Today, at 3 pm, Sons will play a competitive football match for the first time in 91 days. That’s more than a normal close season.

I really don’t know what to expect. A little ring-rustiness certainly.

I hope, though, that opponents Forfar Athletic will be equally ring-rusty, as it’s something of a crucial game, if not quite a must win for us.

It’s more like a must not lose. If Forfar get the three points they’ll only be two points behind us, albeit having played a game more. Far too close for my liking.

Clyde are only those two points behind us and they have a game in hand. That game, however, might be a problem for them as it means that in these Covid times they have to squeeze it into the already packed schedule.

In that context, Peterhead, two points above us but with two extra games played, have an advantage over us in that they’ll have more rest time over the next few weeks.

Still, I’ll be in front of the live stream* at kick-off today, fingers crossed, mentally anguished.

*Any gremlins permitting.

The amended fixtures that will suposedly allow Tier 3 SPFL clubs to complete 18 games for this season have been published.

(After a top five/bottom five split a further four fixtures are proposed to make up a 22 game season – but only if every side has managed to fit the 18 game total in.)

Sons’ games are scheduled as follows:-

Saturday, March 20 – Forfar Athletic (H, 3pm)
Saturday, March 27 – Peterhead (H, 3pm)
Tuesday, March 30 – Falkirk (A, 7.45pm)
Thursday, April 1 – Airdrieonians (H, 7.45pm)
Tuesday, April 6 – Montrose (H, 7pm)
Thursday, April 8 – East Fife (H, 7pm)
Saturday, April 10 – Cove Rangers (A, 3pm)
Saturday, April 17 – Clyde (A, 3pm)
Tuesday, April 20 – Partick Thistle (H, 7.45pm)

To those has to be added the game against Huntly in the Scottish Cup on March 23 (ko 7.45 pm) and a possible tie beyond that if we win.

It’s some schedule, In fact it’s an insane schedule given that we have a less than threadbare squad and no hint of imminent signings.

The players will be dead on their feet by Apr 1 (5 games in 12 days.) There’s also 4 in the seven days Apr 3-10 if we’re in the next round of the Cup. That’s due on Sat Apr 3.

So another postponed game, the third this season and the second in a row – with the possibility of a fourth next Saturday if Huntly cannot get their 1st round Cup tie against Cumbernauld Colts on before then.

Mind you, when I saw the weather forecast for Dumbarton for the week just gone and that the temperature would not rise above 0^oC until about 3 pm today I knew this would be off.

So we are now in eighth place, just one above the relegation play-off spot and with Clyde in ninth having a game in hand (they have had even less luck with getting games played than we have.) Admittedly, Peterhead are only two points above us and we have two games in hand over them.

I’d still prefer to have more points on the board, though.

SPFL Tier 3, The Rock, 3/11/20.

This is the game postponed from Oct 24^th and my first view of live streaming. An odd experience. Things were a bit flat with no fans to make noise.

I cannot complain about the result or the efforts of the players though.

During the first ten minutes we were hardly in it as Clyde seemed to have most of the possession but were not making much of it. Indeed in the first half I don’t think big Kevin Dabrowski in our goal had a save to make.

We went ahead in almost our first real attack. A geat through ball by Jaime Wilson was taken up by new signing Adam Frizzell (in his second spell with the club.) His finish was a delight as he dinked it over the keeper.

We were on top for the rest of the half, ought to have had a penalty when Rico Quitongo was shoved in the back as he looked to be about to shoot but the ref saw nothing wrong with it, and then Frizz forced a great save from their keeper after he’d worked the shooting opportunity in the box.

In the second half we had much less of the ball. Clyde threw the kitchen sink at it, moving four men up top when they were attacking. As a result we fell back to protect our box – it’s a natural response of footballers, I suppose. It was here that Dabrowski made the saves he had to – mostly from long range efforts it must be said. There were a couple of scares with miscommunication between him and the defenders in front. Hopefully with a few more games together that will be ironed out. There was also one effort that Kev fumbled a bit. We did get up the park for a couple of corners from one of which Ryan McGeever had a shot which the keeper again did very well to save.

All in it was a nail-biting 45 minutes but the win is very welcome. Clear in third in the table this early is an unusual place for us to be. The benefits of a back four kept over from last season I suppose.

SPFL Tier 3, New Broomfield,* 31/10/20.

Well I wasn’t expecting this.

A call-off last week and a switch to an away game at short notice – and Airdrie quite fancied to do well again this season (as last) didn’t bode well.

It seems we played decently too.

And we’re third in the table with a game in hand.

A bit early in the league for us to get a result too. We’re usually slow starters.

Only fly in the ointment is keeper Kevin Dabrowski got injured in the warm-up and replacement Chris Smith during the game. We don’t have a third to fill in between the sticks. Let’s hope Kevin is fit enough for Tuesday night against Clyde.

*You call it the Penny Cars Stadium if you like.

I had wondered given last week’s postponement and the weather forecast if tomorrow’s game against Airdrie would be off – and it turns out it is: at the Rock anyway.

Instead it has been switched with the reverse fixture, due to be played on 2/1/2021, which will now take place at the Rock. (Weather permitting of course.)

So two weeks in a row with no home streaming service but the prospect of a late afternoon spent in front of the telly metaphorically biting my nails, or cursing inwardly.

I hope the rearranged match with Clyde on Tuesday night will go ahead OK so that I can finally sample the delights of a streamed match. And also see how we’re shaping up this season.

Well, there I was, all signed up for the streaming service; then at about one o’clock I had a sudden thought.

What if the game’s off?

I duly checked the red button and lo and behold, the weather had done for it.

It didn’t do too much harm to our league position though, as three teams remain below us.

Still, I’ll be able to tune in for the rescheduled game, whenever that is.

SPFL Tier 3, Station Park, 17/10/20.

Not a bad start (not a loss,) not a really good start (not a win either.)

It’ll do to be going on with, though, even if a goal would have been nice.

Clyde’s win against Partick Thistle makes our defeat there last Saturday look not too bad a result.

We’ve got them at home next week though.

Scottish League Cup,* Broadwood Stadium, 10/10/20.

Another game, another defeat. Another one goal defeat.

Not really a good start. At least this time we managed to score.

We’ll need to buck up a bit for the start of the league next Saturday, though.

*Betfred Cup.

Football? What football?

Saturdays are empty at the moment, no trepidation in the run-up, no joy or despair at 4.45.

It seems an age since I posted news about Dumbarton FC.

Still, Sons’ opponents in this year’s League Cup (Betfred Cup) have been announced.

Kilmarnock, Dunfermline Athletic, Falkirk and Clyde make for pretty stiff opposition.

Something to look forward to, though. (Or perhaps, dread.)