave McEwan doesn't make many mistakes in our goal, but he had a howler just after the hour mark. A long throw into the box was flicked on by Cusack, there was also a touch by David Armstrong, and McEwan tried to tip over a very catchable ball, managing only to push it up into the air, and when it came down, it was to the feet of Cusack with an open goal two yards out to reduce the arrears slightly. That made me a little more nervous than I should be, as we settled back down nicely. Clark and Archdeacon came off with around a quarter of an hour to play for Don Hutchison and Jean-Pierre Papin to get some more game time. And a few minutes later, Barnard whipped over another free kick from the right that Loughman came for and didn't get to, and McLeod headed home. His second goal, Barnard's third assist. McStay's late thump at goal was pushed into the path of Papin, the French legend seeing his shot blocked. It didn't matter today though.

Dumbarton (3) 4 - Ross Clark (6), Stuart Hill (12 og), Paul McLeod (15,79)
Annan Athletic (0) 1 - Liam Cusack (62)
Attendance :- 869
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard, Ben Gordon, David Armstrong; Ross Clark (Don Hutchison 76), Ryan McStay; Derek Carcary (inj - Kieran McAnespie 45), Stephen Murray; Paul McLeod, Mark Archdeacon (Jean-Pierre Papin 76).

Well we're certainly not short of goalscoring prowess, as that's fifteen goals in four games now. We're far from water tight at the other end of the park, but our attacking abilities are putting points on the board, as we're now five unbeaten in the League, and sat in second place. But we'll likely be without dangerous winger Derek Carcary for the next one. He's injured a toe and will be out for around ten days.

Monday 15th September
No place in the Team of the Week for two goal striker Paul McLeod, but veteran left back Darren Barnard is included.

Friday 19th September
We're home again tomorrow, this time the visitors are an Albion Rovers side that have started the season far better than expected. The Coatbridge side were pegged as cannon fodder for the majority of the other clubs, but they've won four of their opening six and come into the match in fourth, thanks in large part to their strike force of Ian Harty and Patrick Walker, who have nine goals between them in all competitions.

Saturday 20th September

Dumbarton v Albion Rovers
Scottish Third Division
Strathclyde Homes Stadium, Dumbarton

Kieran McAnespie come into the side on the left, allowing Stephen Murray to move over to the right in place of the injured Derek Carcary, with a place on the bench for on loan forward Dennis McLaughlin. Gordon Lennon plays the 100th League game of his career today. We tried to replicate our start against Annan, a Darren Barnard free kick into the box finding the head of Mark Archdeacon, the on loan strikers header was over the bar though. Rovers first attack came in the tenth minute, Stephen Murphy's corner hanging to the far post, Ian Harty battling with Archdeacon to get to the ball, and forcing it home, though our players surrounded the ref, claiming he'd used his hand to control it. The goal was allowed to stand though. They tried to push home their advantage, full back Sean Fleming's free kick just missing the top corner. We retaliated, Barnard taking the ball down from a cross field ball by Murray, and Jamie Ewings had to make a save low at the near post, and shortly after Archdeacon's shot was over the top. We kept pushing, Ewings having to make a superb stop when Paul McLeod's diagonal through pass found Archdeacon and the striker was through one on one. We finally got our goal with ten minutes to play in the first half, Barnard's corner finding Ben Gordon, and he powered his header into the top corner. And we almost turned the game right around, Murray making a superb run down the right, before cutting the ball back for Ryan McStay, who's low shot across goal flew just wide of the far post. Before the break, Archdeacon had another go, a fierce drive from a McLeod pass that Ewings pushed to safety. All square at the break, and I told my players the game was there to be won. And they went out to try and grab it by the scruff of the neck. Murray cut across field from the right and kept going, before sliding a pass out to Barnard, and then getting on the end of the veteran Welsh full backs cross, his diving header bringing out yet another superb save from Ewings. As the second half wore on, Barnard continued to have a big role to play, sending Kieran McAnespie into space down the left, his cross taken away from McLeod at the last second as he was about to shoot. Archdeacon got himself a booking a little after the hour mark, before with twenty minutes to go Barnard picked another pass into the box, McLeod's shot through a crowded box was saved by Ewings, and he then had to prevent McAnespie from burying the rebound with a second stop. That was the last action for both of our players involved there, as they were both substituted before the corner, Dennis McLaughlin coming on for his debut and Murray moved back to the left, while Jean-Pierre Papin replaced McLeod. I was hoping we could create one last great chance to win this one. And we did. Archdeacon flicked the ball on in the 89th minute, and Papin threaded a diagonal pass into the box and right into the run of McLaughlin, the winger prevented from netting a debut winner though when Ewings turned his attempt to beat him at the near post around the post. 1-1 at the end.

Dumabrton (1) 1 - Ben Gordon (35)
Albion Rovers (1) 1 - Ian Harty (10)
Attendance :- 851
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard, Ben Gordon, David Armstrong; Ross Clark, Ryan McStay; Stephen Murray, Kieran McAnespie (Dennis McLaughlin 71); Paul McLeod (Jean-Pierre Papin 71), Mark Archdeacon.

That opening goal was certainly considered controversial, with many in the media suggesting that Ian Harty used his hand before netting his fifth goal of the season. I refused to comment on the goal, not prepared to risk a touchline ban. Instead I took out my frustration on my opposite number at Rovers, suggesting that Paul Martin was out of his depth in Senior football, and that Rovers would have a better chance of keeping their top half spot if they switched Managers sooner rather than later. Leaders East Stirlingshire are also held to a draw, but Montrose move into second after their 3-0 home win over Cowdenbeath, who drop to ninth while our next opponents Stenhousemuir move off the foot of the table with their first League win of the campaign.

Sunday 21st September
A much weaker Reserve side than we had fielded in recent weeks travelled to face Montrose this afternoon, and returned with a 2-0 win thanks to first half goals from David Gray and Paul Keegan. The hosts failed to get even a consolation goal when Paul Stewart's injury time penalty was saved. We move up to second in the Group 3 table.

Monday 22nd September
Only one of our players made the First Division Team of the Week, and surprisingly it wasn't Darren Barnard. The honour this week fell to Ben Gordon. Much less of a surprise was the inclusion of Albion Rovers goalkeeper Jamie Ewings after his outstanding performance against us.

Tuesday 23rd September
Mark Canning returns to training today after three weeks out of action with a groin injury. The 25 year has played four times so far in all competitions. It could be noted that our fortunes have actually improved dramatically since his injury.

Friday 26th September
Tomorrow we play our final match of September, and will look to remain unbeaten for the month when we travel to face Stenhousemuir. They nudged up into 8th spot last weekend with their first win of the campaign in the League, or any other competition for that matter. The bookies don't consider them likely to add to that lone win tomorrow either, making us fairly comfortable favourites for the win.

Saturday 27th September

Stenhousemuir v Dumbarton
Scottish Third Division
Ochilview Park, Stenhousemuir

Derek Carcary is back in training and available today, and returns to the side on the right wing, with Stephen Murray returning to the left flank and Dennis McLaughlin drops out of the matchday squad with Kieran McAnespie back on the bench. Should the on loan Morton left sided player make it onto the park today, it will be his 175th career League appearance. Talk about rough starts to a game, Stenhousemuir and their five man midfield saw three of their players take knocks inside the opening fifteen minutes, with the last of them, Michael O'Byrne, having to go off. They still created the first chance of note though, Iain Diack's cross from the right went right through the box, Chris McGroarty retrieved it though, and his whipped cross found Craig Molloy, who couldn't keep his header down. Ten minutes later, and nice build up play down the left involving several players saw Stephen Murray send a low cross to the penalty spot, Mark Archdeacon didn't quite catch it as he would have liked, but keeper Keiron Renton didn't catch it all, the ball squeezing by him and into the bottom corner. Renton would definitely would like to have that one back! In the closing stages of the half, he would be put under more pressure, as we won a series of corners. One of them found it's way back to Darren Barnard after being partially cleared, and he tried to catch Renton out at his near post from wide, his effort going out off the outside of the post. He then had another go, swinging the corner in and off the face of the cross bar. Third time lucky, this time finding not one, but two team mates unmarked at the far post, Ben Gordon having to dodge the ball to stay out of the way of Archdeacon's half volley as he netted his second of the match in first half injury time. With another player going off at the break, Stenhousemuir's prospects looked bleak. But we gave them a helping hand just 22 seconds after the restart, Diack crossing from the right towards Molloy, midfielder Ross Clark tried to help out his defence, but only diverted his header past helpless keeper Dave McEwan into the bottom corner to half our lead. I couldn't help but feel a little nervous at this point, but the lads had it under control, and settling right back down into our slick passing game. One person who had been quiet today was Derek Carcary on his return to the team, but he got the crowd going midway through the half, ghosting past John Ovenstone easily, then making Renton believe he would try and beat him at his near post before squaring it across the goalmouth, Paul McLeod sending it goalwards, but Steven Ferguson made a spectacular last ditch goal line clearance. Stephen Guest pushed himself further up the park as the hosts attempted to get themselves back level, but that meant he wasn't in position to defend a 77th minute corner, Barnard curled it over, and Archdeacon glanced home a header to complete his hatrick and restore our two goal lead. Stenhousemuir quickly changed to a very attacking 4-3-3, and Guest lofted in a cross from the left channel of the box to find Molloy, who missed the target with his downward header. I decided closing up the sweet shop would be a good idea, and switched us into a defensive 4-1-4-1 that was set up to counter attack, and made three changes at the same time, Ryan McStay, Murray and McLeod came off, Guy Melamed, Don Hutchison and Kieran McAnespie came on. But we were quickly pegged back, Andy Brand's 81st minute cross from the right didn't look particularly dangerous, but Ovenstone dropped back and caught it with an outrageous right foot volley that flew into the top corner to reduce the arrears once more. Now I was worried all over again. Guest got on the end of Brand's corner with five minutes to go, but that effort was blocked. There would be an even bigger scare to come, sub Kevin Motion threading a pass into the box, and Ferguson curled it inside the far post. His, and the home fans, celebration was cut short by the offside flag. I've watched it back half a dozen times now, and if I was being totally honest, we might have got away with one there. I'm not complaining, obviously.

Stenhousemuir (0) 2 - Ross Clark (46 og), John Ovenstone (81)
Dumbarton (2) 3 - Mark Archdeacon (29,45+2,77)
Attedance :- 320
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard, Ben Gordon, David Armstrong; Ross Clark, Ryan McStay (Don Hutchison 80); Derek Carcary, Stephen Murray (Kieran McAnespie 80); Paul McLeod (Guy Melamed 80), Mark Archdeacon.

That was a tough afternoon's work, and we have Mark Archdeacon to thank as we head back across the Central Belt and to the West of the nation with three more points to add to our total. The on loan striker now has six League goals, taking him joint top of the scorers table with Brian Graham of East Stirlingshire, who's winner away to Cowdenbeath keeps his side top of the table, while we move into second place with one more game to go to hit the quarter point of the Third Division campaign. After losing on the opening day of the season, we are now seven unbeaten. 

Sunday 28th September
Our Reserve side have gone one better than the First Team, moving to the top of Group 3 with a 2-0 win at home to Annan Athletic thanks to a goal in each half from David Gray and Jason McLaughlin. 20 year old Gray is in sparkling form for the second string right now, and pushing for a chance in the First Team.

The big news today though is the draw for Round Two of the Scottish Cup, the only Cup competition left for us to have a go at. The fixtures are due to take place in late October, and we will have to take on the long 3 hour trip north to face non-League club Cove Rangers. The Board expect us to move through two rounds of this competition and make it at least as far as the Fourth Round of the Cup. The Highland club have no real record of success in the Scottish Cup, unlike ourselves, who have won it once. Not that we should use that as any real guide to form.....as that success was 125 years ago.....

Monday 29th September
Unsurprisingly, Mark Archdeacon is named in the Third Division Team of the Week.

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2008/09 Scottish Third Division, up to & including Tuesday 30th September 2008

| Pos   | Inf   | Team               |       | Pld   | Won   | Drn   | Lst   | For   | Ag    | G.D.  | Pts   |

| 1st   |       | East Stirlingshire |       | 8     | 5     | 3     | 0     | 20    | 11    | +9    | 18    |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 2nd   |       | Dumbarton          |       | 8     | 5     | 2     | 1     | 22    | 12    | +10   | 17    |
| 3rd   |       | Montrose           |       | 8     | 5     | 1     | 2     | 12    | 5     | +7    | 16    |
| 4th   |       | Forfar             |       | 8     | 4     | 2     | 2     | 14    | 12    | +2    | 14    |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 5th   |       | Albion Rovers      |       | 8     | 4     | 2     | 2     | 10    | 8     | +2    | 14    |
| 6th   |       | Berwick            |       | 8     | 2     | 2     | 4     | 10    | 19    | -9    | 8     |
| 7th   |       | Elgin              |       | 8     | 0     | 6     | 2     | 6     | 8     | -2    | 6     |
| 8th   |       | Stenhousemuir      |       | 8     | 1     | 2     | 5     | 9     | 14    | -5    | 5     |
| 9th   |       | Cowdenbeath        |       | 8     | 1     | 2     | 5     | 6     | 12    | -6    | 5     |
| 10th  |       | Annan              |       | 8     | 1     | 2     | 5     | 7     | 15    | -8    | 5     |   
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

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3 hours ago, tenthreeleader said:

Fun as always, Neil, but curious as to why FM09?

I still have FM08 and would play it if I could get it to run on my machine.

 

Thanks very much 10-3. I got the bug for playing FM'09 after starting my 'Chance To Rewrite History' save. The first edition with a 3D Match Engine, and probably still my favourite.

I also have FM'08. I can't get it to work on my current laptop either. If I could get it going, there would definitely be a save around that one coming up.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Wednesday 1st October 2008
September had been a really good month for us, and the reward for going unbeaten throughout it was the Manager of the Month Award, edging out Dick Martin of Forfar Athletic and Paul Martin of Albion Rovers.

The Board are certainly satisfied with how things are going, and why wouldn't they be. Things are going pretty well on the park, and the finances are not too bad either, a small loss of £5,000 last season shouldn't cause any concern. If we can continue our recent form, there's no reason why anything should change either.

Friday 3rd October
There's only two League matches on our schedule for this month, and they are both at home. The first of them is tomorrow, a very winnable looking game against Elgin City, who come into the match in 7th place, and without a win, drawing six of their eight League games played to date. Their main problem has been scoring goals, they are the current joint lowest scorers in the Division. The top scorer in their squad is 29 year old Irish striker Gary Smyth, though that total is only two. If we can get ourselves in front by a couple of goals, we could well get the victory that the bookies are predicting for us.

Saturday 4th October

Dumbarton v Elgin City
Scottish Third Division
Strathclyde Homes Stadium, Dumbarton

There were no changes at all from the win at Stenhousemuir last time out, and Mark Archdeacon almost continued his fine scoring form early on, getting his head to Darren Barnard's third minute corner, but sending it over the bar. Shots from range by John McNicholas, Joey Courtney and Liam Keogh all missed the target over the next quarter of an hour or so. Paul McLeod showed them how it's done in the 19th minute, picking up a pass from Stephen Murray, and as the defence backed off, he struck a low curling shot from 25 yards that went under Andy McNulty's dive to put us in front. While we continued to be on top for large parts of the game, it was City who were creating the chances, McNicholas getting a knock while he tried to get on the end of a Mark Jones shot that was saved by Dave McEwan, while Courtney swung a free kick wide from the corner of the box. The visitors shooting from range wasn't great, but when they got closer in, they made us pay. McNicholas dropped a free kick from the centre circle into the edge of the box, Jones flicked it on, Gordon Lennon and Ben Gordon left it to each other, and Ross Clark didn't match Gary Smyth's run, and their top scorer notched his third League goal of the season as he lashed the loose ball into the roof of the net from ten yards out. All square at half time, and I gave my players a gee up at the break, but the second half started very slowly. On the hour mark McNicholas' knock got the better of him, and he was taken off along with Jones. That seemed to take away a fair bit of City's threat level, and with just around ten minutes to go, I decided to go for broke. Despite sitting on a perfectly acceptable point, I took off Lennon and Clark for Don Hutchison and Jean-Pierre Papin, asking Barnard to sit in front of a centre back pairing with no full back protection, and three strikers up top. I wasn't too worried when Courtney sent another free kick wide. I got a little bit more worried when Michael Kerr's 88th minute corner into the middle only found Gordon, but his attempt to clear spun off his boot to Smyth, his shot on the turn was bravely blocked by Don Hutchison. The worry level reached new heights as I frantically tried to get us reorganised from the touchline, while Courtney's cross went all the way through to sub Steve Mackay, who took a touch and shot across goal, his effort coming back off the inside of the post before Barnard hacked it clear. We seemed to have ridden out the storm as we moved into injury time, but there was a whole new stress level to be reached yet. Courtney sent a pass from halfway down into the right channel. Gordon tried to let it run, but when Smyth tried to get around him to keep the ball in, Gordon manhandled him to the floor, and the referee pointed to the spot! Courtney had been pretty poor in front of goal, so it was a bit of a surprise to see him step up. He drove his spot kick down the middle, with McEwan already on the move to his right. But he hadn't moved far, and he got a foot to the ball to keep it out, with Murray and Barnard throwing themselves in front of Mackay as he attempted to get onto the loose ball. We had clung on to that point, just!

Dumbarton (1) 1 - Paul McLeod (19)
Elgin City (1) 1 - Gary Smyth (41)
Attendance :- 753
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon (Jean-Pierre Papin 81), Darren Barnard, Ben Gordon, David Armstrong; Ross Clark (Don Hutchison 81), Ryan McStay; Derek Carcary, Stephen Murray; Paul McLeod, Mark Archdeacon.

That nearly backfired spectacularly! I really didn't think it was much of a risk, the threat seemed to have disappeared in the latter stages. But that attacking move in the last ten minutes didn't work at all, and we were hanging on for dear life at the end, very thankful for Dave McEwan's penalty save. It didn't look a likely outcome when Paul McLeod had netted his fifth goal of the season to put us ahead. 

Two points dropped at home then, and while we remain second as Montrose were beaten, it was the leaders East Stirlingshire who beat them, moving into a three point lead with a quarter of the League schedule now played. We're unbeaten in the League for eight games, since that opening day defeat at Montrose.

Tuesday 7th October
There's bad news today, as midfielder Ross Clark suffered a dislocated shoulder after a challenge in training. He'll see a specialist, but is likely to be out for the rest of the calendar year. The uptick in our form since Clark was brought into the side on a regular basis was noticeable, so now we will see how we fare without him.

Saturday 11th October
No First Team game today, but our Reserve side have travelled cross country to face Arbroath at Gayfield Park, and they came back with three more points for their Group 3 total. The goals came from fringe players, with on loan Dennis McLaughlin opening the scoring in the first half, and Andy Geggan and a Michael Moore penalty in quick succession in the second half finishing the job off. With seven games on the board, our second string are now two points clear at the top.

Friday 17th October
Our final League match of October, and we entertain Forfar Athletic tomorrow afternoon at the Strathclyde Homes Stadium. Our visitors have moved quietly into fourth spot, losing only once in the League since we beat them 2-0 at Station Park in early August. They've also managed a home win over St Johnstone of the First Division in the League Cup, though they were rewarded with an away trip to Rangers in the next round, who duly thumped them at Ibrox, albeit while considerably improving their bank balance I'd imagine. Their on loan strike pair of Johnny Russell and Calum Smith from Dundee United and Brechin City respectively have almost reached double figures between them, while they also have their own 'Darren Barnard' in the presence of 36 year old Mickey Bell, the former Northampton Town, Wycombe Wanderers and Bristol City man could make his 600th League appearance against us tomorrow afternoon.

Saturday 18th October

Dumbarton v Forfar Athletic
Scottish Third Division
Strathclyde Homes Stadium, Dumbarton

With Ross Clark out, it was Don Hutchison who was called into the starting lineup to partner Ryan McStay in the midfield, with Mark Canning brought back into the matchday squad to take a place on the bench, just edging out David Gray for that role. An early chance to throw a free kick into the box almost saw us get caught on the counter attack, Calum Smith breaking at pace down the left, but Ryan McStay halting his progress with an excellent tackle. A wild shot off target by Craig Winter at one end was followed by a run of skill and pace down the right by Derek Carcary, but when he got into a shooting position, he only found the side netting. That turned out to be only the practice effort for a moment of magic though. A Forfar corner was poor, and hoisted clear down to our right touchline. Carcary's blistering pace got him there in time to keep the ball in play, and then he turned first inside, and then back out, to trick his way past full back Stephen McNally. Left back Stephen Tulloch was across to help out, but Carcary hurdled his slide tackle and made for the box, this time cutting back inside the desperately chasing McNally to give himself a better angle, before drilling a low and hard left footed shot inside the near post, giving us the lead with his 5th of the season, and a contender for goal of the season for sure. Forfar almost did much better from their next corner, a delivery to the near post ended in a goalmouth scramble, and the ball at the feet of Tulloch, his effort cleared off the line at the last second by Darren Barnard. We saw McStay pick up a booking as the first half neared its conclusion, but with half time almost upon us, we managed to add a second. Alarm bells should have been ringing when Mark Archdeacon stood over a free kick instead of being amongst the players in the box to aim for. And while Alistair Brown organised his defence, he left a huge gap at the near post while he anticipated the cross, Archdeacon thumping the ball goalwards, and Brown couldn't get back across to cover the ground. The only blemish on the first half was Don Hutchison picking up a late injury, Mark Canning coming on at the break as Forfar were also forced into a change. The second half was to be a much quieter affair, though early on Carcary made another great run, this time crossing, but Archdeacon only found the side netting with his placed shot. And the in form striker was quickly nearly in again, Gordon Lennon's curling ball over the top released the striker, and as he entered the penalty box and Brown came off his line, he lifted his lobbed shot over the keeper beautifully, only to see it drop just wide of the far post. McStay scuffed his shot wide when Barnard picked him out with a cut back, before a McStay corner found David Armstrong at the near post, but he couldn't keep his header down. A Barnard corner was then headed home by Archdeacon midway through the half, but that one was chalked off by the ref as Ben Gordon was deemed to have held a defender as the ball came across. Archdeacon saw a shot from range just fade wide of the post as he continued to torment the Athletic defence, while a rare excursion forward from the visitors saw Johnny Russell send a shot high over the bar. Two late changes saw Stephen Murray and Paul McLeod replaced by Kieran McAnespie and Jean-Pierre Papin, before we gave another masterclass in counter attacking with five minutes to play. Again it came from a Forfar corner, which was only part cleared until Papin helped it away on the edge of his own box. He found McAnespie who made ground down the left, before it was switched right via McStay, and out to the man we wanted on the ball, Carcary. He again showed great pace, and this time he crossed from the byline, low and hard into the near post, where Archdeacon met it with a drilled first time shot to get his second of the match. We did blot our copybook right at the end, Mickey Bell's late corner picking out Winter in the middle, and he was unmarked to drill in a half volley from eight yards out. The points were safe by that point though.

Dumbarton (2) 3 - Derek Carcary (24), Mark Archdeacon (44,85)
Forfar Athletic (0) 1 - Craig Winter (90)
Attendance :- 762
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard; Ben Gordon, David Armstrong; Don Huutchison (inj - Mark Canning 45), Ryan McStay; Derek Carcary, Stephen Murray (Kieran McAnespie 80); Paul McLeod (Jean-Pierre Papin 80), Mark Archdeacon.

An excellent home performance to end our League schedule for October, and Mark Archdeacon moves to the top of the Division's goalscoring charts, taking his League goals total for the campaign to eight. While he was named man of the match, there was no doubt about the topic of conversation after the match, that outstanding solo goal from Derek Carcary, who leads the Division's average rating table, with five Dumbarton players in the top ten, and eight across the top twenty.

The injury to Don Hutchison is a blow, he came off after injuring himself very late in the first half, and the veteran midfielder has damaged his foot after jumping for a header, and will likely be out for around a month. Our depth in midfield is now starting to get stretched.

Our unbeaten run has now stretched to nine games, and with East Stirlingshire held to a 1-1 draw away to Albion Rovers, we will go into November's packed League schedule sitting in second place and now just a single point behind the early leaders, who remain unbeaten so far in the Third Division. But attention now turns to the Scottish Cup, with our campaign beginning next weekend in the North East.

2008/09 Scottish League Third Division Table, Up To & Including Saturday 18th October 2008

| Pos   | Inf   | Team               |       | Pld   | Won   | Drn   | Lst   | For   | Ag    | G.D.  | Pts   |

| 1st   |       | East Stirlingshire |       | 10    | 6     | 4     | 0     | 22    | 12    | +10   | 22    |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 2nd   |       | Dumbarton          |       | 10    | 6     | 3     | 1     | 26    | 14    | +12   | 21    |
| 3rd   |       | Montrose           |       | 10    | 6     | 1     | 3     | 13    | 6     | +7    | 19    |
| 4th   |       | Albion Rovers      |       | 10    | 4     | 4     | 2     | 13    | 11    | +2    | 16    |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 5th   |       | Forfar             |       | 10    | 4     | 3     | 3     | 16    | 16    | 0     | 15    |
| 6th   |       | Stenhousemuir      |       | 10    | 2     | 3     | 5     | 12    | 16    | -4    | 9     |
| 7th   |       | Cowdenbeath        |       | 10    | 2     | 3     | 5     | 8     | 13    | -5    | 9     |
| 8th   |       | Berwick            |       | 10    | 2     | 3     | 5     | 11    | 21    | -10   | 9     |
| 9th   |       | Elgin              |       | 10    | 0     | 7     | 3     | 7     | 10    | -3    | 7     |
| 10th  |       | Annan              |       | 10    | 1     | 3     | 6     | 8     | 17    | -9    | 6     |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Sunday 19th October 2008
Our Reserve side hosted Ross County at the Strathclyde Homes Stadium this afternoon, and stayed top of Group 3 after a 1-1 draw, coming from behind after the Highland visitors went in front in the 10th minute, and Michael Moore levelled in first half injury time. They had some work to do in the second half when skipper Andy Geggan was shown a red card midway through for a second bookable offence.

Monday 20th October
Four of our players are included in the Third Division Team of the Week, with Darren Barnard, Ben Gordon, Derek Carcary and Mark Archdeacon as we provide more players than any other club.

Friday 24th October
Our final game of October, but it's a long trip for this one, as we head North East and into Aberdeenshire for a tie in the last Cup competition that we're left in, and the biggest one, the Scottish Cup. With the First Round for the non-League clubs, we now take a trip to face one of those. Cove Rangers really fancy their chances of rolling us over at Allan Park tomorrow afternoon, the Highland League club have some form for that over the years too. We need to make sure we do a professional job, and then hopefully we'll get a bigger club in the Third Round so we can accurately gauge how far we have come along, and how we might fare should we get promoted this season.

Saturday 25th October

Cove Rangers v Dumbarton
Scottish Cup, Second Round
Allan Park, Aberdeen

With Don Hutchinson out injured, Mark Canning is brought into the side to pair up with Ryan McStay in midfield. That means there is a spot on the bench today for David Gray, while with Guy Melamed suspended for this match, there is also a call into the matchday squad for Mick O'Byrne. There was chance for Derek Carcary to show his blistering pace early on, the ball played to him just inside the Rangers half, and he dusted Michael Renton for pace and got into the box, but sent his shot well over the cross bar. Moments later, David Armstrong stepped up from centre back to break up the play. The ball was played around nicely as we set up, and then it was given to Carcary. As they backed off, he pinged a pass to Paul McLeod, his shot was saved by Lee Windrum, it wasn't cleared by Renton, and Mark Archdeacon toe poked home his 10th goal of the season to put us in front. Carcary was scaring the living daylights out of the non-Leaguers now, and he created two more chances before the first half ended, Archdeacon sending a shot well over, while a McLeod curler was easily caught by Windrum. I really wanted us to get another goal to kill off the danger from our hosts, who had already had to make two forced substitutions. They really hadn't caused us any problems, that was until five minutes after the restart when Renton lumped the ball up the park, and Armstrong lost concentration and let the ball bounce by him, Gerry O'Driscoll racing by him and into the box, but sending his shot too high to our relief. That would be the best chance of the entire second half, with twenty minutes remaining I made all my changes at once, Mark Canning, Stephen Murray and McLeod all came off, replaced by David Gray, Kieran McAnespie and Jean-Pierre Papin. Predictably, we picked up a couple of knocks after that, with both Armstrong and Carcary picking up knocks. Gray missed a chance to make a name for himself, caught between two minds at the corner of the box and failing to either hit the target or pick out a team mate with a cross, while Ryan McStay did hit the target with a shot, but he didn't get any power behind the shot. Today though, it didn't matter.

Cove Rangers (0) 0
Dumbarton (1) 1
-
Mark Archdeacon (13)
Attendance :- 195
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard, Ben Gordon, David Armstrong; Mark Canning (David Gray 70), Ryan McStay; Derek Carcary, Stephen Murray (Kieran McAnespie 70); Paul McLeod (Jean-Pierre Papin 70), Mark Archdeacon.

That was exactly the kind of test we were expecting. And we showed our mettle and game management to come through it, and move into the Third Round of the Scottish Cup, with another win needed to meet the Boards target of reaching the Fourth Round of the competition.

We had come through it pretty much unscathed as well. David Armstrong had run off his knock, while Derek Carcary has suffered a gashed arm which leaves him doubtful for next weekends Third Division trip to Stenhousemuir. Our attacking intent is becoming more and more reliant on the speed and skills of our 22 year old right winger, who is performing at a very high level so far this season. High enough that a new contract offer has been tabled tonight.

Sunday 26th October
It's a lunchtime draw for the Third Round of the Scottish Cup after yesterdays long round trip to the Highlands, and our win over non-League side Cove Rangers. This round sees the Second Division clubs join the competition, along with the teams finishing 5th down to 10th in last seasons First Division. Our preference for Cup draws is very straight forward, either a winable home tie, or an away tie against a big club where if we're going to get beaten, we can at least make some money. So the result of this draw was a bit, meh. It's halfway through the draw when we are pulled from the velvet bag, and it's a home draw. Taken out next as our opponents are Second Division side Raith Rovers.

They're currently second in the third tier, level on points with leaders Ayr United. They've lost only twice in their ten League matches, but have been beaten by Third Division opposition already this season, losing away to Forfar Athletic in the League Cup back in early August. They fared significantly better in the Challenge Cup, losing their Semi-Final away to Airdrie United a fortnight ago. They have a lethal strike force who have 16 goals between them in all competitions, Kevin Smith is on loan from Dundee United, while Gary Wales joined on a Free Transfer from Kilmarnock in the summer. Is there a possibility of an upset? Well, I'm certainly not ruling it out when we meet at the end of November!

Monday 27th October
A good news day, as Derek Carcary needed very little time to think over his contract offer. It was obvious he was keen, as the two and a half year deal contains no pay rise, though there is a better bonus package for the winger who has five goals and an assist in all competitions this season. Now he just has to concentrate on getting himself fit to play away against Stenhousemuir this weekend.

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  • 1 month later...

Saturday 1st November 2008
Into November then, and straight into League action with a trip to face seventh placed Cowdenbeath. We already hold a 2-0 win over them this season from mid-August, and their form hasn't really picked up since then either. They did win in the League last time out against Annan Athletic, but that was their first haul of three points since early August at home to the same opposition. They even failed to beat non-League side Golspie Sutherland at home in the Second Round of the Scottish Cup, though they did win the Replay, and will be delighted to face Annan again in Round Three. We're Even money favourites, and on current form, that looks good value. It's going to be a busy month, this the first of four League games for us, before ending November with that Cup date against Raith Rovers.

Cowdenbeath v Dumbarton
Scottish Third Division
Central Park, Cowdenbeath

Just one change to the starting lineup, on loan Dennis McLaughlin comes in for the unfit Derek Carcary on the right, while Michael Moore takes over from Jean-Pierre Papin on the subs bench. Ryan McStay makes his 75th career League Appearance today, while home keeper David Hay hasn't conceded in 271 minutes coming into this match. He can tack 19 more minutes onto that total, but that would be as good as it would get, Dave McEwan having plenty of time to wander outside his box with the ball at his feet and measure a delivery to Paul McLeod, who slotted his pass to Mark Archdeacon, and the in form striker did the rest with a finish slipped by the keepers dive. That lead would be doubled on the half hour mark, McLaughlin winning a corner that Darren Barnard sent over, Archdeacon's header was blocked on the line, but fell right to McLeod who netted from two yards out. Paul McQuade missed two headed chances to pull Cowdenbeath back into the game, both times he was pressured into rushing his efforts, which I was happy to see. The home side came out fighting for the second half, but their best early chance after the restart was squandered when centre back Darren McGregor sent a shot wide of the target following a corner. We had the ball in the net again in the 56th minute, Ryan McStay's shot from range was scuffed, but it went right to McLeod who fired it in on the turn, but from an offside position. McStay continued his shooting from range policy while the game started to stagnate, so I made a pair of changes, Stephen Murray and McLeod replaced by Kieran McAnespie and Michael Moore. The striker surprisingly passed up a chance to shoot from just inside the box, a sign of his low confidence maybe. It didn't matter today though.

Cowdenbeath (0) 0
Dumbarton (2) 2
-
Mark Archdeacon (19), Paul McLeod (30)
Attendance :- 354
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard, Ben Gordon, David Armstrong; Mark Canning, Ryan McStay (David Gray 84); Dennis McLaughlin, Stephen Murray (Kieran McAnespie 74); Paul McLeod, Mark Archdeacon.

That's another very comfortable job done well from us, and we move to ten unbeaten in the League, eleven in all competitions. I mentioned that future opponents in the Cup later this month Raith Rovers have a prolific strike partnership, but while they move to the top of the Second Division, our strike force of Archdeacon and McLeod move beyond their strike pairings total. If the Transfer Window opened right now, I would be happy to let it pass us by, but of course there is a lot of football to play yet, and we're not counting our chickens by any means.

The Board remain satisfied with how things are going, and why wouldn't they be? The signing of Mark Archdeacon remains something that particularly pleases them. We lost around £4,500 last month, but the bank balance remains very healthy at £128,500.

Sunday 2nd November
It's a strong Reserve side that are at pitched in at home to Forfar Athletic's second string, and they come out with a 1-0 win. It's currently out of favour centre back Guy Melamed who gets the goal and the man of the match award too.

Monday 3rd November
Just the one player in the Third Division Team of the Week, and it's veteran Welsh left back Darren Barnard.

Friday 7th November
After a quiet week, we're right back into game mode, and this one really matters too. Montrose are about to come into town, and they're the only team to take a three point haul from us this so far this season, beating us at Links Park in the Third Division season opener. If you were to assume we're a promotion contender, then it should also be assumed that Montrose are in the hunt too. We're the favourites for this one, and I want to see the team on their game.

Saturday 8th November

Dumbarton v Montrose
Scottish Third Division
Strathclyde Homes Stadium, Dumbarton

Derek Carcary returns to the right wing for us today, with the only other change made being a return to the matchday squad for Guy Melamed after his excellent performance for the Reserves. A promising start for us saw us pin Montrose back into their own defensive third of the park, to the point where the visitors had to adopt an 'anywhere will do' attitude to their clearances. David Cox just missed the top corner from range for the visitors, before Stephen Murray did the same at the other end. Those efforts continued, Mark Archdeacon just missing, visiting skipper Keith Gibson getting closest of all, seeing his shot hit the cross bar. Gibson was involved again in the 34th minute, playing a long through ball from just outside his own box. It was overhit, and ran through to keeper Dave McEwan, who continued the 'over' theme by over playing the ball on the edge of his own box. He tried to get around striker Robbie Kelleher, but failed, losing the ball and allowing him to find the bottom corner of the unguarded net from 20 yards out. Individual errors can't be taking into consideration in pre-match plans, and now we needed to find a way back. Derek Carcary missed the target with a free kick from range, Murray missed a better chance with a close range effort that was kept out by Tony Bullock. By now Montrose were sinking deeper and deeper to protect their lead, and the game had reverted back to how it had been early on. A nice cutback from Ryan McStay picked out Paul McLeod, but by the time he turned he had three defenders crowding his space. A treble change was made to try and kick us into action, but the best we could manage was an Archdeacon shot from range that was off target, and a Kieran McAnespie shot from the corner of the box that found only the side netting. Montrose have done us over again!

Dumbarton (0) 0
Montrose (1) 1
-
Robbie Kelleher (34)
Attendance :- 883
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard, Ben Gordon, David Armstrong; Mark Canning (Guy Melamed 78), Ryan McStay; Derek Carcary, Stephen Murray (Kieran McAnespie 78); Paul McLeod (Michael Moore 78), Mark Archdeacon.

Do we have a bogie team in our Division then? That's zero points from six available against Montrose now this season, and they become the first team to hold us goalless this season. With East Stirlingshire also winning well away to bottom of the table Annan Athletic, our lead at the top has gone, and we now drop down to a net third place. We're a third of the way through the Third Division schedule now, and just two points cover the top three. We're away to East Stirlingshire next weekend as well, just to put the cat amongst the pigeons a little further.

Sunday 9th November
Our Reserves twice came from behind to earn a 2-2 draw away to Stranraer today. The best part of that was that it was fringe First Team players who got the equalisers with all the goals coming in the first half, with David Gray netting early on, and a Jean-Pierre Papin penalty levelling the game up before the break. Papin celebrated his 45th birthday last week, and celebrates on the park by getting his first goal in a Dumbarton shirt at any level.

Tuesday 11th November
Speaking of fringe First Team players, veteran Scottish International midfielder Don Hutchison is back in training after his foot injury. That's good news for the club.

Thursday 13th November
Teenage right back Sam Peters hasn't been able to dislodge Gordon Lennon from the First Team yet, but he continues to be a regular pick for New Zealand Under-21's, named in their squad for the upcoming Friendly in Hamilton against Fiji, which could see him win his 14th cap at the highest age group level.

Friday 14th November
After last weekend's defeat to promotion rivals Montrose, we now face the other club who have themselves firmly in the running right now, as we travel to face East Stirlingshire tomorrow afternoon. When we faced them back in August, a crowd of over 800 were treated to a back and forth eight goal thriller, with East Stirlingshire earning a point with a last minute equaliser. They're the favourites going into this one with home advantage.

Saturday 15th November

East Stirlingshire v Dumbarton
Scottish Third Division
Ochilview Park, Stenhousemuir

No changes for us this despite defeat last time around, with the exception of Jean-Pierre Papin coming back into the matchday squad on the bench to replace to Michael Moore. Our hosts play with three at the back and five across the midfield, and early on that caused us some issues. The sides swapped early chances Paul Evans sending a shot just wide for the hosts, before a Mark Archdeacon shot was deflected behind for a corner, which Darren Barnard put onto Ben Gordon's header. That effort was headed for the top corner, until Evans headed it off the line. But then East Stirlingshire took over, Carl Pettefer finding David Dunn and his low pass across the box found Paul Weaver, who feigned to shoot on his left, and then cut back onto his right to find the near bottom corner. Archdeacon thought he'd beaten the offside trap as we tried to hit back, but at the other end Ray Scully and Pettefer missed the target, before Scully picked out Gerard McGranaghan in the box, and he fired the home side further ahead. Just like after the first goal, we almost replied from a corner, Archdeacon seeing his header saved from point blank range by Mark Peat. The hosts had the ball in the net again before the break, Dunn firing home Evans cross, but he was offside and that one got chalked off. I was hoping a half time dressing down would coax some life from my team, and it looked like it might happen when David Armstrong's header from a corner thumped the post. So when Archdeacon found the bottom corner midway through the second half from a Paul McLeod reverse pass, I figured we were back in the game. Not so, as a Pettefer through ball hit its target, and McGranaghan guided home his second of the game. With a little over ten minutes to play, I went for what qualified as Plan B. We were being overun in midfield, so I took Mark Canning out of there and brought Jean-Pierre Papin on as we decided to bypass the centre of the park altogether with long ball football. But that went about as well as the rest of our afternoon had gone, and East Stirlingshire put the knife in. Sub Derek Ure seemed to be heading for the corner, but he had a cross in him, and found Andy Rodgers, who had to readjust mid jump, but pulled out a spectacular looping header that found the top corner and finished us off.

East Stirlingshire (2) 4 - Paul Weaver (21), Gerard McGranaghan (28,72), Andy Rodgers (90+1)
Dumbarton (0) 1 - Mark Archdeacon (68)
Attendance :- 492.
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard, Ben Gordon, David Armstrong; Mark Canning (Jean-Pierre Papin 79), Ryan McStay; Derek Carcary, Stephen Murray; Paul McLeod, Mark Archdeacon.

I'm going to have to carry the can for that one to a large degree. It would appear that I drastically overestimated my sides ability to just go out and adapt to situations where necessary. If we had even matched up with them, I'm sure we'd have had better luck, but they've now blown eight goals by us in two matches.

Suddenly our cruise to the top of the Division and making believers of everyone else that we were the real deal and promotion contenders has hit a speed bump. We can make a case of being unlucky last weekend, but not this time, we were taken apart, and now we're five points behind East Stirlingshire, and four behind Montrose. We do still have a healthy gap down to the fifth placed side, but we need to get back to winning ways next weekend when Berwick Rangers visit us.

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There  are lots of gashed arms and other soft tissue injuries flying around in this thread. Are weapons allowed on the pitch in the Scottish 3rd Division?

Do you still have faith in J.P.P? As it might be my eyesight but I haven't noticed him score yet.

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On 16/03/2021 at 12:21, Mandy42 said:

There  are lots of gashed arms and other soft tissue injuries flying around in this thread. Are weapons allowed on the pitch in the Scottish 3rd Division?

Do you still have faith in J.P.P? As it might be my eyesight but I haven't noticed him score yet.

It may take that to make Scottish Football more interesting ha

Papin is suffering due to the form of Archdeacon and McLeod. They're keeping him from getting a run in the side, and I wouldn't be surprised if he decides to retire soon if he can't break into the lineup and start finding the net.

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Monday 17th November 2008
Guy Melamed has just managed to work his way back to the fringes of the First Team through his form for the Reserve side. Unfortunately, the 29 year old Israeli has now damaged his neck in training. He'll be sent to a specialist to get sorted out, but it will still be two to three weeks on the sidelines for him, and a setback to his chances of working his way back into the side.

Friday 21st November
After losing to both of our nearest rivals this month, we need to get back on the winning trail tomorrow when our visitors are Berwick Rangers. They won last week against bottom of the table Annan Athletic, and come into the game sat in 7th place. We're the favourites to win with our home advantage, though after getting thrashed last week, there are clearly some new reservations about us, as we're priced at a backable 5/4.

Saturday 22nd November

Dumbarton v Berwick Rangers
Scottish Third Division
Strathclyde Homes Stadium, Dumbarton

A third straight game with no changes to the starting lineup as we look to keep the pressure on the two teams that have recently beaten us. What we didn't need was keeper Ryan McGurk's huge clearance down the park being an issue for Ben Gordon who didn't deal with it, and Michael Reddy latched onto it and got his shot by Dave McEwan to put Rangers ahead. Gordon missed the chance to make amends, his header from Darren Barnard's corner was wide. A better chance arrived with Derek Carcary played in on goal with a long ball that utilised the wingers pace, but McGurk saved the shot with his legs. We were now in control, David Armstrong heading over from a Barnard corner. Five minutes before the break, that combo did come up trumps though, on loan Armstrong with a powerful downward header to score his first for the club. That goal changed the tone of the half time talk from 'What the hell was that?' to more like 'This game is yours to go out and win now!' Ryan McStay saw his shot turned over by McGurk. The midfielder took revenge by delivering a corner to the head of Gordon, who directed the ball by the keeper and the defender on the line and put us in front. That lead was soon extended, Barnard showing he doesn't just deliver corners, as he crashed home a low free kick from 20 yards out. We were comfortable enough to start making changes, Paul McLeod subbed for veteran Jean-Pierre Papin. And it would be the day that the fans would finally see the Frenchman find the net, as ten minutes after coming on he threw himself at Gordon Lennon's cross and headed home from five yards out. Two late efforts from Mark Archdeacon to get his name on the scoresheet failed, but he can save his goals for another day when we really need them.

Dumbarton (1) 4 - David Armstrong (40), Ben Gordon (50), Darren Barnard (58), Jean-Pierre Papin (74)
Berwick Rangers (1) 1 - Michael Reddy (12)
Attendance :- 663
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard, Ben Gordon, David Armstrong; Mark Canning (Mick Dunlop 78), Ryan McStay; Derek Carcary, Stephen Murray (Kieran McAnespie 74); Pual McLeod (Jean-Pierre Papin 63), Mark Archdeacon.

That was a game we never looked like losing, but it just took us quite some time to get ourselves going. But when we did, we were ruthless, and Darren Barnard put in a much deserved first man of the match performance this season, with a goal and an assist for the Welsh left back. It was a good day all around, with both East Stirlingshire and Montrose held to draws, away to Stenhousemuir and Elgin City respectively. Albion Rovers are fourth after a home win, and we travel to face them in our next League game. They make up the final club in a group of four that are now a good distance in front of the chasing pack. But we have a big day coming up before that game.

Monday 24th November
Five of our players are included in the Team of the Week, with the entire back four joined by winger Derek Carcary.

Friday 28th November
Tomorrow is our chance to try and pull off a giant killing in the Scottish Cup Third Round, as we host Raith Rovers, the current leaders of the Second Division. The Stark's Park club have done a fabulous job of working the loan market to their advantage this season, and their fans must be hopeful they can sign up a few of them permanently to stay at the club.

Kevin Smith is on loan from Dundee United, and has been averaging a goal every other game, striking up a great partnership with Gary Wales, who is matching his effort. Graham Weir is used mostly from the bench as an impact player, and he has netted five goals and is posting an average rating nudging 7.50 in that role. The consensus is that we will need to be on top form to beat them, our home form expected to bring us closer, but the visitors are still the odds on favourites.

Saturday 29th November

Dumbarton v Raith Rovers
Scottish Cup Third Round
Strathclyde Homes Stadium, Dumbarton

It's an unchanged starting lineup once more, though there is one change on the bench, with Don Hutchison brought into the matchday squad to replace Mick Dunlop. The game started very slowly, with nearly twenty minutes on the clock before the first shot of note was taken, Nathan Porritt's effort was over the bar. Rovers were starting to look the more likely though, Chris Guiney's cross from the left on the half hour was headed home by Gary Wales, but the striker was flagged offside. The flag wouldn't save us in the 38th minute though, the left channel again providing the outlet, with Porritt sending the cross over this time, and Wales got between defenders and netted with a downward header. A goal down at the break, I'd seen enough to know we were still in with a shot though. All I wanted was to see us put our visitors under some intense pressure. I got that too early in the second half. Almost identical to the Rovers goal, Stephen Murray sent in a cross, Mark Archdeacon was totally unmarked, but his header was just too close to David McGurn who got a strong hand to it and kept it out. On the hour, Barnard's cross into the box saw firstly Archdeacon have a shot blocked, and then Derek Carcary also failing to thread his shot through the mass of Rovers players throwing themselves at the ball. That was all just the beginning, Paul McLeod headed back across goal but wide, before Ben Gordon thumped a header against the Rovers cross bar. Shortly after that, a corner was only partially cleared, and Ryan McStay let fly with a well struck shot that took a huge deflection and left McGurn stranded, only to be headed clear by a defender that had stayed on his post. I'd seen enough to decide it was now worth us pulling the pin and having a spell of throwing the sink at it. Mark Canning and Murray came off, Barnard moved up to left wing, with Gordon Lennon shifting into the middle as we brought on Don Hutchison and Jean-Pierre Papin to make it a 3-4-3. We just needed one more clear chance, but it didn't come, the closest we got was the ball breaking loose to the edge of the box in the 89th minute, and David Armstrong had a rush of blood, the centre back sending a shot well over the bar when he had better options. That's our Cup football done for the season then.

Dumbarton (0) 0
Raith Rovers (1) 1
-
Gary Wales (38)
Attendance :- 492
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard, Ben Gordon, David Armstrong; Mark Canning (Don Hutchinson 78), Ryan McStay; Derek Carcary, Stephen Murray (Jean-Pierre Papin 78); Paul McLeod, Mark Archdeacon.

We gave that a really good go, and I've nothing but praise for my players effort, particularly in the second half when we did everything but score. If we can find a way to get promoted this season, that outing would certainly suggest we could compete in the third tier.

We make out exit from the Scottish Cup then, concluding our Cup efforts for the season. We get £20,000 in prize money, taking our overall balance up near the £150,000 mark. Another round of progress would've been better yet for the bank balance, but there were no shocks of real note to be had, and Raith move on to Round Four where they will face a trip to Airdrie United. No doubt about the tie of the Round though, as Aberdeen will host Heart of Midlothian in one of three all SPL ties.

For us, December will bring five League fixtures, four of them away from home, as we face another gut check of our credentials as promotion hopefuls this season.

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2008/09 Scottish League Third Division, Up To & Including Sunday 30th November 2008

| Pos   | Inf   | Team               |       | Pld   | Won   | Drn   | Lst   | For   | Ag    | G.D.  | Pts   |

| 1st   |       | East Stirlingshire |       | 14    | 8     | 6     | 0     | 35    | 19    | +16   | 30    |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 2nd   |       | Montrose           |       | 14    | 9     | 2     | 3     | 18    | 8     | +10   | 29    |
| 3rd   |       | Dumbarton          |       | 14    | 8     | 3     | 3     | 33    | 20    | +13   | 27    |
| 4th   |       | Albion Rovers      |       | 14    | 7     | 5     | 2     | 19    | 13    | +6    | 26    |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 5th   |       | Forfar             |       | 14    | 4     | 5     | 5     | 18    | 20    | -2    | 17    |
| 6th   |       | Cowdenbeath        |       | 14    | 3     | 5     | 6     | 12    | 17    | -5    | 14    |
| 7th   |       | Berwick            |       | 14    | 3     | 4     | 7     | 17    | 30    | -13   | 13    |
| 8th   |       | Elgin              |       | 14    | 1     | 9     | 4     | 10    | 14    | -4    | 12    |
| 9th   |       | Stenhousemuir      |       | 14    | 2     | 6     | 6     | 18    | 23    | -5    | 12    |
| 10th  |       | Annan              |       | 14    | 1     | 3     | 10    | 8     | 24    | -16   | 6     |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

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Monday 1st December 2008
The Board remain satisfied with how things are going at the club, and they're likely to get more satisfied the longer we keep ourselves in the Promotion and Playoff hunt. They remain very pleased with the signing and form of Darren Barnard, and are less happy with the form of Stephen Murray. That sounds fair enough on the surface, but a look at the stats show Murray actually has notched nine assists in eighteen games in all competitions. Granted, he does drift in and out of games though. The club made a profit of almost £14,000 last month, due entirely to our prize money from the Scottish Cup.

Wednesday 3rd December
Excellent news for the club today as midfielder Ryan McStay signs a new deal that will take him through to the Summer of 2011. It will see him earn £40 per week. If we were to progress up the tiers as a club, it's quite feasible that McStay is a player who could progress with the club.

We receive some good news this evening, as Montrose play their game week fifteen match at home to Forfar Athletic, and are held to a 1-1 draw. They are now within three points reach of us, and we have a game in hand and a better goal difference.

Thursday 4th December
If I was considering moving Stephen Murray out of the team, his natural replacement in the Squad would be on loan Kieran McAnespie.......who has just suffered a back strain in the weights room. As he isn't our player, we are unable to decide the best course of treatment for 29 year old, with parent club Morton having to take that decision. They tell us it's going to be around a month on the sidelines for him. A stay of execution for Murray, or just taking the pressure off the under fire former Kilmarnock man?

Friday 5th December
Another tough day at the office is expected tomorrow as we travel into the Central Belt, and face Albion Rovers at their Cliftonhill home. They come into the game just a point behind us and in fourth spot, part of the quartet that have moved clear of the rest of the Division. They're the slight favourites at the bookies with home advantage, and like many clubs at this level it would seem, they are relying heavily on a potent strike pairing. 30 year old journeyman striker Ian Harty and 24 year old Portsmouth born Patrick Walker have 13 goals between them in all competitions.

The build up is dominated by my press conference, which was short. The media who were present seemed to have formed some kind of alliance, and spent the short session tearing apart members of my playing staff and their current form. They started with Stephen Murray, who I defended. When they moved on to Mark Archdeacon, I told them they were out of order, and had gone too far. 'A dozen goals for the club, and we're doing better than any of you hacks thought we would this season, ain't we? And still you come here and take your shots. I don't see any reason to waste my time with you, and I'm not going to either!' With that, I made my exit.

Saturday 6th December

Albion Rovers v Dumbarton
Scottish League Third Division
Cliftonhill, Coatbridge

An unchanged side is selected, though Guy Melamed is back from injury and returns to the matchday squad. This is one of the few occasions where we have to change strip too. We needed a great double save from Dave McEwan to keep us level early on, before a long range effort from Sean Fleming just missed the top corner. Rovers then lost Ryan McGavigan to injury, and we started to get some chances of our own, Mark Archdeacon forcing a superb point blank stop from Jamie Ewings. Ryan McStay hit the post, before Darren Barnard took a booking for the team to prevent Ian Harty launching a counter attack. Before half time, Gordon Lennon sent Derek Carcary into room on the right, and the winger picked out an unmarked Paul McLeod in the middle, who sidefooted home. A dipping McStay shot was just too high as we looked to press home our advantage, but we couldn't hold on, Todd Lumsden picking up a part cleared corner and sending it through the crowd into the bottom corner of our net. Lennon would also pick up a booking in an incident that saw Harty have to go off injured, but we weren't able to find another goal, and the spoils are shared.

Albion Rovers (0) 1 - Todd Lumsden (69)
Dumbarton (1) 1 - Paul McLeod (43)
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard, Ben Gordon, David Armstrong; Mark Canning (Don Hutchison 79), Ryan McStay; Derek Carcary, Stephen Murray; Paul McLeod, Mark Archdeacon (Jean-Pierre Papin 79).

Attendance :- 435

That didn't turn out to be the worst point in the world for either side, as both East Stirlingshire and Montrose lose away to mid-table opposition. We're now two points behind the latter, and with a game in hand which comes in midweek away to rock bottom Annan Athletic, where a win would see us move into second place. And as an added bonus, Ross Clark will be back in training next week. The midfielder has missed two months with a shoulder injury, and his spell in the side earlier in the season coincided with a run of games that saw us move swiftly up the table.

Tuesday 9th December
Tomorrow evening we play our game in hand on Montrose with a 100 mile trip south to play bottom of the table Annan Athletic. They are without a win in eleven games in the League, and are cut adrift at the bottom, six points behind Elgin City in 9th place. 3/1 on them winning at home tells you all you need to know about their current form. We turned them over fairly easily at home three months ago.

Wednesday 10th December

Annan Athletic v Dumbarton
Scottish League Third Division
Galabank, Annan

I resisted the urge to bring Ross Clark back with an immediate return to the starting lineup, instead naming the midfielder on the bench today. Athletic certainly didn't play like a team bottom of the table in the early stages, Shaun Gallagher in particular causing us problems with his crossing and shooting from angles that we weren't expecting. Shortly after the half hour mark, they had the ball in the net too. David Hoey played a threaded ball through our defence, and Neil Young slipped it past Dave McEwan, though unfortunately for Annan he hadn't quite held his run long enough and it was chalked off. And their disappointment would be compounded moments later, Mark Archdeacon playing in Derek Carcary down the right. The winger sped off until he ran out of room,  and then cut back inside two attending defenders and curled a shot with his weaker left foot that beat a super annoyed Graeme Loughman at his near post. That put Athletic back in their box a bit, and we slowly started to gain a stranglehold on the game. Archdeacon sent two shots well over the bar shortly after the hour mark, and he was soon given a new strike partner with Paul McLeod replaced by Jean-Pierre Papin in what would be his 450th Career League Appearance, with Ross Clark coming on at the same time. With only a few minutes remaining, Ryan McStay had to be replaced with a knock. Nothing serious fortunately, and we'll travel home with three points and a nudge up into second place.

Annan Athletic (0) 0
Dumbarton (1) 1 -
Derek Carcary (37)
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard, Ben Gordon, David Armstrong; Mark Canning (Ross Clark 64), Ryan McStay (inj - Don Hutchison 85); Derek Carcary, Stephen Murray; Paul McLeod (Jean-Pierre Papin 64), Mark Archdeacon.
Attendance :- 170

So we leapfrog the inactive Montrose and up into the second spot, two points behind leaders East Stirlingshire who had to come from behind at home to defeat Elgin City this evening, the team we travel north to face on the weekend. And we have a bit more of a gap down to fourth spot as well now, as Albion Rovers are beaten 2-0 away to Cowdenbeath.

Friday 12th December
After a midweek win over the bottom of the table side, we now move one spot further up as we make the long four hour trip north to play 9th placed Elgin City at Borough Briggs tomorrow. They've only won once all season, at home to Forfar Athletic last month in the League, but they have drawn ten of their 15 other First Division matches, something of specialists in the art of draws in a Division that has more than its fair share of them. We're narrow favourites to win away for a second time in four days.

Saturday 13th December

Elgin City v Dumbarton
Scottish League Third Division
Borough Briggs, Elgin

Ryan McStay is dropped to the bench for this one after his knock on Wednesday night, with Ross Clark starting in his place. Mark Archdeacon lobbed keeper Andy McNulty early on, and Stephen Murray sent in a curled effort, but neither hit the target. Ross Clark also missed the target, and then before the break we got our noses bloodied, John McNicholas blasted a free kick by our wall and into the bottom corner. We were only behind briefly though, as we have a set piece expert of our own. On this occasion though, Darren Barnard didn't have a wall in front of him, Murray brought down as he was about to fire in a shot by Joey Courtney, and the Welshman fired his spot kick right down the middle to equalise quickly. We hadn't been clinical enough in that first half, and McStay came on at the break to replace Mark Canning. But we were quickly behind again early in the second half, Courtney fired a free kick into the wall, but when it came back to him he drilled it into the roof of the net! City immediately went into defensive mode, and they paid for it with twenty minutes to play, Barnard's corner was cleared, McStay drove down the right wing, and then crossed to the far post where Murray hit a controlled volley that McNulty should've kept out but didn't, and Murray had his first goal for the club. City stayed defensive after that, but neither side managed to create another chance of note, and we would travel back South bound with a point.

Elgin City (1) 2 - John McNicholas (42), Joey Courtney (48)
Dumbarton (1) 2 - Darren Barnard (45 pen), Stephen Murray (70)
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard, Ben Gordon, David Armstrong; Mark Canning (Ryan McStay 45), Ross Clark (Don Hutchison 81); Derek Carcay, Stephen Murray; Paul McLeod (Jean-Pierre Papin 81), Mark Archdeacon.
Attendance :- 324

It'll be a few months yet before we find out if that's a good point earned or a bad pair left on the park four hours North. No real harm done today though, as Montrose and East Stirlingshire meet and draw 2-2 as well, while Albion Rovers are also held away from home, a goalless draw at Stenhousemuir.

We host Stenhousemuir next Saturday in our final game before Christmas, before we travel to Forfar Athletic on Boxing Day to finish off 2008. If things go well, we could even be top by then.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Wednesday 17th December 2008
We are one of multiple club that have a £1,000 offer to Hamilton Academical accepted by the club for their 26 year old out of favour striker Kenny Deuchar. He's a 6'3 Stirling born lad who has scored goals everywhere he has played, but he can't get a game for the side rooted to the bottom of the Premier League right now. But it's too much of a drop in levels, and his agent advises us that he doesn't wish to discuss terms, and he will look at other options. They include Morton if he wishes to stay in Scotland, or St Patrick's Athletic and Cork City in the Republic of Ireland. There is also an option to return south of the border and into England with Bradford City.

Friday 19th December
Our last home game of 2008 is tomorrow afternoon as we host 8th placed Stenhousemuir. These are the kind of games that our form has led to an expectation on us to pick up wins reasonably comfortably. It's never that simple though in Leagues like this, and we need to keep our foot to the floor to ensure we stay in the promotion race.

Saturday 20th December

Dumbarton v Stenhousemuir
Scottish League Third Division
Strathclyde Homes Stadium, Dumbarton

It's a snowy week before Christmas in Scotland, and we show one change from the side that drew in Elgin, with Ryan McStay coming back into the side to replace Ross Clark who isn't yet fit enough to play two games in a row. We're behind in the 6th minute with the first real chance of the game, Iain Thomson rolling the ball into the path of skipper Steven Ferguson, a player who spent time on loan here a few years ago, and his 25 yard shot skidded up off the turf, under Dave McEwan's dive and into the bottom corner. The keeper would like that one back! Chances came and went for us after that, Derek Carcary's shot curled away from goal, Stephen Murray's header was tipped onto the roof of the net by Keiron Renton, before Paul McLeod and a lacking in confidence Mark Archdeacon both sent shots over the bar. McLeod then just missed the top corner with a diving header. The players got a well deserved rollicking at the break and came out fired up, McLeod seeing Renton tip his curling shot over, Murray going down in the box appealing for a penalty but being denied. But in the 58th minute Murray stung Renton's hands with a shot he couldn't hold, and McLeod fired home the loose ball to equalise. Now we had a chance to win it, and with twenty minutes to go I brought Ross Clark off the bench to replace Mark Canning as we look to go for it, but we couldn't fashion a chance to win it, and have to settle for a point today.

Dumbarton (0) 1 - Paul McLeod (58)
Stenhousemuir (1) - Steven Ferguson (6)
Dave McEwan, Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard, Ben Gordon, David Armstrong; Mark Canning (Ross Clark 70), Ryan McStay; Derek Carcary, Stephen Murray; Paul McLeod, Mark Archdeacon.
Attendance :- 774.

There will be days like that, there always are for every club. Unfortunately, this time it would come on a day when our rivals would take advantage. There are wins for East Stirlingshire and Montrose, with the only silver lining be that the latter defeated Albion Rovers. We've dropped back down to third place, four points behind the leaders and a point behind Montrose who leap back above us. There is still a handy eight point gap back to the fifth placed side, Forfar Athletic, who we visit to finish our 2008 schedule on Boxing Day.

Wednesday 24th December
No Christmas rest for us as we prepare for another vital League game, and we head North East just outside Dundee to face fifth placed Forfar Athletic at their Station Park home on Boxing Day. Our hosts are unbeaten in their last five Third Division games, and earned a place in the Fourth Round of the Scottish Cup too during that spell. On loan striker Johnny Russell from Dundee United leads the scoring chart for the club, and the creative tactics of their Manager at the club Dick Campbell make them tricky to play against. The former Dunfermline Athletic, Brechin City, Partick Thistle and Ross County boss is a cautious type, but it'd be wrong to underestimate that trait, his teams can counter attack at pace and they're favourites for this clash.

Friday 26th December

Forfar Athletic v Dumbarton
Scottish League Third Division
Station Park, Forfar

So I spring a tactical surprise, setting us up with three centre backs in a 5-2-2-1 to try and combat Forfar's own three at the back and another three across midfield, and try to tempt them out so we can counter attack them ourselves. Mark Canning moves into the rearguard, while Paul McLeod drops to the bench allowing Ross Clark to start in the middle with Ryan McStay. It started promisingly too, as McStay sent a low pass into the box that Mark Archdeacon fired across goal and into the bottom corner to end his recent goal drought and hand us an 8th minute lead. We had planned to force Forfar to come out of their defensive shell, and we soon wished we hadn't baited them. Stephen McNally made a run down the right in the 20th minute, and his cross to the edge of the box was knocked down by Andy Tod, and Darren Brady walked into it and sent a shot through a crowd that Dave McEwan didn't see until it was past him. We fought back, both Gordon Lennon and Darren Barnard sending in crosses that just missed their mark, before McStay did the same with a shot from the edge of the box that found only the side netting. And by half time we were behind, the keeper sending a long ball down the park, Johnny Russell not quite able to control it, and David Armstrong's attempted clearance hit Russell and fell right into the path of Stephen Manson who buried it. I urged my players to respond in the second half, Derek Carcary pulling the ball back from the right flank after the restart, McStay's dipping shot cleared the cross bar. By midway through the second half, we had come no closer to denting their defence again, so I switched us around, Barnard and Armstrong replaced by Don Hutchison and Paul McLeod as we looked for more options further up the park. But now we were at the mercy of the Athletic counter attack, Russell just missing the top corner, and then sending another effort across goal and past the far post. With ten minutes to play, I pushed us into an even more attacking setup, but we created nothing, and our unbeaten run was over.

Forfar Athletic (2) 2 - Darren Brady (20), Stephen Manson (40)
Dumbarton (1) 1 - Mark Archdeacon (9)
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard (Don Hutchison 67), Ben Gordon, David Armstrong (Paul McLeod 67), Mark Canning; Ryan McStay, Ross Clark; Derek Carcary, Stephen Murray; Mark Archdeacon.
Attendance :- 346.

The press were all over me for this one. I was labelled as 'tactically inept' for risking an untried tactic such as five at the back in such a big game. When the 4-2-2-2 had been working so well and got us into this position, they couldn't fathom why I had taken a risk and changed it in a game that saw Forfar move up into fourth and five points behind us, overtaking a Albion Rovers side that lost again and were now winless in five. But that was only the minor issue, as East Stirlingshire and Montrose both win again, pulling seven and four points in front of us respectively at the top of the table.

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2008/09 Scottish League Third Division Standings, Up To & Including Wednesday 31st December 2008

| Pos   | Inf   | Team               |       | Pld   | Won   | Drn   | Lst   | For   | Ag    | G.D.  | Pts   |

| 1st   |       | East Stirlingshire |       | 19    | 11    | 7     | 1     | 41    | 23    | +18   | 40    |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 2nd   |       | Montrose           |       | 19    | 11    | 4     | 4     | 26    | 13    | +13   | 37    |
| 3rd   |       | Dumbarton          |       | 19    | 9     | 6     | 4     | 39    | 26    | +13   | 33    |
| 4th   |       | Forfar             |       | 19    | 7     | 7     | 5     | 28    | 24    | +4    | 28    |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 5th   |       | Albion Rovers      |       | 19    | 7     | 7     | 5     | 20    | 20    | 0     | 28    |
| 6th   |       | Cowdenbeath        |       | 19    | 5     | 5     | 9     | 18    | 23    | -5    | 20    |
| 7th   |       | Berwick            |       | 19    | 4     | 7     | 8     | 20    | 33    | -13   | 19    |
| 8th   |       | Elgin              |       | 19    | 2     | 11    | 6     | 18    | 20    | -2    | 17    |
| 9th   |       | Stenhousemuir      |       | 19    | 2     | 10    | 7     | 21    | 31    | -10   | 16    |
| 10th  |       | Annan              |       | 19    | 3     | 4     | 12    | 15    | 33    | -18   | 13    |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

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  • 5 months later...

Thursday 1st January 2009
So into the New Year we go, and a month that would see us play five League matches, including two against the teams above us in the table, games that would be crucial to us.

One of the players from the top two clubs is Montrose full back Stephen Thomson, who has edged out our on loan striker Mark Archdeacon to be named Scottish Third Division Young Player of the Month for December.

Over the last month, the Board have lost some faith in the job I'm doing at the club, and while my job is not considered to be under any threat at this point, the heavy loss against East Stirlingshire in November, combined with only one win through the month of December has led to a mood shift in the Boardroom. A big January is needed to get us back on track.

Friday 2nd January
Ross Clark has blown hot and cold for us this season. He has undoubted talent though, and I had no intention of letting the midfielders contract run down. The former Queens Park and Alloa Athletic man has inked an extension for another year at the club. This is all despite constant rumours that we are negotiating to bring in a new midfielder.

We'll start our January schedule with a home game against a Cowdenbeath side who have been cast adrift from the top five who seem to be in play for the top four spots, at this point at least. They have lost their last three games, leaving us as the favourites for this one. Kieran McAnespie has returned to training today, but is not likely to be considered for selection this soon after his back injury.

Saturday 3rd January
It's the morning of the match, and we're informed by Morton that Kieran McAnespie is the subject of a contract offer from Dorchester Town. It was nice of them to let us know, they weren't obliged to do so as the offer is to sign him on a Free Transfer when his contract is up in the summer, and we're not even currently contributing to his £400 per week wages. We can't afford to sign him, and to be honest, he hasn't really shown us much to suggest he's worth the price tag.

Dumbarton v Cowdenbeath
Scottish League Third Division
Strathclyde Homes Stadium

We revert back to our regular 4-2-2-2 wide tactic, with Mark Canning moved back into the midfield, and Paul McLeod partnering Mark Archdeacon up front and Ross Clark on the bench. That lineup lasted less then five minutes, as a dead leg forced centre back Ben Gordon off after just three minutes, Guy Melamed coming on to replace him. And we should have been in front five minutes later, Archdeacon volleying the ball into the box, McLeod catching it on the half volley but pulling the effort wide. He would have another chance moments later after a great run by Ryan McStay, hitting the target this time only to see David Hay push the low shot around the post. John Gemmell blasted the ball well over the bar when Stephen Murray made the mistake of letting the ball bounce, and McStay picked up a booking as we remained goalless into the second half. Neat play on the left saw the ball moved just outside the box into the centre, where Gordon Lennon walked onto it and struck a curler with his weaker left foot that grazed the bar on it's way over. At the other end, Dave McEwan was forced into action to tip over a Marek Tomana drive from range, before the goalmouth action became secondary news. Graeme Brown sprayed a pass into the box, and McStay got there late. Not stupidly late, but too late for someone who'd already been booked, and our midfielder received his marching orders. That wouldn't stop us trying to pinch a goal though, despite McLeod being withdrawn for Clark and us going with one up front. Darren Barnard's inswinging corner was aimed at Archdeacon, who appeared to be wrestled to the turf by Jay Shields, the referee deeming there was no foul, and Murray was left to shoot, his shot blocked by Hay. No goals to be seen here on a frustrating day at the office.

Dumbarton (0) 0
Cowdenbeath (0) 0

Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard, Ben Gordon (inj - Guy Melamed 3), David Armstrong; Mark Canning, Ryan McStay (Sent Off 63); Derek Carcary, Stephen Murray; Paul McLeod (Ross Clark 64), Mark Archdeacon.
Attendance :- 640.

I'm not one hundred percent sure we got a fair shake there from referee Des Roache, I don't mean the sending off, Ryan McStay made a bad decision and was rightly given a second booking, and has been warned about his future discipline. But the failure to award a penalty a little later on when Mark Archdeacon was fouled was a poor decision from the ref. Fear of receiving a sanction or touchline ban meant I couldn't make any comment on this in the after match press conference.

Montrose drop points too, as they are also held to a goalless draw away to Annan Athletic. But East Stirlingshire earn a 1-0 win in the Borders against Berwick Rangers, extending their lead to five points over Montrose in the process. We face both of the top two over the next fortnight.

Now four games without a win, Ryan McStay will be suspended for next weekend's trip to Montrose, and Ben Gordon will be doubtful with a dead leg. And we won't have the new signing we were chasing either. 19 year old Icelandic Under-21 International centre midfielder Steinn Gunnarsson is out of contract at KA, who continue to pay him on a week to week deal. He was offered a chance to quadruple his wages by joining us, but he doesn't believe a move to the lower Divisions of Scottish football is the best move for his career at this point.

Monday 5th January
Kieran McAnespie has agreed a summer move from Scotland down to the South Coast in England, as he has signed for Dorchester Town, currently of the Blue Square South, but very much embroiled in a relegation fight, effective from the 2009/10 season.

Wednesday 7th January
So we know that McAnespie won't be here next season, and it's looking likely that 21 year old left wing back Patrick Boyle will be moving on as well. Shifted from the First Team picture by the arrival of Welsh veteran Darren Barnard, and without a contract offer to remain at the club beyond this season, he has now received an offer from Scottish Second Division club Alloa Athletic.

Friday 9th January
It's a big day tomorrow, as we travel to face rivals Montrose. As we move into the second half of the season, we have a four point deficit to overhaul on the Links Park club, who have already beaten us twice this campaign. Another defeat to them tomorrow would leave our automatic promotion dreams in tatters, and have us concentrating on making the Playoffs at best you would think. The bookies have this one as too close to call.

Saturday 10th January

Montrose v Dumbarton
Scottish League Third Division
Links Park, Montrose

Ben Gordon failed a late fitness test, and Guy Melamed is brought in to replace him, while there is a new duo starting in midfield, with Don Hutchison and Ross Clark teaming up there. Darren Barnard drove a 10th minute free kick just wide of the mark, before Stephen Black's inswinging corner needed to be dealt with by Dave McEwan, the keeper touching the ball over the cross bar. Mark Archdeacon then missed the target with a driven shot that was aimed at the top corner. He would have a better chance at the end of a goalless first half though, Stephen Murray finding him in the box, and a low shot was blocked by Tony Bullock who was off his line quickly to give the striker nothing to aim at. We'd had the better of that first half, and started the second half on the front foot when Ross Clark curled a free kick around the wall, but just wide of the target. We did almost get caught on the counter attack though, Robbie Kelleher played in between our defenders and lifting his shot over McEwan, but also just over the bar. Archdeacon dragged another shot wide when Clark played him in on the hour, before Conor Devine lashed an effort high and wide at the other end. With fifteen minutes to play and two home players on bookings, Derek Carcary finally got a chance to stretch his legs down the right, but he couldn't pick out Murray in the box with the winger unmarked. McEwan would need to make another smart stop when sub John Maitland found the ball at his feet late on, while the man we hoped would be our own super sub, Jean-Pierre Papin, didn't get a sniff. A second consecutive goalless draw, this one more pleasing than the previous one though.

Montrose (0) 0
Dumbarton (0) 0

Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard, Guy Melamed, David Armstrong; Don Hutchison, Ross Clark (Mick Dunlop 82); Derek Carcary, Stephen Murray; Paul McLeod (Jean-Pierre Papin 82), Mark Archdeacon.
Attendance :- 507.

Guy Melamed put in a man of the match performance on a day when several scouts from south of the border were at the ground to watch Montrose's on loan left back Gordon Pope, who's performances during his spell at Links Park from Dundee United have English clubs queuing up to sign him. Now Melamed has also attracted some attention, with AFC Bournemouth and Mansfield Town both interested in the Israeli centre back.

Two goalless draws to start the new year, and we are looking more difficult to beat than we have in previous weeks. But it is still now five League games without a win, and we go into next weeks clash with league leaders East Stirlingshire eight points behind them, and they now also have a game in hand on us.

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  • 1 month later...

Sunday 11th January 2009
We have had an offer to loan Dundee United's 19 year old right wing back Keith Watson accepted by the club. The player will decide if he is interested. However, he does have another offer on the table, with Scottish First Division leaders Queen of the South also tabling an offer to take the player on loan through the remainder of the season.

On the other side of the back four, Glasgow born left back Patrick Boyle will leave the club this summer. The 21 year old, who has featured regularly for the Reserves this season, but played no competitive First Team football, will move to current Second Division club Alloa Athletic once his contract expires.

Monday 12th January
Centre back Guy Melamed is the only Dumbarton player selected in this weeks Third Division Team of the Week, a selection that is dominated by Montrose players after their goalless draw with us on the weekend.

It was entirely predictable, but Keith Watson has rejected our loan offer, and instead will move to Dumfries based Queen of the South for four months, and attempt to help them clinch promotion into the Scottish Premier League this season.

Thursday 15th January
For the first time in many, many years, Clyde are in the hunt to move into the top tier of domestic football in Scotland. They are currently sat in 3rd place in the First Division, with only nine points covering first down to ninth in the ten club Division. That would appear to have given the Cumbernauld based club some delusions of grandeur. They have made us an offer for Israeli centre back Guy Melamed. The offer? They'll visit us for a pre-season friendly in the summer! Not exactly Chelsea coming to visit is it? I tell them that they are miles out, but do give them a shortlist of three players that I would consider swapping for Melamed.

Friday 16th January
Tomorrow afternoon we host the League Leaders of East Stirlingshire. We have played them twice already this season, and on both occasions they scored four times against us, though at least in the first meeting we managed to match that effort ourselves. We simply cannot afford to lose against them tomorrow, as that would leave us eleven points behind them, and they would still hold a game in hand. We will be tightening things up a bit tomorrow in an attempt to quiet them down a little bit, and hopefully we can cause them some issues while turning them back towards our own goal. With our form being pretty poor right now, it's the visitors that the bookies are picking for this one unsurprisingly. We have scored just once this side of Christmas.

Saturday 17th January

Dumbarton v East Stirlingshire
Scottish League Third Division
Strathclyde Homes Stadium, Dumbarton

Just the one change to the starting lineup, with Ryan McStay back from suspension and replacing Don Hutchison. And what a start we made today. There were only 62 seconds on the clock when Ross Clark shaped to shoot from a free kick, but fooled the visiting defence and slipped the ball out wide to Gordon Lennon, the skipper sending a cross to the far post and picking out one of the smallest players on the park, Stephen Murray heading home from close range. We almost had a quick second when Mark Archdeacon headed a Darren Barnard corner wide. East Stirlingshire were trying to push up and pressure, and we made them pay quickly. Lennon and Derek Carcary combined to win the ball, and they sent Archdeacon into space down the right, the striker cutting the ball back to an unmarked Murray in the centre, and he sidefooted home to double the lead. It was nearly trebled when Paul McLeod found McStay who's curling shot only just missed the target. But the respite was brief for our guests, Lennon's ball down the right was expertly kept in by Carcary, and his curling cross to the far post picked out McLeod who had evaded the marking and sent the ball into the roof of the net! Three up in twelve minutes, and even our own fans were probably shell shocked. When Paul Evans swung a 21st minute corner to the far post that Patrick McGrenaghan headed in for his first ever East Stirlingshire goal, people were probably thinking about the 4-4 draw we played out earlier in the season. But we were not taking our foot off the gas today, and Clark collected a pass from Lennon and almost increased our lead with a low shot that beat Mark Peat's dive and grazed the post on it's way wide. Lennon hit the bar himself when McLeod played in the marauding full back, before a strange moment ten minutes before the break. Barnard sent a high diagonal ball up the park and Archdeacon ran against Craig Tully with the ball fixed to beat them both into touch. But Tully flung out an arm as the pair tussled for the race lead, and Archdeacon was felled, the ref pointing to the spot. Barnard's spot kick was poor, right down the middle at Peat who had started to move and saved it with his legs, but the ball rolled right back into the full backs path and he wouldn't let them off the hook again, finding the bottom corner from eight yards out.

I urged my players to show no mercy on the League Leaders in the second half, and we might have had another penalty when Lennon appeared to be fouled in the box by Carl Pettefer. When East Stirlingshire made changes, I responded myself in the 65th minute, Clark and Murray replaced by the veteran pair of Don Hutchison and Jean-Pierre Papin, and some reorganising as McLeod moved out to the right and Carcary switched to the left. Evans forced Dave McEwan to make a good save with a tip over the bar from a long range effort as we started to lose focus a little. That was until Archdeacon headed down a long kick to McStay, and the midfielder picked out Papin, the Frenchman curling a low twenty yard shot beyond Peat's dive and into the bottom corner! Ben Gordon replaced David Armstrong in my final change, but we were not done terrorising our visitors. With five minutes to play Papin flicked the ball over the centre backs and Archdeacon ran onto it, his shot too powerful for Peat to hold despite getting a hand to it, and the ball found the net via the inside of the post to tick us up to six. There was time yet for one more too, McLeod sandwiched in the right channel of the box by Pettefer and Adams, and Barnard blasted home the 90th minute penalty to make it a simply stunning afternoon for us, and for entirely different reasons, our visitors too.

Dumbarton (4) 7 - Stephen Murray (2,9), Paul McLeod (12), Darren Barnard (37,90 pen), Jean-Pierre Papin (74), Mark Archdeacon (85)
East Stirlingshire (1) 1 - Patrick McGrenaghan (21)
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard, Guy Melamed, David Armstrong (Ben Gordon 75); Derek Carcary, Stephen Murray (Jean-Pierre Papin 65), Ross Clark (Don Hutchison 65), Ryan McStay; Paul McLeod, Mark Archdeacon.
Attendance :- 635.

Wow, who saw that coming? We just scored more goals in an afternoon than we have in nearly two months of football! But more important still, is the potential damage that we have done to East Stirlingshire and their confidence. They have been cruising so far this season, that was only their second League defeat all season. Montrose are held to a draw at Stenhousemuir, and the top starts to close back up a little, as we're just two points behind Montrose and five behind the leaders, though the latter still has that game in hand. There is plenty of football to be played yet though, and we still have two very winnable looking games to play this month.

Sunday 18th January
Yesterday's goalfest is now in the record books as the clubs new record victory.

Monday 19th January
Seven of our players are included in the Third Division Team of the Week. Those named are Dave McEwan, Gordon Lennon, Darren Barnard, Ryan McStay, Derek Carcary, Stephen Murray and Jean-Pierre Papin.

Clyde have accepted our offer to swap Guy Melamed for one of three nominated players that we are interested in. Now we can negotiate personal terms with the players, and try and persuade one of them to swap a second tier Title fight for a fourth tier potential Playoff battle. When I put it like that......

Tuesday 20th January
Quietly and effectively, striker Paul McLeod has gone about his business this season. He doesn't get the plaudits that on loan strike partner Mark Archdeacon receives, and clearly he doesn't have the reputation or experience of a Jean-Pierre Papin. The 21 year old has been an ever present this season though, and has returned nine goals in all competitions, setting up another five goals too. He has today signed a one year contract extension. He will get a 40% pay rise, which sounds a lot. It isn't. He will now get £35 per week instead of £25. Still, the Bellshill born forward in his first season with the club is delighted.

Wednesday 21st January
East Stirlingshire would play their game in hand tonight, at home against bottom of the table Annan Athletic, who would also visit us before the end of the month. I would be following along, keen to find out if we had put a big dent into the league leaders confidence. On this evenings evidence, the answer was a resounding no. They rebounded with a 6-1 victory tonight, and have reasserted their position as Title favourites.

Thursday 22nd January
It has been a pretty quiet January Transfer Window for us, but today we have brought in a new signing to boost our squad options. 30 year old left footed forward Marc Anthony was a highly rated youngster at Celtic in his teenage years, but he moved down to Berwick to get regular football, eventually moving on to Forfar. After a few years out of the game, the Edinburgh born three times capped Scottish Under-21 International popped up in Australia, where he moved up through the levels and was part of the Perth Glory squad over the last A-League season, albeit he actually only played once. Now he is home, and we have picked him up as a Free Agent to help us out over the next 18 months. The owner of an impressive left foot from dead ball situations, he can play down the left or through the middle of the park and as far forward as a striker. It's not a bad bit of business for us at £40 per week.

That deal is done a few hours before all three Clyde players reject a move to us, and that in turn means that Guy Melamed will also be staying put. The word is that the Israeli defender isn't overly happy at being denied a chance to move up to a higher level of football.

Friday 23rd January
We head down into the border town of Berwick-Upon-Tweed tomorrow afternoon, and how could I be anything other than positive about our chances after the absolute mauling we gave the league leaders last time out. We've already given Berwick Rangers a pair of pretty good thumping's this season too, but the bookies are not convinced that we have turned the corner here, and with Rangers only losing two of their last eight in the League, and bringing in two new players in January so far, they are hedging their bets here.

Saturday 24th January

Berwick Rangers v Dumbarton
Scottish League Third Division
Shielfield Park, Berwick-Upon-Tweed

No changes as you might expect after our last outing, and we should've been a goal up here inside five minutes, Mark Archdeacon latching onto a long clearance, angling his run into the box to round keeper Marc Lunn, only to see new signing and full back Paul Paton get back behind his keeper to clear the ball off the line. Paton would provide an attacking threat at the other end too, sending in a cross that Michael Reddy brought down, but his own team mate got in the way. A sure sign that this was competitive was the bookings starting to accumulate, which included in the 27th minute when Stephen Murray played in Paul McLeod for the striker to stroke home a shot from 15 yards out, only to see it ruled it for a doubtful looking offside decision, Murray becoming our first booking, and the third of the game in total for his protests. Archdeacon looked more offside than McLeod had ten minutes before the break when Ross Clark found him unmarked in the box. The striker lashed the ball into the roof of the net, and the flag stayed down, his 15th goal of the campaign giving us the lead. Both McLeod and Clark missed chances to increase our lead, before Fraser McLaren forced Dave McEwan into a save, and David Greenhill blasted the loose ball well over the bar. We were starting to become sloppy with our possession, and while I was trying to get things back together, Darren Cribben and Steven Bonar made the most of another poor pass near halfway, and they found Reddy who shot across goal and into the far corner to level things up. But we were back in charge now, and Archdeacon flicked on for McLeod who forced a really smart stop out of Lunn at his near post, before Archdeacon blasted just wide himself. Fresh legs were summoned, Murray's recent form wasn't replicated today, and his booking sealed his fate as he was replaced by debutant Marc Anthony, with Jean-Pierre Papin replacing McLeod at the same time. Guy Melamed was booked as things again got tight, and Andrew McDermott struck a shot against our upright before Melamed threw himself in front of Bonar's whack at the loose ball. A last gasp effort to win it from Derek Carcary produced a corner, and Darren Barnard swung in the set piece, David Armstrong glancing a header that flew across goal but wide of the far post.

Berwick Rangers (0) 1 - Michael Reddy (63)
Dumbarton (1) 1 - Mark Archdeacon (35)
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard, Guy Melamed, David Armstrong; Derek Carcary, (Y)Stephen Murray (Marc Anthony 71), Ross Clark, Ryan McStay; Paul McLeod (Jean-Pierre Papin 71), Mark Archdeacon.
Attendance :- 288

That's a little frustrating after last weeks performance, but Berwick are an improving side themselves. It's not the worst result in the world, as East Stirlingshire are beaten at home by lowly Stenhousemuir, though Montrose do win themselves. However, our run of games without a win has now been spun into a run of four without defeat, and we host bottom of the table Annan Athletic next Saturday to close out January, while the top two are both away from home. We could yet close them down a bit more before month end.

Monday 26th January
Just the one player in the Team of the Week this time around, and it's centre back Guy Melamed.

Friday 30th January
There are so many comparisons between ourselves and tomorrows visitors Annan Athletic that hallmark the difference between the clubs. The best average attendance in the Division against the worst in that statistic. The best disciplined side in the Division against the worst. Best goal difference versus the worst, second best goalscorers v the lowest, the list goes on. It's hard to imagine anything other than a Dumbarton win tomorrow, but consistency hasn't always been our forté this season. At Even money, I'd suggest we're good value at the bookmakers, but it wouldn't be a bet without it's risk.

Saturday 31st January

Dumbarton v Annan Athletic
Scottish League Third Division
Strathclyde Homes Stadium, Dumbarton

It's an unchanged lineup and formation again in front of a decent crowd on the last day of January. It was a quiet and tight start, until Stuart Hill had to go full stretch to get a toe to the ball to prevent Mark Archdeacon reaching a long ball from Gordon Lennon in the Annan box. That saw the game open up a bit in our favour, Ryan McStay's dipping shot from range well tipped over by Graeme Loughman in the visitors goal. It would start to look like all roads to goal would go through Archdeacon today, as he blazed over when McStay played him into the box, before the same combination would see the striker scuff a shot horribly wide of the target. He would come much closer before the break, an angled effort that was arrowed towards the top corner forcing a spectacular and excellent save from Loughman. Unfortunately, the interval came at the wrong time for us, and it would take us a while to get going again after the restart. It would take 20 minutes for us to threaten our hosts goal, before a Lennon free kick cleared everyone's head to find Stephen Murray at the far post, the winger hitting his volley into the ground and it bounced up to beat Loughman but hit the cross bar. A trick free kick from Darren Barnard went to waste when Murray tried to improvise and failed miserably. So after making a pair of substitutions, we would return to relying on an old faithful to finally find a way through Annan's stubborn defence, Barnard swinging over a 78th minute corner, and centre back Guy Melamed rose highest to power a header into the roof of the net for his first competitive goal for the club! That would be enough to sink the bottom of the table side today, though Archdeacon did miss yet another chance when he missed the target after Stephen Gifford left his back pass horribly short.

Dumbarton (0) 1 - Guy Melamed (78)
Annan Athletic (0) 0
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon, Darren Barnard, Guy Melamed, David Armstrong; Derek Carcary, Stephen Murray (Marc Anthony 75), Ross Clark, Ryan McStay; Paul McLeod (Jean-Pierre Papin 75), Mark Archdeacon.
Attendance :- 725.

So our top scorer, and the joint second top scorer in the whole of Scotland would have one of those days, but he was bailed out by his team mate who was considering his options fairly recently, and would now seem to have had a change of heart. The conspiracy theorists might suggest otherwise, with Melamed picking the day where officials from AFC Bournemouth, Mansfield Town and Israeli non-League side Irony Rishon Lezion all at the ground to watch him.

That win gains us some ground on second placed Montrose, who are held to a goalless draw away to fourth placed Forfar Athletic. But we haven't made any ground on the leaders, with East Stirlingshire also winning by a single goal, away to Elgin City. There are four more games to navigate in February as we look to haul ourselves closer to the automatic promotion spot for the leaders.

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2008/09 Scottish League Third Division Table, Up To & Including Saturday 31st January 2009

| Pos   | Inf   | Team               |       | Pld   | Won   | Drn   | Lst   | For   | Ag    | G.D.  | Pts   |

| 1st   |       | East Stirlingshire |       | 24    | 14    | 7     | 3     | 53    | 35    | +18   | 49    |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 2nd   |       | Montrose           |       | 24    | 12    | 8     | 4     | 28    | 14    | +14   | 44    |
| 3rd   |       | Dumbarton          |       | 24    | 11    | 9     | 4     | 48    | 28    | +20   | 42    |
| 4th   |       | Forfar             |       | 24    | 10    | 9     | 5     | 38    | 27    | +11   | 39    |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 5th   |       | Albion Rovers      |       | 24    | 8     | 9     | 7     | 22    | 23    | -1    | 33    |
| 6th   |       | Cowdenbeath        |       | 24    | 6     | 7     | 11    | 22    | 31    | -9    | 25    |
| 7th   |       | Berwick            |       | 24    | 5     | 9     | 10    | 25    | 39    | -14   | 24    |
| 8th   |       | Stenhousemuir      |       | 24    | 4     | 11    | 9     | 32    | 42    | -10   | 23    |
| 9th   |       | Elgin              |       | 24    | 3     | 12    | 9     | 22    | 27    | -5    | 21    |
| 10th  |       | Annan              |       | 24    | 3     | 7     | 14    | 18    | 42    | -24   | 16    |
| -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

 

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  • 2 months later...

Sunday 1st February 2009
After an uptick in form through January, or at least the latter part, we have an opportunity to turn the screws on our rivals through February. We have four League games on the schedule for this month, with three of them at home, and two against lowly teams, before we finish the month with two against the teams directly below us.

Once again I'm overlooked for Manager of the Month, despite our spectacular performance against the League leaders. But we do come out of January with an award at the club, as 22 year old winger Derek Carcary is the January Player of the Month for the Third Division. The 22 year old is having a career season, and if we don't get promoted, it's very possible that a higher division club could try and take him up a level or two.

Monday 2nd February
It's Transfer Deadline Day, and the most involvement that we are likely to be dealing with is if Guy Melamed remains at the club past the end of the day. Clyde of the First Division are said to be preparing an offer of around £75,000 for the Israeli centre back. A month ago, I'd have snapped their hand off. But now, he's played his way back into the side, and scored the winning goal last time out, and has just been named to the Division Team of the Week. We don't need to sell for the money, so unless Clyde really test our resolve, I just can't see it.

Our attempt to bring in a goalkeeper on loan has failed, Carlisle United won't let Chris Howarth move up here for the rest of the season as we won't cover his £600 a week wages in full. But I do go against my own advice of not bringing anyone in today to secure the Free Transfer signing of 23 year old left back Scott Friel. The Glasgow born former Celtic speed merchant has been playing this season at non-League side Clydebank, and with the ability to also cover at centre back and centre midfield, I can't resist the opportunity to see if he can bring some of what Derek Carcary brings to our right flank, along to our left, albeit from a deeper starting position. And don't be mistaken, speed is the most impressive thing about his abilities, but he has enough of it to make it worth an eighteen month contract on £65 per week, and it gives us an entirely different option to what Darren Barnard brings to the position.

The Window closes, and all the talk of multiple clubs making offers we couldn't refuse for Guy Melamed was just that. No offers were incoming, and he will remain with us for the rest of the season at least.

Tuesday 3rd February
Less than 12 hours after the Transfer Window closes, and Melamed reveals his real feelings. While he wouldn't want it be thought that he wasn't happy to stay with us at Dumabrton, he had been secretly hoping Clyde would come in with an offer yesterday. The opportunity to join their push for promotion to the Premier League would, he said, have been too good to turn down. With no move coming his way, he is now focused on helping Dumbarton earn promotion instead. Melamed is on a £120 per week contract that covers next season as well.

Thursday 5th February
19 year old right back Sam Peters has been called up for International Duty for New Zealand Under-21's next week, as they are scheduled to face Slovenia in a home Friendly to be played in Hamilton. He was a player I shelled out for back in the summer, but the form of club captain Gordon Lennon has limited the Kiwi teenager to just one competitive game this season, and the Board consider his signing to be a poor piece of business.

Friday 6th February
Tomorrow we host bottom but one club Elgin City at the Strathclyde Homes Stadium. They are exactly the kind of side we have struggled against this season, and they have held us to draws in both of our meetings so far this season. Securing a first win this season over them is vital if we are to continue our momentum and hopes of reeling in the top two, who meet tomorrow.

Saturday 7th February

Dumbarton v Elgin City
Scottish League Third Division
Strathclyde Homes Stadium, Dumbarton

Once more we are unchanged in our starting lineup, though there is one change to the substitutes bench, Scott Friel is ready to go and replaces Mark Canning on the bench. While he is hoping for a Dumbarton debut, it's a 25th League appearance for the club for Dave McEwan, Darren Barnard, Stephen Murray, Paul McLeod and Mark Archdeacon. We nearly got off to a perfect start when Barnard's corner picked out Archdeacon, but his goal bound volley was blocked. At the other end, Orman Okuniaya was quickly proving to be a nuisance, his cross from the left found Gary Smyth, but the strikers header missed the target. Speaking of being a nuisance, Derek Carcary was clearly in the mood today, toying with the City defence at will. Guy Melamed was treated for a knock, but declared himself fit to go on. Before the break came our best chance of the half, Ryan McStay slotting a through ball between the defence for McLeod to run onto, the striker rounding Ally Ridgers, only to see his shot cleared off the line by a retreating defender. The second half started with us on the front foot, Stephen Murray cutting a pass back to McStay, who shanked his shot high and wide. City were providing little threat, John McNicholas sent one effort way over the bar, but for the large part we were pinning them in now. Carcary's mazy run got him in on goal but Ridgers saved with his feet. The winger was just getting started though, and in the 73rd minute he collected the ball on the right and beat three defenders to get into the box, and with everyone converging on the goal, he played it behind them to pick out the arriving Barnard who sidefooted inside the near post to open the scoring. With City having to now attack, we opened them up, and from an 81st minute corner, Barnard picked out Melamed who headed home for a second consecutive game, but was now limping noticeably and was given more treatment. When that made little to no difference, I waited for the ball to go out to make three subs, which took an eternity. I finally got our changes made with five minutes to go, and one of the subs produced a final killer blow. From a counter attack, Archdeacon and Gordon Lennon combined to release Carcary from the halfway line. The winger twisted in and out down the right, before producing a perfect curling cross that bounced just at the far post, and on the rise was headed in with a perfect diving header by Marc Anthony for his first ever Dumbarton goal.

Dumbarton (0) 3 - Darren Barnard (74), Guy Melamed (81), Marc Anthony (89)
Elgin City (0) 0
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard (Scott Friel 85), Guy Melamed (inj - Ben Gordon 85), David Armstrong; Derek Carcary, Stephen Murray (Marc Anthony 85), Ross Clark, Ryan McStay; Paul McLeod, Mark Archdeacon.
Attendance :- 735.

That was exactly what we needed today, and some great crossing and clinical finishing earned us the points late on, moving us to six games unbeaten. While that was going on, in the second best option to the perfect result of a draw, Montrose have won 2-1 away to leaders East Stirlingshire, and there are now only four points between the leaders and us in third spot, with Forfar Athletic now six behind us after losing away to bottom club Annan Athletic.

It wasn't a perfect day though, it never is. Guy Melamed's injury was worse than both he, and ourselves realised, and he has suffered a groin injury that will keep him out for the rest of the month at least. Karma for his words to the media in midweek? Well, maybe. But it does us just as much damage as him. In a position where the quality of our cover is sketchy, we have just lost a player who was kicking into a great run of form.

Monday 9th February
A trio of our players are named in the Third Division Team of the Week. Those named are Darren Barnard, Guy Melamed and Derek Carcary.

Friday 13th February
We're headlong into another home fixture, and a big one. Earlier in the season, Albion Rovers were very much part of the leading group, but a slide or two in form has seen them fall away, and while they are still very much best of the rest, they're five points outside that fight now, and their form isn't good enough to bring them back up the table. However, they are another team we've struggled to get to grips with, as we have drawn both our games with them so far, though they were in better form at that point. They have strengthened in the January Window, bringing in Queen's Park pair Adam Coakley and Stevie Nicholas.

Saturday 14th February

Dumbarton v Albion Rovers
Scottish League, Third Division
Strathclyde Homes Stadium, Dumbarton

With Guy Melamed out, Ben Gordon is brought into the starting lineup from the bench, with Mick O'Byrne summoned into the matchday squad to take Gordon's spot on the bench. Ryan McStay makes his 25th League Appearance for the club today. A very quiet opening spell of the game was followed by Rovers putting some good passing moves together. The first attempt got striker Stevie Nicholas into space on the edge of the box, his shot on the turn well off target. But moments later Ryan McGavigan picked up the ball short from a throw in, and with everyone waiting on a cross, he instead switched play to an unmarked and charging forward Danny Ferry, the full back bringing down the ball, strolling into the box, and then unleashing a shot into the top corner in what would prove to be the only goal of the first half. That led to me tearing into my players at the break, and looking for a reaction from them to keep our good run of form going. We would need some good defending early from the restart though, both David Armstrong and Darren Barnard having to make last ditch tackles, before Nicholas found the net, but from an offside position. But around the hour mark we started to assert ourselves. Paul McLeod headed down a cross to Ryan McStay which he caught first time on the half volley and sent just over the bar. And midway through the half, we found an equaliser from a familiar route, Barnard whipping in the corner, and Armstrong meeting it at the near post to glance home a header. Now the momentum of the game had absolutely changed, and a Gordon Lennon cross found Stephen Murray who just missed the top corner with a shot back across goal. Murray joined Ben Gordon in being replaced, and one of those coming on was Mick O'Byrne, and he got his head to the ball in the 74th minute when Barnard sent over another corner, a bullet header for his first goal of the season and we were ahead. Then with five minutes remaining, we made the points safe, Derek Carcary whipping over a cross that Ross Clark half volleyed inside the far post, the only downside being Carcary injuring himself during the passage of play or just after, which would lead to some anxious moments for us.

Dumbarton (0) 3 - David Armstrong (68), Mick O'Byrne (78), Ross Clark (85)
Albion Rovers (1) 1 - Danny Ferry (18)
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard, Ben Gordon (Mick O'Byrne 74), David Armstrong; Derek Carcary (inj - 86), Stephen Murray (Marc Anthony 74), Ross Clark, Ryan McStay; Paul McLeod (Don Hutchison 85), Mark Archdeacon.
Attendance :- 836.

We were clinical when the chances came our way, particularly from set pieces, where we are very dangerous and have been all season. In just over a quarter of an hour spell, we blew Rovers away and ended up on the right end of a comfortable looking score from a tricky afternoon. And we gained some more ground, as East Stirlingshire are knocked off the top spot with a home defeat against Forfar Athletic, while Montrose go past them courtesy of a 3-0 home win over Cowdenbeath. With ten games left to play, there are now just two points separating the top three. Game on!

That's the good news. The bad news is that we will need to get through a short spell without our influential winger Derek Carcary, as the 22 year old suffered a damaged thigh late in the game, and right after our final change had been made too. He will definitely miss our trip to Stenhousemuir next weekend, and quite possibly the home game against Forfar to finish the month off the following weekend.

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Monday 16th February 2009
After that superb comeback win over Albion Rovers on the weekend, four of our players are included in the Third Division Team of the Week, making us the most represented team in the selection this week. Darren Barnard, David Armstrong, Ross Clark and Derek Carcary are those selected.

Friday 20th February
And we are right back into it. Tomorrow we make the trip to mid table makeweights Stenhousemuir. Too far outside the Playoff race, and probably a little too good to be dragged into the race to avoid bottom spot. We're the favourites, but only narrowly, and after we beat them at tomorrow's venue Ochilview Park early in the season, they held us to a draw last time out right before Christmas.

Saturday 21st February

Stenhousemuir v Dumbarton
Scottish League, Third Division
Ochilview Park, Stenhousemuir

The only changes that are made are necessary. With Derek Carcary out injured, Stephen Murray switches from the left wing to the right, allowing Marc Anthony to take a place on the left wing. On loan Kieran McAnespie inherits a spot amongst the substitutes. It was so close to the perfect start, Stephen Murray's cross from the right headed at goal by Paul McLeod and pushed aside by Keiron Renton, who was quick enough to his feet to stop the second effort blasted in by Mark Archdeacon. There was a Chris McGroarty header wide at the other end, before we got our next cross into the box as the half hour mark approached. It was from the left this time, Marc Anthony drilling it low across the six yard box, Archdeacon took a heavy first touch, and Craig Molloy missed the chance to clear, leaving Archdeacon with an open goal to hit and put us ahead with his 16th goal of the season. The latter part of the first half showed signs of the game opening up, which didn't necessarily suit us. The tone continued into the second half however, and while we were getting our share of chances, I was happy to let it roll. Ryan McStay had a long range effort tipped over the top, David Armstrong just missed the top corner with a header. And then we got sucker punched. Twice. Within the space of a few minutes. First Norman Kelly walked onto a pass from Willie Lyle, and from 25 yards unleashed a curling shot that had Dave McEwan beat all the way. Then when Paul McLeod lost control in the hosts penalty box, we got countered. A long clearance up the park bounced beyond Ben Gordon, and Iain Diack shielded the ball from Armstrong and smashed a shot across goal and into the far top corner. With the damage done, Stenhousemuir sat back, while went to three up front and three at the back. I was confident that we would get a chance at least, but the closest we would come would be a Barnard free kick that fizzed wide of goal, and our good run of form was ended.

Stenhousemuir (0) 2 - Norman Kelly (63), Iain Diack (69)
Dumbarton (1) 1 - Mark Archdeacon (27)
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard, Ben Gordon (Scott Friel 72), David Armstrong; Stephen Murray, Marc Anthony (Jean-Pierre Papin 72), Ross Clark, Ryan McStay; Paul McLeod, Mark Archdeacon.
Attendance :- 325.

That was our first defeat in eight in the League, and the timing is less than ideal after we had just managed to haul the top two a good deal closer to us. The damage caused by this defeat is limited with Montrose also losing away from home, Albion Rovers their conquerors this weekend. With a road win of their own against Cowdenbeath, the chance to leap back to the top of the table is grabbed by East Stirlingshire. Frustratingly, had we held on to our lead today, we would now be second and just a point off the leaders.

From a tactical point of view, we really missed Derek Carcary on the right wing, and moving Stephen Murray over seemed to upset the balance of the side on the park going forward. Something we'll have to think about of our final game of February when we host fourth placed Forfar Athletic next weekend. Try saying that quickly after a few gin and tonics.

Sunday 22nd February
One of the potential solutions to missing Carcary was using on loan winger Dennis McLaughlin there this weekend. That version of the plan went out of the window when the 22 year old Irishman suffered a fractured arm in today's Reserve match against Arbroath having put our second string ahead earlier in the game. It'd be easy to label the loan spell as a bust, as he has played only one and a bit games for the First Team, kept well out of the frame by Carcary's superb form. But he has been very prolific for the second string, and with his Heart of Midlothian contract expiring in a few months, I hope it's not the end of the road for him in football. His loan is terminated to allow him to receive specialist treatment with the Premier League club.

Wednesday 25th February
Good news, as Derek Carcary returns to training this morning, two or three days ahead of schedule, and giving him a fighting chance of starting on Saturday against Forfar. It is a pretty major boost for us.

Saturday 28th February

Dumbarton v Forfar Athletic
Scottish League, Third Division
Strathclyde Homes Stadium, Dumbarton

Several milestones today, as Stephen Murray reaches 175 Career League Appearances, with keeper Dave McEwan reaching 150. Derek Carcary is in the side, and he makes his 25th Dumbarton League appearance, replacing Stephen Murray on the right who switches in turn back to the left, with Marc Anthony dropping to the bench. In the only other change, Scott Friel starts at centre back in place of Ben Gordon, who drops out of the matchday squad with Mick Dunlop moving up to the bench. We could have easily seen as many as five goals in the opening ten minutes, Rodney Hassan's diving header fielded by McEwan, before a Paul McLeod curler just missed the target. McEwan had to then tip over a Johnny Russell volley, before Alistair Brown had to deal in the same way with a Mark Archdeacon drive. The chaos of the opening moments came to an end when Friel headed over from a corner, though we soon had another that David Armstrong glanced wide. The deadlock was finally prised open when Carcary's pace caused issues, his cutback found Ryan McStay, and Brown couldn't hold his shot with McLeod notching his 10th of the season when he drilled home the loose ball. The best chance to follow in the first half saw Barry Moran head a Russell cross against the inside of our post and it rolled along the goal line before Ross Clark actually backheeled it clear rather than risk adjusting and Paul Martin getting a toe there first. It was a lead that would hold up into the second half, and Forfar had already given us fair warning with several chances missing the target before finding an equaliser, Joshua Vermooten outmuscling Murray before picking out Darren Brady who sidefooted home just after the hour mark. But with fifteen minutes to play, we snatched that lead back thanks to an Andy Tod mistake. Jean-Pierre Papin had come on to replace Carcary by then, with McLeod going out wide, and the French veteran was there to receive a pass after Archdeacon stripped the ball from the defender, and he laid it right back into the path of his run, Archdeacon sprinting onto it, into the box, and sending a low shot across goal and inside the far post. With ten left to play, we moved into a more defensive outlook, Ross Clark replaced by Mick Dunlop who would play just in front of the back four. But when Athletic went to four up front, he would move back deeper into a back five now. When Murray went down with an injury, I'd need to make my final change. But while we were a man down, Forfar opened us up, Kwesi Appiah took the ball down on the left, and found Tod who had now moved up front to act as a target man. And with everyone expecting him to lay the ball off, he turned and sent in a shot that McEwan couldn't get across to, and once more we had failed to hold onto a lead and see the game out.

Dumbarton (1) 2 - Paul McLeod (19), Mark Archdeacon (75)
Forfar Athletic (0) 2 - Darren Brady (62), Andy Tod (87)
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard, Scott Friel, David Armstrong; Derek Carcary (Jean-Pierre Papin 71), Stephen Murray (inj - Marc Anthony 87), Ross Clark (Mick Dunlop 80), Ryan McStay; Paul McLeod, Mark Archdeacon.
Attendance :- 693.

More frustration then, as it looked like we had done enough to put the annoyance of throwing away a lead behind us, only to let one slip for a second time in the dying minutes. It's a habit that we need to break, and quickly. The frustration is combined with a bit of relief in knowing that we haven't lost any ground as a result of that equaliser, with both East Stirlingshire and Montrose also being held to draws today on their travels. However, it should be noted that if we had kept our leads in both of our last two games, we would be top of the League by a point now going into March.

Stephen Murray has only suffered bruising, so the left winger may be back as soon as next weekend, where we head into a four game month that sees us primarily take on clubs from the lower reaches of the Division, wrapped around a crucial home game against promotion rivals Montrose.

2008/09 Scottish League Third Division Table, Up To & Including Saturday 28th February 2009

| Pos   | Inf   | Team               |       | Pld   | Won   | Drn   | Lst   | For   | Ag    | G.D.  | Pts   |

| 1st   |       | East Stirlingshire |       | 28    | 15    | 8     | 5     | 56    | 39    | +17   | 53    |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 2nd   |       | Montrose           |       | 28    | 14    | 9     | 5     | 35    | 18    | +17   | 51    |
| 3rd   |       | Dumbarton          |       | 28    | 13    | 10    | 5     | 57    | 33    | +24   | 49    |
| 4th   |       | Forfar             |       | 28    | 12    | 10    | 6     | 42    | 30    | +12   | 46    |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 5th   |       | Albion Rovers      |       | 28    | 9     | 11    | 8     | 25    | 27    | -2    | 38    |
| 6th   |       | Stenhousemuir      |       | 28    | 7     | 12    | 9     | 42    | 45    | -3    | 33    |
| 7th   |       | Berwick            |       | 28    | 7     | 10    | 11    | 31    | 43    | -12   | 31    |
| 8th   |       | Cowdenbeath        |       | 28    | 6     | 7     | 15    | 23    | 39    | -16   | 25    |
| 9th   |       | Annan              |       | 28    | 5     | 8     | 15    | 23    | 49    | -26   | 23    |
| 10th  |       | Elgin              |       | 28    | 3     | 13    | 12    | 25    | 36    | -11   | 22    |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Sunday 1st March 2009
The Board are satisfied with how things are going at the club currently, and are particularly impressed with the 7-1 victory over East Stirlingshire. The suits upstairs have however also noted some concerns from fans regarding the recent performances of on loan striker Mark Archdeacon! I'm assuming that must be some kind of a joke, as the Motherwell striker has netted seventeen times in 32 appearances in all competitions this season, and has an average rating of just under seven. The club also recorded a loss of just under £5,000 in February, not an issue at all with us being financially secure right now.

29 year old Israeli centre back Guy Melamed has been passed fit to return to training tomorrow following three weeks on the sidelines with a groin injury. He had just been hitting a run of form when the injury occurred, and hopefully he can rediscover that form when he returns to the First Team.

Friday 6th March
Tomorrow is the opener of four fixtures in March, and we travel to face a Cowdenbeath side that are fighting with two other clubs to make sure they don't end the season bottom of the table. We dropped points when we met them at the Strathclyde Homes Stadium back at the start of the year when we were held to a frustrating goalless draw. Hopefully we won't drop points to them this time around.

Saturday 7th March

Cowdenbeath v Dumbarton
Scottish League, Third Division
Central Park, Cowdenbeath

Stephen Murray is missing for this one, and that prompts a little bit of a move around for us. Derek Carcary switches across to the left, and Paul McLeod shifts from a striker role out to the right flank, with Jean-Pierre Papin getting a rare start up front. Mick Dunlop switches with Scott Friel to start at centre back, and Michael Moore returns to the matchday squad. We kicked off with the ball, and refused to give it back. We passed our way through the Cowdenbeath defence, and with 65 seconds on the clock Papin played a through ball that McLeod ran onto and beat keeper David Hay on his near post to open the scoring. That had our hosts back on their heels, and Papin played Carcary into space moments later, his shot saved but he was offside anyway. The French veteran had a go himself next time, but his shot on the turn was well wide. With Cowdenbeath barely able to make it over halfway by this point, a second goal was almost inevitable, and arrived when Ryan McStay played the ball to Mark Archdeacon on the edge of the box and with his back to goal, dropping his left shoulder and rolling Sandy Hodge before shooting low across goal and into the far bottom corner. An almost perfect first half was completed just before the break when McLeod sprung Archdeacon into space down the right, and his cross picked out Carcary in the left channel. The winger chested the ball down which took it away from the defender and onto his favoured right foot, from which he proceeded to crash a shot past Hay and in off the underside of the bar! As a rule, I try to avoid giving praise at a half time team talk, but I felt they had earned it today. In the second half my own team would remind me why I had that rule in place. The second half was like night and day from the first, and a Cowdenbeath side that couldn't get over the halfway line a short while ago were now pinning us and causing us problems. A John Gemmell free kick whistled just wide of the goal frame, before a Michael Daly shot on the turn was deflected wide. Midway through the half, Gemmell popped up on the left and assisted Aaron Chalmers in causing problems. The resulting Stuart Preston corner picked out Graeme Brown, and the South African striker chested the ball down, Dave McEwan went down at his feet only to spill the wet ball, and Brown fired it in to pull a goal back. I could sense that panic was starting to creep in, but also was very aware that any change would be a more defensive one, which would potentially see us pinned in deeper and for longer. Our defence were still coping for the most part, but with Cowdenbeath having their tails up and making three attacking changes, I could resist no longer and brought Papin off for Guy Melamed with just over ten minutes to play, asking the Israeli to sit in front of the back four. That almost produced a clinching goal when Archdeacon curled a shot off the cross bar. With just three minutes left to play, and me having relaxed with the situation just a touch, sub Brian Fairbairn whipped in a cross to the near post and Brown got ahead of Mick Dunlop and sent a header into the near top corner to put me on edge all over again! With the clock into injury time, and substitutes waiting on the sideline to try and kill off a bit more time, McEwan fielded a cross and then for some reason tried to launch a quick counter attack. When that failed, Fairbairn was played into the exact same spot that he had already provided a cross from, this time picking out Chalmers at the far post and he found the net with a downward header. It was an absolute relief to see the linesman lift the offside flag, a decision that was borderline at best. There wasn't even time to restart the game, and I never did get those substitutes on. Let's get back on the bus before someone changes their mind!

Cowdenbeath (0) 2 - Graeme Brown (67,87)
Dumbarton (3) 3 - Paul McLeod (2), Mark Archdeacon (34), Drek Carcary (43)
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard, Mick Dunlop, David Armstrong; Paul McLeod, Ross Clark, Ryan McStay, Derek Carcary; Jean-Pierre Papin (Guy Melamed 79), Mark Archdeacon.
Attendance :- 206.

We came so close to chucking away a couple of points right there, and I'll think long and hard before breaking my rules on half time praise again. It's always a bit of a balancing act, but clearly that wasn't the right choice at the right time. Montrose win at home to Annan Athletic meaning they return to the top of the table on goal difference, as East Stirlingshire are held to a home draw by Berwick Rangers. Our own win leaves us just a pair of points behind them both now, and in striking distance to potentially pinch top spot and do ourselves the massive favour of avoiding the Playoff process. We could do ourselves a huge favour with home games against Montrose and then Berwick next up on the fixture list.

Friday 13th March
After a pretty quiet week here, we just have Friday the 13th to make through intact and we'll be all set for tomorrow's really big game, a home date with the leaders Montrose as we look to take our opportunity to jump them in the table and improve our shot at the single automatic promotion spot with a Playoff berth already all but guaranteed. We're the favourites for this one, but we have taken only a point from Montrose so far this season, and they already hold a win at our place.

Saturday 14th March

Dumbarton v Montrose
Scottish League, Third Division
Strathclyde Homes Stadium, Dumbarton

I resist the urge to bring Stephen Murray straight back into the lineup, instead leaving the team as it is and bringing him onto the bench as a forward option along with Marc Anthony. Just as we had in Cowdenbeath last week, our first half showing was superb, almost rewarded with a goal when Jean-Pierre Papin's curling shot from range didn't quite manage to curl enough, but then finding an opener in the 28th minute when Darren Barnard's inswinging free kick from the right was glanced just enough by David Armstrong to deviate it's path away from a stranded Tony Bullock, the keeper only able to watch on as it hit the net behind him. Montrose had a golden chance to level before the break, Conor Devine's corner to the far post met by Paul Buchan, his header beating Dave McEwan only to be cleared off the line by Mark Archdeacon of all people. Combine that with sub Stevie Horan's shot off the bar early in the second half, and Montrose had missed their best opportunities to come back into the game, and the punishment would be damaging. Paul McLeod and Papin came off, allowing Murray to come on, Derek Carcary to switch to his natural stomping ground down the right, and Anthony to join Archdeacon up front. Murray and Ryan McStay had already sent shots wide of the target, and Barnard and Gordon Lennon's double team tackle on Kevin Bradley in the penalty box had gone by unpunished, when Anthony received the ball from McStay, letting it run across his body onto his left foot, touching it in front to set himself up, and then sending in a shot that Bullock seemed to touch onto the bar, only to see it drop off the underside of the goal frame and behind him over the line to extend our lead and finish off Montrose to break our duck against them this season.

Dumbarton (1) 2 - David Armstrong (28), Marc Anthony (79)
Montrose (0) 0
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard, Mick Dunlop, David Armstrong (Guy Melamed 80); Paul McLeod (Stephen Murray 54), Ross Clark, Ryan McStay, Derek Carcary; Jean-Pierre Papin (Marc Anthony 54), Mark Archdeacon.
Attendance :- 664

That's three very good halves of football we have played over our last two games, and as well as the three points for the win, we have set a marker out by claiming a win against a side we could meet in the Playoffs. Or not. As with East Stirlingshire losing again, this time away to lowly Annan Athletic, for the first time since early November we find ourselves top of the table, one point ahead of the two other teams in the hunt for the automatic promotion spot, and also with a far superior goal difference as well. Another win will be enough to guarantee that we earn at least a top four spot to extend our season.

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Thursday 19th March 2009
I've no idea why the Third Division Team of the Week was so late being named this week, but when it is we are represented by on loan centre back David Armstrong and midfielder Ryan McStay.

Friday 20th March
So we'll go into the weekend as the League leaders, and we will be hoping to hit next week in just as strong a position, if not better. We're home to seventh placed Berwick Rangers tomorrow, a side we have beaten well twice already, but did only draw with last time out in January. With Montrose and East Stirlingshire both away from home, we are hopeful of extending our lead if we can keep up our end of the bargain.

Saturday 21st March

Dumbarton v Berwick Rangers
Scottish League, Third Division
Strathclyde Homes Stadium, Dumbarton

This time I do bring Stephen Murray back into the starting eleven, reinstating him to his left wing position, moving Derek Carcary out to the right and Paul McLeod up front, meaning a return to the bench for Jean-Pierre Papin. The game began with us utterly dominating proceedings, passing through the Berwick defence at will, and totalling double figures for corners in the first quarter of the game alone, Mark Archdeacon heading the best chance wide from a Ryan McStay corner, before Paul McLeod headed a point blank effort right at Ryan McGurk. When we finally broke the deadlock it was McStay picking out Archdeacon, and he fired first time across goal and into the far corner. We should have increased our lead through Derek Carcary, before we got caught sleeping before the break, Michael Reddy picking up the ball in the right channel, and no fewer than three players missed chances to tackle him as he cut inside before he found the net from an acute angle. We'd been dominate enough that I wasn't concerned when we restarted after the break, and we continued to be well on top, Archdeacon's glancing header from a corner headed off the line by Steven Bonar. As the hour approached we would regain our lead, Carcary drilling a low diagonal cross in from the right and McLeod swept it low into the bottom corner from near the penalty spot. I've learnt better than to count my chickens with this team, but with just under 20 minutes to go, Darren Barnard waved everyone into the six yard box, and then picked out Archdeacon who had stayed out near the penalty spot, and he had time to chest the ball down before drilling it through the crowd for his second of the day and 20th of the season, and put this one out of the visitors reach. 

Dumbarton (1) 3 - Mark Archdeacon (20,71), Paul McLeod (58)
Berwick Rangers (1) 1 - Michael Reddy (38)
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard, Mick Dunlop (Guy Melamed 76), David Armstrong; Derek Carcary, Ross Clark, Ryan McStay, Stephen Murray (Marc Anthony 76); Paul McLeod (Jean-Pierre Papin 76), Mark Archdeacon.
Attendance :- 907.

We've had games like that this season where we have failed to secure all three points. We seem to be playing in our sweet spot right now, and it couldn't have come at a better time too. And today almost ended up being the perfect day. East Stirlingshire continued their poor run of form with a defeat away to mid table Stenhousemuir, while Montrose also lost ground to us as they were held to a draw away to Elgin City.

We will be visitors to a club near the bottom ourselves next week to end the month, as we make the trip to face Annan Athletic, who are only a point from the bottom of the table. We'll head there with a three point lead at the top, effectively four thanks to our far better goal difference, and a Playoff place at worst confirmed, but the Title still very much in our grasp with only five games remaining on our fixture list currently.

On loan striker Mark Archdeacon has now reached 20 goals for the season in all competitions. We are constantly being asked about the possibility of us keeping both him and our other on loan star, centre back David Armstrong. The latter is the more realistic, but that isn't saying much as both are likely out of our reach financially right now, at least on permanent deals. Another loan would be an ideal solution though, and I'd be very open to having both back next season, regardless of which level we will be playing at.

Monday 23rd March
The performance of Archdeacon and his brace of goals was surprisingly not enough to earn him a place in the Third Division Team of the Week. Our only representative this week was right winger Derek Carcary.

Friday 27th March
We hold a one hundred percent record over Annan Athletic this season, and we will travel to Galabank this weekend looking to continue that form against the Division's ninth placed side, and hopefully continue a march towards a surprise Title and promotion. No one is expecting this one to be easy however. We beat them soundly 4-1 at home early in the season, but the other two games were both settled by the single goal of the game. I'd cheerfully take that again tomorrow afternoon. I caused a bit of a stir in today's press conference by describing us as 'certainties' for the Title.

Saturday 28th March

Annan Athletic v Dumbarton
Scottish League, Third Division
Galabank, Annan

There are plenty of milestones for us in this game, with Ross Clark making his 25th Appearance for the club, while full backs Gordon Lennon and Darren Barnard make their 125th and 475th Career League Appearances respectively. It was an unchanged starting selection and squad though as we began our final game of the month. Our attendances are fifty percent larger than anyone else's in this Division, and they look even better when we come to places like this. Might not be such a bad thing today though, as the level of entertainment was low. Darren Barnards's inswinging free kick from the right touchline picked out Mick Dunlop, who was only kept off the scoresheet by a fine piece of goalkeeping from Graeme Loughman. The keeper was powerless to do anything moments later however, Barnard sending over a corner this time, David Armstrong attempted to glance it towards goal, but the ball was blocked and fell right to Mark Archdeacon who bundled it home from close range. Our levels of control were threatened just before the break when Derek Carcary sustained an injury, and Paul McLeod moved out to the wing with Jean-Pierre Papin coming on up front. Loughman had to be at full stretch to tip over a curling shot from Archdeacon early in the second half, and had to repeat the trick moments later when our striker attempted to lob him. As time ticked down, I was sorely tempted to move us into a more defensive setup, especially when sub Alan McDonough worked his way into the penalty box and sent a shot inches wide of the upright. We almost caught them twice on the break, Loughman spreading himself to block Archdeacon's close range shot from Marc Anthony's cross, before Anthony headed at goal himself, just missing the top corner. Fortunately, one would be enough today.

Annan Athletic (0) 0
Dumbarton (1) 1 -
Mark Archdeacon (34)
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard, Mick Dunlop (Guy Melamed 76), David Armstrong; Derek Carcary (inj - Jean-Pierre Papin 45+1), Ross Clark, Ryan McStay, Stephen Murray (Marc Anthony 76); Paul McLeod, Mark Archdeacon.
Attendance :- 169.

Before the game I told the press that we were a 'certainty' for the Title, which may have been a little tongue in cheek, but not too far from where my confidence levels actually are right now. Those levels have only increased after we have successfully navigated this tricky fixture, and while we were winning Montrose drop points again, held at home to a 1-1 draw by fourth placed Forfar Athletic. They are leapfrogged by East Stirlingshire, who after going winless in four snap the streak with 4-1 home win over Elgin City. Typically, we visit them next in a fortnight's time, a huge game in the Title race.

Fortunately for us, we will go into that game with Derek Carcary, the speedster right winger suffered nothing more than an impact stinger today and will be fine to train next week.

Monday 30th March
Paul McLeod is selected for the Third Division Team of the Week. But that news for him is trumped by Darren Barnard being announced as one of the front runner's for the Division's Player of the Year Award. He is up against the likes of Brian Graham and Jamie Stevenson of East Stirlingshire, as well as Johnny Russell of Forfar Athletic.

2008/09 Scottish League Third Division League Table, Up To & Including Tuesday 31st March 2009

| Pos   | Inf   | Team               |       | Pld   | Won   | Drn   | Lst   | For   | Ag    | G.D.  | Pts   |

| 1st   | Pl    | Dumbarton          |       | 32    | 17    | 10    | 5     | 66    | 36    | +30   | 61    |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 2nd   |       | East Stirlingshire |       | 32    | 16    | 9     | 7     | 64    | 46    | +18   | 57    |
| 3rd   |       | Montrose           |       | 32    | 15    | 11    | 6     | 39    | 23    | +16   | 56    |
| 4th   |       | Forfar             |       | 32    | 13    | 12    | 7     | 47    | 34    | +13   | 51    |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 5th   |       | Albion Rovers      |       | 32    | 11    | 12    | 9     | 32    | 32    | 0     | 45    |
| 6th   |       | Stenhousemuir      |       | 32    | 10    | 12    | 10    | 49    | 50    | -1    | 42    |
| 7th   |       | Berwick            |       | 32    | 8     | 12    | 12    | 38    | 49    | -11   | 36    |
| 8th   |       | Elgin              |       | 32    | 4     | 15    | 13    | 29    | 42    | -13   | 27    |
| 9th   |       | Annan              |       | 32    | 6     | 8     | 18    | 27    | 56    | -29   | 26    |
| 10th  |       | Cowdenbeath        |       | 32    | 6     | 7     | 19    | 26    | 49    | -23   | 25    |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

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Wednesday 1st April 2009
April, and what should be a very busy month of action for us as the climax of the season approaches. But it really isn't like that at all. With an International Window to start the month, and Cup football also scheduled in Scotland, we have just two of our remaining four games taking place this month. They are on back to back weekends in the middle of the month, and both away from home. We will travel to Title rivals East Stirlingshire first, followed by a trip to Playoff hopefuls Albion Rovers.

Four wins from four in March means I am named Manager of the Month for the second time this season, beating John Coughlin and Paul Martin of Stenhousemuir and Albion Rovers to the honour. The Young Player of the Month Award also comes to the Strathclyde Homes Stadium, with Paul McLeod picking up that honour. The Player of the Month goes to Berwick Rangers midfielder Andrew McDermott, though his season has now come to an early close with an injury that may see him miss the start of next season as well.

Thursday 2nd April
The Board remain satisfied with how things are going this season, and are particularly happy to see the fans reaction to our 3-1 win over Berwick Rangers. A loss of just under £9,000 last month won't cause them any concerns.

Northern Irish right back Gordon Lennon has signed a new one year deal to continue with the club at £70 per week.

Friday 3rd April
He is quickly joined by 27 year old goalkeeper Dave McEwan, our former Scottish Under-21 International who has been our ever present this season. He has taken a fairly big wage cut to stay, and has been a bit erratic from time to time. I will certainly be looking for an upgrade over the summer regardless of whether we go up or not.

Saturday 4th April
23 year old centre back Ben Gordon has had an up and down kind of season, but has now signed a one year extension to his deal, and like McEwan he also takes a sizeable pay cut to stay at the club.

Thursday 9th April
On loan Northern Irish centre back David Armstrong has suffered a toe injury in training today. Normally this would be sorted with a course of injections. However as he isn't our player, we can't do that, and now Armstrong will likely miss Saturday's crucial trip to East Stirlingshire. The Heart of Midlothian man has been one of our best players this season, and this is a blow for both ourselves and the 22 year old.

Friday 10th April
Despite being away from home, the bookies have us as the favourites for tomorrows trip to East Stirlingshire in a battle of the top two. Our four point advantage at the top means a victory in this one could leave us just one more result away from securing the automatic promotion spot. Lose however, and the Title Race takes a turn that will likely see it go all the way to the last weekend.

Saturday 11th April

East Stirlingshire v Dumbarton
Scottish League, Third Division
Ochilview Park, Stenhousemuir

Guy Melamed is drafted into the lineup to replace the injured David Armstrong, with Ben Gordon brought up into the matchday squad for bench duty. Our hosts line up with five across the midfield and three centre backs. What a game! Brian Graham was booked inside two minutes for diving as both sides had penalty claims turned down. In the tenth minute keeper Dave McEwan's poor clearance up the park was headed back over our defence by David Dunn, and Graham ran onto the ball and smashed it into the far corner! A diving header from Stephen Murray was cleared off the line, before Jamie Stevenson found Graham on the edge of the box and he netted a second. Before the mid point of the half our predicament was becoming a catastrophe, as Gerard McGranaghan's cross picked out Stevenson who headed home to make it three nil. I made changes, pushing my wingers and full backs forward, hoping to give my centre midfielders more options for an 'out' and cause our hosts more problems. It took a little while to start working as Graham just missed the top corner, but five minutes before half time Ryan McStay played a through ball to Derek Carcary, who rounded Mark Peat and finished, but didn't celebrate as he believed he was offside along with everyone else. The flag wasn't raised however, and in first half injury time Carl Pettefer took away Paul McLeod's legs in the box, and Darren Barnard smashed the penalty kick into the roof of the net, 3-2 at half time. The second half started well for us, Carcary missing the target and McStay having a driven shot beaten away by Peat. But we got sucker punched, Graham's shot from near the penalty spot pushed away by McEwan only for McGranaghan to fire home the loose ball. And Graham wouldn't have to wait much longer for his hatrick, Patrick McGrenaghan's free kick from the right on the hour mark saw Graham match himself against Gordon Lennon at the far stick, an absolute mismatch that saw Graham tower above our captain and send his header back across goal and inside the far post to send the lead to a 5-2 advantage. I made personnel changes that would allow us to match up to their 3-5-2 tactic, but the damage had already been well and truly done today.

East Stirlingshire (3) 5 - Brian Graham (10,19,60), Jamie Stevenson (22), Gerard McGranaghan (54)
Dumbarton (2) 2 - Derek Carcary (41), Darren Barnard (45+2 pen)
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon © (Ben Gordon 76), Darren Barnard (Marc Anthony 76), Mick Dunlop, Guy Melamed; Derek Carcary, Ross Clark, Ryan McStay, Stephen Murray; Paul McLeod (Jean-Pierre Papin 86), Mark Archdeacon.
Attendance :- 402.

In four meetings this season the two clubs have produced twenty eight goals between them, fourteen apiece, though East Stirlingshire have now edged the series with two wins and a draw. Just three months ago we put seven on these lads at our place, and now they have royally paid us back! I was fuming that we had fallen apart early on, and now had to hope that East hadn't ruined our confidence just like we had done to them early in the New Year. Our bus was almost 45 minutes later than planned leaving the ground, as behind a locked door I gave my players a piece of my mind, and told them they now have three games to put this one behind us and secure the promotion we have worked so hard to achieve this season. That Title Race is now very tight, with just two points separating the top three as Montrose win in third place. Our next opponents are Albion Rovers, who's own Playoff hopes are all but over after they lost away to fourth placed Forfar Athletic.

Thursday 16th April
Don Hutchison failed to turn up training today, and was fined a weeks wages as a result. He accepts his fine, but I would expect that it's quite possible there will be a parting of the ways between club and player this summer.

Friday 17th April
Tomorrow we are away in Coatbridge against an Albion Rovers side who's season is all but over mathematically as they need to score maximum points from their remaining games while hoping that Forfar Athletic pick up no points at all. There is also the small matter of a nineteen goal swing required as well. We're the Even money favourites, a considerably better price than the bookies were offering on us last weekend.

Saturday 18th April

Albion Rovers v Dumbarton
Scottish League, Third Division
Cliftonhill, Coatbridge

Ben Gordon switches with Guy Melamed and starts today to make the 25th League appearance of his career, all with Dumbarton. But that apparently didn't come close to solving our defensive issues. Are we really missing on loan defender David Armstrong that much? Just like in last weeks game, we were dominated by our hosts in the early spell of the game, and the damage done would prove to be too much to repair. Stevie Nicholas received the ball on the edge of the box in the 5th minute and curled his shot beyond Dave McEwan's dive. My players surrounded the officials en masse, insisting the striker was offside. After last weekends lack of a call against Derek Carcary, I guess we were in no position to complain over this one. In the 12th minute Nicholas would ensure there would be no doubt over the second Rovers goal, pinching the ball from the toe of a slow to react Ben Gordon, and then twisting inside and out several defenders before beating McEwan on his near post this time to double the home sides lead with a superb individual effort. Rovers missed a slew of chances to increase their lead, until the 38th minute when Ciaran Donnelly's outswinging corner found centre back Robert Walker at the far post, and he outjumped Mark Archdeacon to meet the ball with a header inside the near post and we would turn at the break three goals behind. After a half time kick in the behind we started the second half far better. With the clock about to hit the hour mark, Derek Carcary finally got into space and sliced past two Rovers players before sending over the perfect cross that allowed Archdeacon to get in front of his marker and bury a downward header beyond Jamie Ewings dive to reduce the deficit. I hoped this would be the start of a comeback, but we made no further headway, even when moving to three at the back and adding an extra forward. Another bad day at the worse possible time!

Albion Rovers (3) 3 - Stevie Nicholas (5,12), Robert Walker (38)
Dumbarton (0) 1 - Mark Archdeacon (59)
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard (Marc Anthony 70), Mick Dunlop, Ben Gordon; Derek Carcary, Ross Clark, Ryan McStay, Stephen Murray; Paul McLeod, Mark Archdeacon.
Attendance :- 260.

So what are we saying? A huge loss of form at the worst possible moment? We've been punching above our weight all season and finally it is now catching up with us? Maybe a huge case of Title jitters? Either way, someone at the club should go buy a lottery ticket, as despite two horrific weekends back to back, we will still go into May as the league leaders unbelievably with the top three all losing today, as both East Stirlingshire and Montrose also lose on the road, the latter away to Forfar Athletic who secure their Playoff spot as a minimum and lock in the top four. With just two matches left to play each, any of the top four could still finish anywhere from first down to fourth. For us, our two remaining matches are considerably easier looking than our last two, home to Stenhousemuir and then finally away to Elgin City. The final day meeting between Montrose and East Stirlingshire is likely to be a crucial game in the final shake up.

Sunday 19th April
A media report today suggests that we need to secure promotion this season to keep hold of midfielder Ryan McStay. The 23 year old former Falkirk man is closing in on 100 League appearances and has been one of our brightest stars this season. The report states that he is keen to play at a higher level, and while he hopes it is with Dumbarton, he will look at other avenues if the club can't keep up with his ambition.

2008/09 Scottish League Third Division Table, Up To & Including Thursday 30th April 2009

| Pos   | Inf   | Team               |       | Pld   | Won   | Drn   | Lst   | For   | Ag    | G.D.  | Pts   |

| 1st   | Pl    | Dumbarton          |       | 34    | 17    | 10    | 7     | 69    | 44    | +25   | 61    |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 2nd   | Pl    | East Stirlingshire |       | 34    | 17    | 9     | 8     | 69    | 49    | +20   | 60    |
| 3rd   | Pl    | Montrose           |       | 34    | 16    | 11    | 7     | 42    | 26    | +16   | 59    |
| 4th   | Pl    | Forfar             |       | 34    | 15    | 12    | 7     | 51    | 34    | +17   | 57    |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 5th   |       | Albion Rovers      |       | 34    | 12    | 12    | 10    | 35    | 36    | -1    | 48    |
| 6th   |       | Stenhousemuir      |       | 34    | 11    | 12    | 11    | 52    | 53    | -1    | 45    |
| 7th   |       | Berwick            |       | 34    | 9     | 12    | 13    | 39    | 50    | -11   | 39    |
| 8th   |       | Cowdenbeath        |       | 34    | 8     | 7     | 19    | 30    | 51    | -21   | 31    |
| 9th   |       | Elgin              |       | 34    | 5     | 15    | 14    | 31    | 44    | -13   | 30    |
| 10th  |       | Annan              |       | 34    | 6     | 8     | 20    | 28    | 59    | -31   | 26    |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

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  • 2 months later...

Sunday 26th April 2009
A national newspaper report today states that Dumbarton are worried they are going to lose me at the end of the season, with rumours of clubs from higher up the Leagues potentially paying attention to the situation. Publicly, I stay quiet, while privately I tell the Board I would be happy to look at an extension to my deal at Strathclyde Homes Stadium.

Friday 1st May
There is just over a week left of the season, and we have our destiny in our own hands, but we are not in good form. We host Stenhousemuir tomorrow in our final home game of the season, hopefully, before travelling to Elgin City next weekend. Win both, and we'll be playing third tier football next season. Slip up, and we could well be taking our dicey form into the Playoffs instead.

We're the Even money favourites to get the win we desperately want and need tomorrow afternoon. We have a split record with opponents Stenhousemuir this season, winning and losing once at their place, while the one contest at our ground ended in a draw. They are pretty much locked into a 6th place finish, and after a very good run of form, they have tailed off a little in recent weeks, losing two of their last three.

We would very happily settle for the same result our Under-19's earned today, as they managed a 3-0 home win over Stirling Albion, moving them up into third spot in Group Three, which is a very competitive pool, and many teams have better budgets and facilities than us, and has already been won by Ross County.

A loss of almost £15,000 last month has caused no real concern to the Board, who remain satisfied with how things are going at the club. They are satisfied enough to offer me a new two year contract this afternoon following a meeting with Chairman of the club Alan Jardine. The pay rise offer is less than 5%, and I ask him to dig a little deeper to get this deal done.

Saturday 2nd May
Mr Jardine has returned this morning with an improved offer, which meets my modest request. A raise of over 25% sounds a lot, but the increase equates to £30 per week, and my new two year deal is worth £125 per week, and is announced publicly ahead of this afternoons game. It's an announcement that is welcomed by the clubs fans, which is always a good start. A win today and I'm sure everyone will feel better.

Dumbarton v Stenhousemuir
Scottish League, Third Division
Strathclyde Homes Stadium, Dumbarton

Club Captain Gordon Lennon makes his 50th appearance for the club today as there is just one change, David Armstrong returning to the lineup in place of Mick Dunlop, who drops out of the matchday squad. The weather was awful, with strong winds and at times torrential rain as well. As such, set pieces would be key today. Darren Barnard's 12th minute inswinging corner bypassed several players and found Mark Archdeacon, but the striker couldn't keep his header down and under the crossbar. Stenhousemuir narrowly missed the target a couple of times before we won another corner ten minutes before the break. From the other side, Ryan McStay whipped this one in, and Ben Gordon got enough on his glancing header to send it goalbound, a deflection not enough to divert it's course elsewhere and he claimed his 5th goal of the campaign. He almost had another when keeper Keiron Renton needed two grabs at another McStay corner. A deep free kick after the break from Barnard picked out Stephen Murray, and Renton had to stop him doubling the lead at the far post. He could do nothing in the 73rd minute when Murray linked with Paul McLeod, the latter sending in Archdeacon who lifted his shot over the advancing keeper and into the roof of the net. There was still time for some drama though, Ben Gordon got booked late on, and then moments later was deemed to have behaved in an unsporting and ungentlemanly manner when a scuffle broke out right as I was trying to replace him, receiving his second booking and his marching orders, ruling him out of the final League fixture at Elgin City next weekend.

Dumbarton (1) 2 - Ben Gordon (35), Mark Archdeacon (73)
Stenhousemuir (0) 0
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard, Ben Gordon, David Armstrong; Derek Carcary, Ross Clark, Ryan McStay, Stephen Murray (Marc Anthony 75); Paul McLeod (Jean-Pierre Papin 75), Mark Archdeacon.
Attendance :- 761.

In the 86th minute, the match sponsors for the day picked Ben Gordon as the man of the match. Less than two minutes later, the centre back was headed for the dressing room early after being sent off while we prepared for him to be replaced by Guy Melamed. It was a moment of poor judgement from the 23 year old, and he will now miss next weekend's final game of the season away to Elgin City. He wasn't very pleased at all with the fine of a weeks wages.

Is that game at Elgin still crucial? Very possibly! Montrose are out of contention for top spot after being held at home to Albion Rovers, but East Stirlingshire won 3-2 at home to Cowdenbeath thanks to a goal three minutes into injury time by Irish striker Philip Sheppard, his first for the club after signing from Monaghan United. While we are travelling to Elgin, they will play at Montrose, who may be out of the running to improve their own position, but could still influence the final day of the Title Race. If they can pinch a draw, we need only avoid a heavy defeat to be confirmed as Champions on the last day.

Monday 4th May
Despite seeing red late on, Ben Gordon is still the only Dumbarton player named in the Third Division Team of the Week.

28 year old Scottish striker Michael Moore has been very much on the fringes of the First Team with us this season, with just two substitute appearances throughout the campaign. Today the former Hamilton Academical and Stranraer man has issued a demand to play more regular First Team football through the media. When given the right to reply, I state his contract is about to expire, and then he will be free to seek those opportunities elsewhere. He is instantly apologetic, but he won't be at Dumbarton next season, regardless of what happens this weekend.

Friday 8th May
Tomorrow we travel north to face lowly Elgin City, in what we hope will be the final game of our season. We're unbeaten against City this season, with a pair of draws before a convincing 3-0 victory at home last time we met three months ago. We are the narrow favourites despite being on the road, but we have seen this situation plenty of times throughout football history where the team with nothing to play for have taken the role of party spoilers. We hope not to fall into that list tomorrow afternoon.

Saturday 9th May

Elgin City v Dumbarton
Scottish League, Division Three
Borough Briggs, Elgin

Unfortunately, Spring/Summer has been allocated to a Tuesday this year in Scotland, so for the second Saturday in a row we get high winds and heavy rain, and on a crucial day as well. With four contenders to replace the suspended Ben Gordon, the place goes to the outsider of the quartet, with the left footed Scott Friel selected in an attempt to encourage our lads to play out from the back and keep the ball on the deck. We should have been ahead in the 12th minute, Gordon Lennon using Derek Carcary as a decoy down the right, before cutting inside and picking out Mark Archdeacon, the strikers shot on the turn was wide of the near post and a golden chance had gone. That was worrying as City were playing some good stuff, Liam Keogh hitting the target with one of two shots he had, but it didn't have the power to unduly trouble Dave McEwan. With chances at a premium, not least due to the weather, Paul McLeod leant back too much midway through the second half when a cross fell to him in the box, and his effort clipped the top of the bar on it's way over. But in the 70th minute Lennon picked him out in the box, and after taking a touch to bring the ball under control, he slotted his finish calmly into the far bottom corner to finally put us in front! As the only player to be booked up to that point, he was a prime candidate to be withdrawn when I started using my bench to kill the clock, but he did remain on the park for the full game, and was joined by team mates and staff alike to celebrate the win, and the Third Division Title!

Elgin City (0) 0
Dumbarton (0) 1 -
Paul McLeod (70)
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon ©, Darren Barnard (Guy Melamed 89), David Armstrong, Scott Friel; Derek Carcary, Ross Clark (Mark Canning (90+1), Ryan McStay, Stephen Murray (Marc Anthony 83); Paul McLeod, Mark Archdeacon.
Attendance :- 332.

The win turned out to be absolutely unnecessary, as Montrose scored in the 1st and 85th minutes to record a win over an East Stirlingshire side who only scored once in response, though the margin of victory wasn't enough to move Montrose above East's into second place. So the two legged Playoff Semi-Finals will see East's take on Forfar Athletic, while Montrose will battle Stranraer, who finished 9th in the Second Division, with Queen's Park occupying the automatic relegation spot at the foot of the table.

For us, it's a first ever Third Division Title, and our first League success at any level since 1992. Next season we will move up into the Second Division, and it is a very happy team, staff, board and fans that get down to some serious celebrations upon our return from the trip to the Highlands. A prize of £60,000 swells our bank account back up to well over the £150,000 mark too, hopefully some of that will find its way into our player budget for next season, as we're going to be needing some upgrades.

One of those who can absolutely play at the higher level is Ryan McStay. Awarded man of the match today, the 23 year old midfielder has been superb this season, and while he is contracted for two more seasons at the club, the list of admirers of his talents continues to grow, with clubs from England and Ireland as well as domestically keen to take him to their clubs.

2008/09 Scottish League Third Division, Final Table

| Pos   | Inf   | Team               |       | Pld   | Won   | Drn   | Lst   | For   | Ag    | G.D.  | Pts   |

| 1st   | C     | Dumbarton          |       | 36    | 19    | 10    | 7     | 72    | 44    | +28   | 67    |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 2nd   | Pl    | East Stirlingshire |       | 36    | 18    | 9     | 9     | 73    | 53    | +20   | 63    |
| 3rd   | Pl    | Montrose           |       | 36    | 17    | 12    | 7     | 45    | 28    | +17   | 63    |
| 4th   | Pl    | Forfar             |       | 36    | 16    | 13    | 7     | 60    | 37    | +23   | 61    |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 5th   |       | Albion Rovers      |       | 36    | 12    | 14    | 10    | 37    | 38    | -1    | 50    |
| 6th   |       | Stenhousemuir      |       | 36    | 11    | 13    | 12    | 53    | 56    | -3    | 46    |
| 7th   |       | Berwick            |       | 36    | 9     | 14    | 13    | 42    | 53    | -11   | 41    |
| 8th   |       | Cowdenbeath        |       | 36    | 8     | 8     | 20    | 32    | 54    | -22   | 32    |
| 9th   |       | Elgin              |       | 36    | 5     | 16    | 15    | 32    | 46    | -14   | 31    |
| 10th  |       | Annan              |       | 36    | 6     | 9     | 21    | 29    | 66    | -37   | 27    |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

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2008/09 Dumbarton Players Stats (*all competitions)

| Name              | Apps   | Gls  | Ast  | MoM  | Pas  | Tck  | Drb  | Sh T | Yel  | Red  | Av Rat |

| Dave McEwan       | 40     | -    | -    | -    | 36%  | 0.03 | -    | -    | -    | -    | 6.73   |
| Mark McGeown      | -      | -    | -    | -    | -    | -    | -    | -    | -    | -    | -      |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Guy Melamed       | 9 (9)  | 2    | -    | 2    | 60%  | 4.96 | 0.10 | -    | 3    | -    | 6.89   |
| Gordon Lennon     | 39     | -    | 5    | 2    | 64%  | 3.17 | 2.97 | -    | 1    | -    | 6.95   |
| Sam Peters        | 1      | -    | -    | -    | 50%  | 3.00 | 3.00 | -    | -    | -    | 7.30   |
| Mick Dunlop       | 9 (3)  | -    | -    | -    | 62%  | 4.66 | -    | -    | -    | -    | 6.53   |
| Scott Friel       | 2 (2)  | -    | -    | -    | 59%  | 3.99 | -    | -    | -    | -    | 7.00   |
| Ben Gordon        | 25 (5) | 5    | 1    | 2    | 60%  | 3.44 | 0.04 | 40%  | 3    | 1    | 6.95   |
| David Armstrong   | 32 (2) | 3    | -    | 2    | 64%  | 4.24 | 0.06 | 33%  | -    | -    | 7.08   |
| Mick O'Byrne      | 3 (1)  | 1    | -    | -    | 65%  | 4.41 | -    | -    | -    | -    | 6.80   |
| Mark Canning      | 16 (2) | -    | -    | -    | 78%  | 4.60 | 0.28 | -    | 1    | -    | 6.76   |
| Darren Barnard    | 40     | 7    | 18   | 2    | 66%  | 3.04 | 0.64 | 52%  | 1    | -    | 7.05   |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Kieran McAnespie  | 1 (10) | -    | -    | -    | 59%  | 0.36 | 0.72 | -    | -    | -    | 6.60   |
| David Gray        | 0 (3)  | -    | -    | -    | -    | -    | -    | -    | -    | -    | 6.70   |
| Ross Clark        | 25 (6) | 3    | 1    | -    | 80%  | 3.07 | 0.24 | 30%  | -    | -    | 6.82   |
| Ryan McStay       | 38 (1) | 2    | 11   | 2    | 77%  | 4.26 | 1.57 | 38%  | 3    | 1    | 7.05   |
| Derek Carcary     | 37     | 8    | 8    | 2    | 66%  | 1.70 | 8.38 | 37%  | 1    | -    | 7.19   |
| Stephen Murray    | 38 (1) | 3    | 11   | 2    | 67%  | 2.46 | 1.87 | 31%  | 2    | -    | 6.70   |
| Marc Anthony      | 1 (12) | 2    | 1    | -    | 56%  | 7.00 | 1.05 | 50%  | -    | -    | 6.89   |
| Don Hutchison     | 2 (13) | -    | 1    | -    | 72%  | 2.72 | 0.30 | -    | -    | -    | 6.74   |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Paul McLeod       | 37 (3) | 13   | 7    | 3    | 75%  | 0.85 | 2.19 | 42%  | 2    | -    | 6.94   |
| Paul Keegan       | 3      | -    | 1    | -    | 74%  | 0.77 | 0.77 | -    | -    | -    | 6.27   |
| Jean-Pierre Papin | 2 (23) | 2    | 3    | -    | 71%  | 1.43 | 0.54 | -    | -    | -    | 6.61   |
| Mark Archdeacon   | 39 (1) | 23   | 5    | 3    | 74%  | 0.91 | 1.01 | 35%  | 1    | -    | 6.87   |
| Michael Moore     | 0 (2)  | -    | -    | -    | -    | -    | -    | -    | -    | -    | 6.70   |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

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  • 1 month later...

Monday 11th May 2009
Ryan McStay is the only Dumbarton representative in the final Third Division Team of the Week for the season.

With hangovers starting to subside slowly, attention is already very much on next season. I need a goalkeeper, a left back to provide cover and competition for veteran Darren Barnard, and a centre back with expectations low of persuading on loan David Armstrong to sign here or come back on loan once more. I'll want to improve my midfield options as well, and we'll need a few strikers with Paul McLeod the only one likely to have any chance of stepping up, and Mark Archdeacon's goals will need to be replaced with low likelihood of his return as well.

Targets have already been identified, and offers already sent out. We're looking to get our business done early.

Our 19 year old goalkeeper Michael White has spent the season out on loan at Second Division side Alloa Athletic and played a dozen competitive games there, has signed a new two year extension to continue playing for us, even agreeing a slight pay cut to remain a Dumbarton player.

Tuesday 12th May
It's a big day, with no less than three players agreeing to join the club for next season. Two are forwards, one from a club relegated from the Second Division, and another at a club that could yet do the same. The other player has cost us a modest transfer fee, and will move up from non-League to hopefully bolster our midfield options. More details on the new arrivals later in the off-season when they arrive at the club.

Thursday 14th May
It's not quite all going our way, our attempt to bring in our first choice as a new goalkeeper has failed, as he selects another option. Not entirely unexpected, as we were competing against a pair of First Division clubs for his signature.

Saturday 16th May
My second choice keeper signing isn't overly impressed with our opening offer, though I'm encouraged by the fact that he remains at the table to try and work out a deal. With that information, we still keep our offer low and the improvement on the low side to try and sign a guy who would bring masses of experience to the club for next season.

Monday 18th May
Motherwell have rejected our offer to loan Mark Archdeacon for another season. Hearts accepted the same offer for David Armstrong, but the player has said no, preferring to wait to see if other options present themselves for the 2009/10 season.

Tuesday 19th May
The goalie signs for us, an excellent signing I suspect, on a very cheap deal financially for us, and an opportunity to prolong the career for the player. I'm a happy guy with that deal.

Wednesday 20th May
One of the forwards we have got coming in for next season is involved for his current club in the Playoffs this evening. He puts in an outstanding display, kept off the scoresheet but setting up two of his teams three goals for a man of the match display.

With some good work already done, I take the chance to clear the decks. Michael Moore, Paul Keegan, David Gray, Mark Canning and Mick Byrne are all released by the club today. Don Hutchison is bought out of the last year of his contract, and Kieran McAnespie's loan is terminated a couple of weeks early. That leaves us around a £1,000 a week under last seasons wage budget total, though the new players have to be added, and I'm hoping there is a budget increase for next season.

Saturday 23rd May
Lucky we're not skint, as £42,000 worth of bonus money is paid out to the Squad on a pro-rata basis for winning the Third Division Title.

Sunday 24th May
No bonus for me, but I am named as the Scottish Third Division Manager of the Year. I applaud the voters on their excellent choice! Four of my players are named in the Team of the Year, three of them from my defence. David Armstrong, Ben Gordon and Darren Barnard are joined by midfielder Ryan McStay. We are the most heavily represented club in the selection.

Heartbreak for East Stirlingshire this weekend. After making it through to the Final of the Playoffs, and winning the First Leg at home by a 3-1 scoreline, they are swept aside 3-0 in the Second Leg away to Stranraer, who preserve their third tier status and are a club we will lock horns with in the Second Division next season.

I'm quite pleased to report that one level further up, St Johnstone have won their First/Second Division Playoff Final tie, and they won't be a club we have to compete against next season, as they will remain in the second tier and the only team coming down are Livingston who were automatically relegated.

Sunday 31st May
Kiwi full back Sam Peters is a bit of a forgotten man at the Strathclyde Homes Stadium, but he remains a part of the New Zealand Under-21's Squad, called up for their upcoming double header of away Friendly Age Group International games in Lebanon, and then on to Jordan.

Our current stadium sponsor deal is renewed for a further season. We're not going to get rich from them, as they are paying just £14,000 for the naming rights for the 2009/10 season. We will get around the same again for the second season of a two year shirt sponsorship deal.

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Monday 1st June 2009
There isn't a great deal to say in the monthly Board appraisal, they are pleased with how things are going, particularly of course with the unexpected promotion. A profit of almost £35,000 last month wouldn't have hurt either.

Wednesday 3rd June
My attempt to sign a backup goalie that I would be happy with has been thwarted, as the 23 year old has failed his medical. That hasn't surprised me, he is recovering from a broken leg that I was fully aware of. But I was hoping to get an agreement so that he could recover and regain fitness with us before competing for a place in the team.

Friday 5th June
I'm the first to admit that my attempt to sign 24 year old striker Sean Higgins from Ross County was a bit audacious. But it almost worked, he might well have been our player had St Johnstone not came in at the eleventh hour and offered him better terms, a higher level of football, and better prospects of improving that level too.

In the Lebanese city of Tripoli, young right back Sam Peters starts for New Zealand Under-21's in their Friendly game today. He played 69 minutes of his fourteenth cap at this level, before being replaced, with Lebanon a goal up at the time. But the Kiwis scored twice in the final quarter of an hour or so through a pair of their substitutes after missing a penalty in the first half, to pick up a win.

Saturday 6th June
The Transfer Window doesn't open until Monday, but we get a new signing over the line today, as he was a Free Agent and doesn't need to wait for the Window to open. 21 year old centre back Alan Lithgow stands 6'1 tall and spent last season with Heart of Midlothian mostly where he didn't play, before moving on to Clyde of the First Division late on in the campaign, where he played eight league games. He comes to us on a two year deal paying just £30 per week, and should be a good value for money addition for us.

Monday 8th June
With the Window now open, we are able to announce our next arrival. 29 year old Brian Carrigan is a midfielder, or attacking midfielder, or even a striker if necessary. The right footer is a dead ball expert, and he has previously played for Clyde, Stockport County, Clydebank, Raith Rovers, Hamilton Academical, and over the last few years Linlithgow Rose in non-League levels, though they did let him go on loan last season to Alloa Athletic at the level we're moving up to and where he scored ten goals in 2008/09. We've paid £1,000 to sign him on £120 per week two year deal.

Wednesday 10th June
Sam Peters starts once again for New Zealand Under-21's today, this time getting 66 minutes of action at right back before being substituted as he notches his 15th cap at this level. His team are beaten 2-0 in Jordan with a goal in each half.

Friday 12th June
I needed a left back rotation option for the veteran Darren Barnard, and today I've brought in 25 year old David Lowing. Like Barnard, he is very much an attacking left back, and also like Barnard he doesn't have any real pace. But the former St Mirren, Forfar Athletic and Ayr United man can cross a ball hugely effectively. He spent last season with Stirling Albion in the Second Division that he has spent a large part of his career in, but only played four games. He arrives on a two year deal for £35 per week.

Monday 15th June
I'm now attempting to utilise the loan market. We have some more signings to arrive and announce yet, but our squad depth needs some work, and we are still very much looking to recruit.

Thursday 18th June
Our pre-season schedule for 2009/10 is locked in, and it will be a busy two week period that will see us play five games. We'll start south of the border on Sunday 12th July with a trip to the North West coast to face Morecambe of Coca-Cola League Two. Our return to Scotland will see us quickly back in action just two days later with a Tuesday evening home date with Hamilton Academical who have just been relegated from the Clydesdale Bank Premier League. We'll be back in the North of England again on the weekend as we travel once more to face Farsley Celtic of the Blue Square North. We'll then finish our schedule with a return home for two games in forty eight hours in Scotland, as we host Bristol City of the Coca-Cola Championship on Thursday 23rd July, before Falkirk of the Premier League come to visit on Saturday 25th to round off our Friendly campaign.

Friday 19th June
Today is officially the last day of the 2008/09 season, and from tomorrow we are a third tier club. There are a series of announcements that come with end of season formalities, and one is that Third Division clubs earned around £95,000 between them in sponsorship money, and we were the highest earners of the clubs, claiming almost £30,000 of that, no doubt helped out by having a Stadium sponsor. Montrose earned nothing at all in sponsorship money.

We had the highest scorer of the Division in Mark Archdeacon, and the highest assists through Darren Barnard, though Jean-Pierre Papin was named as one of the worst signings of the season.

Saturday 20th June
We hold our own Club Awards Night, and to round off a fairly busy day it is Derek Carcary who is voted as the Fans' Player of the Year for 2008/09

The fixtures for the 2009/10 have been released, and we start at home to a Livingston side that were relegated from the second tier last season, before travelling to Stirling Albion and facing Peterhead at home.

Earlier in the day I met with the Board, where we agreed a target for the season of a safe mid table position. To assist with this ambition, they have provided a £12,000 transfer budget, and a pretty impressive weekly wage budget of £4,000. To put that into context, with all the players contracts adjusted to include their uptick in wages for earning promotion, we are still spending less than half of that amount. That gives me some really good prospects of improving the squad quality and depth before we get underway.

Speaking of depth and quality, it's also Youth Intake day for us. Seven local teenagers have joined the club and will be part of our Youth team. Technically sound midfielder David Crichton is probably the best prospect of the bunch, closely followed by pacey striker Stephen Young.

Monday 22nd June
Sam Peters has been selected for the FIFA Under-20's World Cup which starts this coming weekend in Egypt. His New Zealand side are in Group E along with Botswana, Colombia and France.

Thursday 25th June
A very late change of heart, but today I give 22 year old Andy Geggan a new one year deal, and he will spend a fourth season with Dumbarton.

Friday 26th June
After rejecting a new one year deal with Alloa Athletic, 24 year old six foot striker Andy Ferguson has signed for us on a one year deal instead. There is nothing glamorous about Ferguson's game, he gives defenders a hard time and can finish well both in the air and on the floor. He scored sixteen times in 42 league games in the last two seasons for Athletic at the level we're jumping up to, and helps us out in the striker department. I'm surprised to learn the fans are absolutely delighted with this signing however, it's certainly not a marquee signing.

Tuesday 30th June
Another of my earlier signings arrives at the club, and it's another that delights the fans. 20 year old attacking midfielder David Murray arrives at the club on a Free Transfer from Queen's Park. The 6'2 tall forward who can also play up front, scored ten goals last season in the third tier for the Glasgow club, his only season with them that included his Senior debut after spending the season before with St Mirren, his first year of Senior football that saw him fail to make his debut. He signs a two year deal that will pay him £90 per week.

In Cairo, our young full back Sam Peters puts in an excellent performance as he plays the full ninety minutes for New Zealand Under-20's as they begin their FIFA Under-20's World Cup campaign with a superb 5-0 win over Botswana out in Egypt.

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  • 4 months later...

Wednesday 1st July 2009
Preparations continue for the new season, with players sat on offers to come to newly promoted Dumbarton as we look to improve our overall squad talent and depth and attempt to make sure we're not going to be struggling at the wrong end of the table all season.

The board are satisfied with things, particularly from a financial stand point as the club continue to post profits and have a relatively healthy bank account for this level of football. A cup run or two this season would improve our situation still further of course.

Thursday 2nd July
28 year old striker Stephen McConalogue arrives at the club today having agreed a deal some weeks back. He signs an £80 per week one year deal, having played the last two seasons with Stranraer and coming off the back of his best ever season, averaging a goal every other game in the process of scoring eighteen league goals. He's a very determined and gritty type of striker despite his lack of size, and it's a signing that the fans are absolutely delighted that we have made.

Friday 3rd July
It's another good day as we bring in 19 year old right winger Ross McCord. Diminutive in stature and with some filling out and muscle building required to improve his strength, the lad makes up for that with good speed, skill and crossing ability. He has spent the last two seasons developing with Dundee United, and will arrive as cover and potential competition for Derek Carcary.

Saturday 4th July
A trio of Rangers players reject the chance to move to us for a season long loan. But agreeing to join us is veteran former Repulic of Ireland International left winger Alan Moore. Now aged 34, Moore broke onto the scene with Middlesbrough in the early to mid 1990's as the Teeside club bounced up and down between the Premier League and the Championship. Unfortunately his early promise was compromised by a series of injuries, something that has blighted his entire career. Those issues saw him earn only eight International Caps, and to date he has played only just over 250 League games in a fifteen year career that eventually saw him move back to Ireland, before returning to England last season to play sixteen times for Bury in Coca-Cola League Two. A one year deal on just £30 per week represents very low risk to us and the opportunity to have some veteran cover for Stephen Murray who has never quite won over the fans at the Strathclyde Homes Stadium.

Sunday 5th July
The draw is made today for the opening stage of both the League Cup and League Challenge Cup. The good news is we are drawn at home in both competitions, starting with Annan Athletic in the Challenge Cup First Round on Saturday 25th July, and then we'll host Airdrie United in the First Round of the League Cup on Tuesday 4th August, a stern test indeed facing a second tier club. These draws mean that our scheduled Friendly matches against both Falkirk and Bristol City have been cancelled. One thing to note is that the goalkeeper that I have signed and I'm yet to reveal the identity of doesn't arrive at the club until the 1st August, so he won't be available for the Annan game in the Challenge Cup.

Tuesday 7th July
Another veteran arrives at the Strathclyde Homes Stadium today, as 37 year old Graham Alexander arrives on a Free Transfer following the expiry of his contract at Doncaster Rovers of the Coca-Cola Championship, where he had spent a season following a season with Burnley having previously starred at that level with Preston North End. A noted dead ball specialist, Alexander has signed a two year deal worth £250 per week and we beat Ross County, Shamrock Rovers and Derry City to his signature. Capable of playing at right back or in the middle of the park, Alexander has 33 caps for Scotland as we add to the big game experience in our squad.

Thursday 9th July
New Zealand Under-20's didn't manage a top two spot in Group E of the age group World Cup, but they did get third spot following their big win over Botswana and their surprise goalless draw with Colombia in their final pool match. That was enough to give them third spot and a place in the last sixteen. That game would take place today, where they would play in Cairo against another South American nation, Uruguay. There was a start for our right back Sam Peters as the Kiwi's took the lead midway through the first half when Rangers youngster Andrew Milne took advantage of Uruguay going a man down when Matías Cabrera was shown a straight red card with less than twenty minutes on the clock. But Claudio Da Silva would equalise ten minutes into the second half, and this one would go all the way to penalties. All the spot kicks, including Peters own, would be scored except one. That one would be the first New Zealander to try his luck, Tony Swift. The Kiwi's are out, but have done their reputation no harm at all, and Peters will return to Dumbarton determined to have another go at earning some First Team game time.

Sunday 12th July

Morecambe v Dumbarton
Pre-Season Friendly
Christie Park, Morecambe

Our pre-season gets underway in North-West England, and we'll return to England next weekend to complete what is now a punctuated pre-season following the Cup draws. Eight of last seasons squad start, three pull on a Dumbarton jersey for the first time, half a dozen more new arrivals are on the bench. Derek Carcary continued his 2008/09 form early on, tormenting the Morecambe defence. But it was the hosts who went in front when Tom Williams second attempt at a cross from the left was headed into his own net by Mick Dunlop as he tried to get in front of Aaron Taylor. And Taylor would get on the scoresheet himself before the break, Craig Wilson crossing from the right and Taylor getting ahead of Alan Lithgow to glance home a header that found it's way in via the post. I didnt think we had played too badly, but the pre-planned full outfield player change went ahead, with just Dave McEwan in goal remaining on the park as I had not selected a goalie for the bench. As Morecambe made their changes gradually, the tide in this seaside town slowly started to turn. Brian Carrigan forced a big save out of Barry Roche before Paul McLeod found Carrigan at the near post with a 67th minute cross and he swept the ball into the roof of the net. With the clock inside the final ten minutes McLeod hit the bar from range, David Murray and Carrigan battled to bring the ball under control and the latter got it to back to McLeod who sidefooted home to level the game. With the clock into the 90th minute, Murray lifted the ball over a very high backline, Carrigan didn't have the pace to move away from the chasing defenders, but instead arrowed a shot past sub keeper Scott Davies and into the far top corner to pinch us a win!

Morecambe (2) 2 - Mick Dunlop (20 og), Aaron Taylor (36)
Dumbarton (0) 3 - Brian Carrigan (67,90), Paul McLeod (82)
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon © (Graham Alexander 45), Darren Barnard (David Lowing 45), Mick Dunlop (Guy Melamed 45), Alan Lithgow (Ben Gordon 45); Derek Carcary (Ross McCord 45), Ross Clark (Marc Anthony 45), Ryan McStay (David Murray 45), Stephen Murray (Alan Moore 45); Stephen McConalogue (Paul McLeod 45), Andy Ferguson (Brian Carrigan 45).
Attendance :- 1,045.

Well that wasn't a bad outing after all against an established Coca-Cola League Two side who only just missed out on a Playoff place last season, and who seemed quite shellshocked by our second half comeback. Very much a game of two halves to utilise a typical football saying.

It's a quick return to Scotland where we will host Hamilton Academical in around 48 hours on Tuesday evening as they play their second pre-season game as they plot an immediate return to the Scottish Premier League after being relegated last season. Then we'll return to Northern England, and the Yorkshire area this time as we face Blue Square North mid table side from last season, Farsley Celtic, to end our whistle stop pre-season schedule.

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  • 2 months later...

Monday 13th July 2009
An update from the ticket sales team informs us that almost 400 season tickets have been sold so far, with potentially another one hundred still to come. 500 would be a good number to build on to start the season at the new higher level.

With my new keeper still to arrive, the summer recruitment is just about done. We've improved our depth and quality, and brought in some experienced players who can help us at our new level as well. I'd like a centre back and a striker to complete us, and I'm utiliisng the loan market to try and get that done. Outside of that, a player with the 'wow factor' that could really improve us hugely as a team would be the only thing that would tempt me back into the transfer market right now. Though who knows!

Tomorrow we welcome Hamilton Academical to the Strathclyde Homes Stadium in what is now our penultimate pre-season Friendly of a punctuated schedule following the Cup draws. This is expected to be a big test against a team that were playing Scottish Premier League football last season and have now been relegated into the second tier. With this being the second of just four pre-season games for them, they are expected to a bring a strong side into town for this one.

Tuesday 14th July

Dumbarton v Hamilton Academical
Pre-Season Friendly
Strathclyde Homes Stadium, Dumbarton

We're back on home soil for the first time ahead of the 2009/10 campaign. Our guests are hoping to bounce right back up to the SPL at the first opportunity, and they bring a strong side as anticipated. They were immediately very comfortable in possession, and Rocco Quinn brought a save out of Dave McEwan before Wojciech Gryzb sent an effort over the bar. We were pretty comfortable ourselves when we got the ball though, and more importantly we were very sturdy under the Accies barrage of crosses. However Alan Lithgow did miss a chance to clear a long ball through the middle, no punishment was forthcoming though as Joël Thomas got by him and lifted his shot over the bar. Quinn and Alex Neil both missed the target when good chances fell to them as Hamilton gained control. Thomas missed the target again before the break, as did Ryan McStay in our best move so far right on half time. With my big picture head on I pushed on with my planned full team change once again, and nothing too much changed right away as Simon Mensing squared a pass to Gryzb who once more missed the target. Tony Stevenson's free kick from the left evaded everyone in the box apart from Thomas at the far post, who's tame effort was at least on target this time but fell into the grateful arms of McEwan. A good piece of play on the right saw David Murray angle a pass into the box, where Marc Anthony was guilty of planning his finish before the ball arrived and it rolled under his foot and right through to goalie Sean Roberts. We had our foot in the game a bit now, but were almost caught on the counter attack when Neil knew he didn't have the pace to get in the box and let fly from range, beating McEwan's dive but seeing the shot come back off the upright. While Hamilton were making their opening changes, I was forced into another one. Shortly after Paul McLeod had delivered a corner that Ben Gordon headed against the post, McLeod was forced off with a knock, Alan Moore coming on which required a fair bit of reorganising from our side. This was actually a very good and competitive game, and it looked like it would need something special to win it. Fortunately, we have signed a player who deals in special. With twenty minutes to play Brian Carrigan waved everyone towards the far post as he lined up a free kick right out on the touchline. Keeper Roberts fell for it too, as while he directed traffic to pick players up, Carrigan sent a powerful flat shot at goal that he couldn't get back across to stop and we were ahead. Now we would have to do some major defending, Kevin Nicol not managing to force McEwan into any work with his close range header that just missed the target. Unable to break us down and get the ball into the box, the visitors resorted to shooting from range, Danny Earls effort well high and wide of the target. They'll need to do better than that to return to the Premier League any time soon in my opinion.

Dumbarton (0) 1 - Brian Carrigan (70)
Hamilton Academical - (0) 0
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon © (Graham Alexander 45), Mick Dunlop (Ben Gordon 45), Alan Lithgow (Scott Friel 45), Darren Barnard (David Lowing (inj - 90+3); Derek Carcary (Paul McLeod 45 (inj - Alan Moore 64)), Ross Clark (Ross McCord 45), Ryan McStay (David Murray 45), Stephen Murray (Marc Anthony 45); Stephen McConalogue (Jean-Pierre Papin 45), Andy Ferguson (Brian Carrigan 45).
Attendance :- 306.

I know it's a pre-season friendly, but I'm really proud of that outing from my players. In Brian Carrigan we have brought in a player who has the ability to not only put the ball in the net, but produce a little piece of magic as well. Maybe we have found a bit of a gem of a player. I also want to mention Graham Alexander, the veteran defender who has played much of his football at a far higher level and it showed tonight. He picked great passes, found time on the ball effortlessly, and put those around him in great positions with the ball. Skipper Gordon Lennon will be hoping the new arrival finds a home at centre back or centre midfield and it's someone else who loses their spot. On a downside, we have lost left back arrival David Lowing for a month as he suffered a groin strain, during injury time ironically enough.

Friday 17th July
It's been a busy week of dealing with knock backs mostly as we try and bring in the last few pieces required to complete this squad for the season ahead. We do have an agreement in place to sign 20 year old forward Matthew Bartholomew. Primarily a right winger who can also play in midfield or up front, he has nine caps at Youth International level for Trinidad & Tobago, and has just been released by Sheffield United after three years at Bramall Lane. He spent almost all of that time out on loan, first in Belgium and then Hungary. He has completed almost a year in the UK towards a work permit, but the move means he will now need a new one, and that is far from guaranteed.

Not needing a work permit however is 17 year old centre back Chris Gillespie, who arrives at the club on a season long loan deal from SPL club Kilmarnock. The 6'2 teenager is starting the second year of his career, having played only age group football last year, and is looking forward to the opportunity to potentially play some Senior football as he increases our depth options at the club. He is available for tomorrow afternoons trip south of the border to complete our pre-season schedule away to Blue Square North outfit Farsley Celtic.

Saturday 18th July

Farsley Celtic v Dumbarton
Pre-Season Friendly
Throstle Nest, Pudsey

Pre-season finishes today then, and we're in Yorkshire to face our Blue Square North hosts, Farsley Celtic. No changes are made to the starting lineup, but there is no plan for a full team change at the break today. They had clearly done their homework on Derek Carcary and were double marking him. Stopping him is another matter though, and he ghosted past two players before finding Ryan McStay who's curling shot was a little too high. As we hit the halfway point of the first half, Alan Lithgow threatened to send Carcary into space, before switching play instead and sending a long ball down the middle. It was overhit, but keeper Wayne Gates fumbled the ball under no pressure whatsoever, and Stephen McConalogue will never have a simpler finish as he opened the scoring with an open goal. We kept the pressure high, McStay missing the top corner with a curling effort from range before the break, while McConalogue thumped the base of the upright after Carcary again menaced the Celtic defence. I made four changes at the break, and we continued as we had before half time, very much in control, and Gates making another error as he missed his man with a short clearance and had Carcary running in on him, making amends with a great save this time. It clearly wasn't a day for the keepers, Dave McEwan would want another go at Craig Stewart's 47th minute effort as he came in off the wing and beat our keeper from a very narrow angle to level things up. We were quickly back in front though, a corner was only partially cleared five minutes later and McStay ran on to it, meeting it in stride from twenty yards out and letting his shot go, Gates getting a good hand to it but only able to help it on it's way in via the inside of the post. I made the rest of my changes in the 62nd minute, which undoubtedly impacted the flow of the game. Brian Carrigan let his shot go from range with awareness that he didn't have the pace to get in on goal shortly after coming on, while at the other end Graham Alexander cleared off the goal line when Ben Waterfield redirected a corner towards goal as Celtic searched for a second equaliser. Carrigan would get his now almost customary goal though, Guy Melamed sending the ball over the defence and the forward cleverly got back onside, then chased it down, keeping the ball in and beating a just as suspiciously average looking sub keeper Matt McNaughton at his near post to complete a very satisfactory afternoon on the road south of the border.

Farsley Celtic (0) 1 - Craig Stewart (47)
Dumbarton (1) 3 - Stephen McConalogue (22), Ryan McStay (52), Brian Carrigan (82)
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon © (Graham Alexander 45), Mick Dunlop (Guy Melamed 62), Alan Lithgow (Chris Gillespie 62), Darren Barnard (Scott Friel 62); Derek Carcary (Paul McLeod 62), Ross Clark (Ross McCord 45), Ryan McStay (David Murray 62), Stephen Murray (Alan Moore 45); Stephen McConalogue (Marc Anthony 62), Andy Ferguson (Brian Carrigan 45).
Attendance :- 108.

That was a very efficient performance, and once again gives us great encouragement ahead of next weekends big kick off for the 2009/10 season. The new signings appear to be settling well and complimenting what we already had very nicely, giving us increased depth options that we didn't have last season.

An attempt to increase that depth with the signing of 17 year old Canadian Youth International midfielder Janeil Hoilett seems doomed to failure, just as Matthew Bartholomew's signing was. Last year he was signed by Blackburn Rovers before being sent out on loan to German Bundesliga 2 club St Pauli, where he played just once. He needs a new work permit to join us after being released by the Ewood Park club, and we're told that is highly unlikely to be granted.

Sunday 19th July
A player who doesn't require a work permit is 25 year old striker Dyron Daal. The 6'4 Netherlands Antilles International forward holds a Dutch passport, so can move around as he pleases. Unfortunately, joining Dumbarton isn't an option he is overly pleased with, and we miss out on his signature as he decides to sign with Partick Thistle instead after Ross County decided to offload him after a year with them.

We do get an experienced centre back in before the end of the day though. 29 year old Brian McGovern is a former Republic of Ireland Under-21 International, and arrives on a Free Transfer after being released by Northern Irish Premier Division Runner's-Up from last season, Glentoran. A former Arsenal youngster who played once for them in the Premier League, he also spent time with Norwich City amongst others before heading back across the water. He is 6'3, and signs on a one year deal that represents great value for us as he looks for somewhere where he can play regularly.

Monday 20th July
Gordon Lennon has retained his status as Dumbarton Club Captain for the new season. He has a new deputy, the man who is looking to take his spot in the First Team, new arrival Graham Alexander, who has replaced Guy Melamed as the second in command on the pitch.

Wednesday 22nd July
More International level experience is added to the squad ahead of the weekends kick off. 19 year old once capped Cypriot International midfielder Angelos Tsiaklis has spent the last three years learning the ropes on a Youth contract with Manchester City. They released him at the start of the month, and the teenager found he had less options than he expected. He played hardball a little over the money and contract term, but arrives on a two year deal that will make him one of our higher paid players as he looks to make his Senior Club Debut after already making his Full International bow against Andorra earlier this year.

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Friday 24th July 2009
The new season is here, and we kick off competitive action tomorrow afternoon with a home tie against Annan Athletic in the First Round of the Scottish League Challenge Cup. We're the short price favourites to roll over the Third Division side who we beat four times out of four in the League last season on our way to promotion up to the Second Division.

Speaking of the Second Division, the pre-season Title odds have been released by Sky Bet. They make stark reading for us, as we are pegged at a price of 33/1 to win the ten club Second Division this season, making us eighth favourites and a club that will in their opinion do well to avoid relegation or the Playoff spot. Lets hope we can outperform those predictions and keep ourselves safe at the very least.

Saturday 25th July

Dumbarton v Annan Athletic
Scottish League Challenge Cup, First Round
Strathclyde Homes Stadium, Dumbarton

The domestic season is underway, and three of our new signings are in the starting lineup, with two more hoping to debut from the bench. Alan Lithgow impressed enough in pre-season to start at centre back, while we have a brand new striker pairing in Stephen McConalogue and Brian Carrigan. The trio would be joined by another within twenty minutes when Ross Clark was forced to leave the game with an injury, and Ross McCord would become the fourth debutant of the day. He could do nothing about us going behind around five minutes later though, Andy Haworth receiving the ball back following a throw in on the right, and his deep cross produced a mismatch as Connor Tinnion easily outjumped Gordon Lennon at the far post to head Athletic ahead. Fortunately we got our act together pretty quickly, Carrigan sending a shot high and wide after collecting Derek Carcary's low cross, before the winger produced another delivery that McConalogue headed downwards but just wide at the far stick. Stephen Murray would become the second player to leave the game, the left winger replaced by Marc Anthony. After Ryan McStay's curling shot was tipped over by Graeme Loughman, it was left to Mick Dunlop to show our strikers how it should be done, the centre back powering home a close range header from Darren Barnard's inswinging corner to level things up before the break with his first goal in Dumbarton colours. McStay and McCord both failed to test the visiting keeper before Lennon took a knock that would lead to Graham Alexander becoming the fifth debutant of the day. We still couldn't find a winner though, as McConalogue scuffed a chance well wide of the target. So our season would begin with extra time, Carrigan failing to hold his run when a chance presented itself, and McStay sent another effort weakly wide. Carrigan then smacked a long range free kick plum off the cross bar as the clock ran down and we moved into penalty kicks. I was genuinely worried about that prospect as our finishing had been so bad, but I need not have worried. Alexander, Barnard, Carrigan and McConalogue all scored, and while Athletic netted their first three, Stuart Hill sent his spot kick wide to hand us the advantage. McStay confidently picked out the corner to send us through, and with an extra half hour to work on our fitness under our belts too.

Dumbarton (1) 1 - Mick Dunlop (42)
Annan Athletic (1) 1 - Connor Tinnion (26)
(After Extra Time - Dumbarton win 5-3 on penalties)
Dave McEwan; Gordon Lennon (Graham Alexander 71), Mick Dunlop, Alan Lithgow, Darren Barnard; Derek Carcary, Ross Clark (inj - Ross McCord 19 (inj - 116), Ryan McStay, Stephen Murray (inj - Marc Anthony 36); Stephen McConalogue, Brian Carrigan.
Attendance :- 466.

That wasn't quite as straightforward as we would have liked, and advancing in the Challenge Cup, that is neither here nor there to anyone's season, would come at an early season cost. The midfield 'Ross's' will both have a spell on the sidelines with rib injuries, McCord suffering bruising late on which will keep him out for around ten days. But Clark has fractured his ribs and will miss two to three months and we will be without him for the early part of the season.

So our midfield depth has taken a hit, as our defensive strength grows. Two arrivals are announced on Saturday night after the game. 32 year old former Scottish Under-21 International centre back Jim Lauchlan has signed for us after playing a dozen League games last season in the First Division for Dundee. With almost 300 League games under his belt, this will be the lowest level that the former Kilmarnock, Dundee United, Livingston, Ross County and Queen of the South man has ever operated at. He played eleven times at the highest age group level of International football too. He signs a two year deal at the Strathclyde Homes Stadium.

Also arriving at the club on a two year deal is six foot Dutch defender Regillio Nooitmeer. The well travelled 26 year old who can play in the centre of defence or at right back spent last season in the First Division as well, playing twenty seven League games for Airdrie United. That was his first season in the UK, after starting his career in his homeland with three seasons at FC Dordrecht in a spell that saw him play almost thirty League games. He moved on to split a season in Switzerland with Luzern and then Germany with VfR Aalen, but failed to appear for either. He returned home to play for XeresDZB and Neptunus Rotterdam for a season each before getting the urge to move overseas again, and a season in Ireland's top tier with Galway United before ending up here in Scotland. The fans are delighted with both arrivals, and hopefully they can help shore up our defence ahead of what is expected to be a difficult season.

Sunday 26th July
The draw is made for the Second Round of the League Challenge Cup, and we will host a Hamilton Academical side that we defeated at the Strathclyde Homes Stadium in pre-season. An opportunity to try and overcome a First Division club at home is one we are hoping will see a bumper crowd show up for that game on Tuesday 11th August, meaning we host second tier sides in Cup football for two Tuesday evenings in a row to kick off August, with four home games in a two week period overall.

Wednesday 29th July
With new arrivals, Israeli defender Guy Melamed is told he no longer features as part of the First Team squad at the club, and is welcome to help the process by speaking to interested clubs. A dozen clubs all offer £1,000 by way of a transfer fee, but offers from Scottish clubs are rejected, so it looks like England or Israel for the likeable 29 year old former Israeli age group International.

Friday 31st July
Tomorrow we kick off our Second Division campaign with a home game against Livingston to start a busy early season period of games. We're considered very much the underdogs tomorrow against the bookies favourites for the Second Division Title. There were two divisions between us last season as they were relegated from the second tier, and they have done a lot of work to condense their squad ahead of this new season. As a result, it will be a compact but talented group that will arrive to play us tomorrow. They lost last weekend at home to Dunfermline Athletic in the League Challenge Cup.

Saturday 1st August
It's not just those new defenders who are available to make their debuts today against Livingston. Recently arrived Cypriot International midfielder Angelos Tsiaklis is back in training and available today as well. But that's not it either.....

Today the identity of our new goalkeeper is revealed, a signing we completed in mid-May and have managed to keep under wraps ever since. That new goalie is 37 year old eighteen times capped Scottish International goalie Rab Douglas. He signs a two year deal for a very modest wage of £120 per week, delighted to have the chance to continue playing League football. Most famous for his time as keeper with Celtic between 2000 and 2005 and his time with Leicester City after that in the Coca-Cola Championship, he played for Dundee and today's opposition Livingston before heading to Celtic Park. Since leaving Leicester he has struggled for regular football, playing thirteen times in the League last season in a second spell with Dundee after less successful stints with Millwall, Wycombe Wanderers and Plymouth Argyle. He's delighted to be at the club, and the fans are delighted to have him here too.

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