Scottish Cup,* Third Round, The Rock, 23/11/19.

Well, we’re through. This was an odd game though.

After a fairly even start we scored after a neat move culminated in Isaac Layne passing to Adam Frizzell who still had a lot to do, beating a man before shooting. It appeared to deflect a little but still it seemed the keeper might have done better.

We immediately fell out of it, surrendering the midfield and allowing Forfar to flood forward. Consequently it wasn’t a surprise that they equalised but it was a shocking goal to lose, as nobody seemed to put in a challenge before the cross which was headed out to a Forfar player totally unmarked on the edge of the box. His curled shot was just watched into the net by everybody.

Despite Forfar having most of the game they didn’t actually force Connor Brennan in goal into any saves after that except for dealing with crosses and the like. (I use ‘dealing with’ in the widest sense as in one case he palmed the ball out almost straight to a Forfar player who thankfully didn’t make the most of it.)

In what seemed like our first foray up the field in a long time we won a corner. Stefan McCluskey swept in the corner for Ryan McGeever to power a header into the bottom corner.

It was soon all over as the most Route One goal you’ll ever see came when their centre half misjudged a Connor Brennan kick-out and Isaac Layne latched onto the ball to drive it past the advancing keeper.

At 1-1 I was dreading them scoring as we could really do with them not getting the confidence boost a win could have brought. The way we played today I doubt we’d have got back in the game. Unfortunately Stranraer achieved just that likely boost against Dunfermline today. Let’s hope that it’s short-lived.

Perhaps I shouldn’t be too harsh as we were missing the influential Joe McKee today. His general play and delivery from crosses and set-pieces is a big asset. Also out was Rhegan Tumilty, I assume because his parent club doesn’t want him cup-tied.

*William Hill Scottish Cup

SPFL Tier 3, Links Park, 31/8/19.

Well. Who foresaw this three games ago when we were bototm of the league with no points, no goals and seven against?

Three wins in a row – two of them away – and only goal difference (those six at Falkirk are sore looking now) keeping us off the top spot.

We flurried a bit early doors and Montrose had most of the play but they only threatened our goal when we had given the ball away too cheaply in our own half.

We had fallen even more out of the game by the twenty-first minute without really looking like conceding and then suddenly scored. The keeper could only parry a Joe McKee shot and Isaac Layne was on hand to tap in from a slight angle.

It was Isaac again just after the half hour, heading in a McKee free-kick. He’s become a goal machine!

At half-time Montrose made two substitutions – as their fans had been demanding. It livened them up a bit but we still looked threatening when we pushed up. New loanee right back Reghan Tumilty ought to have made it safe at three when a deflected shot stranded their keeper but his nonchalant flick went the wrong side of the post.

Montrose were now throwing the kitchen sink at us but mostly to no effect. They did, though, have a header hit the top of the post/crossbar junction before going out.

It was a quick turn over when we lost the ball that led to their goal. It left us short on the right and the cross was poked in at the near post.

Connor Brennan had flapped at the ball twice in the first half without being punished – and Morgyn Neill also had his usual two bomb-scare moments when under no pressure whatsoever – but Brennan saved us in the last minute with a point-blank save from a powerfully volleyed effort. He’d also made another good save a bit earlier.

Perhaps it was inevitable, teams do send to sit back when defending a lead, but we yielded control too much in the later stages which made them more encouraged – especially after their goal. But we held out for the win.

It seems this is not the worst Dumbarton side in living memory after all. (It wasn’t even as bad as the one that played at the same venue in Manager Jim Duffy’s first game in charge.)

No comparisons with the Jim George or Jim Fallon eras required.

It’s the hope that kills.

SPFL Tier 3, Balmoor Stadium, 17/8/19.

I saw this* but I’m still not quite sure I believe it.

After a 6-0 hounding last Saturday and our failure to beat a boys’ team on Tuesday night I doubt there was a single Sons fan who travelled to this match in any hope at all, far less expectation.

And it started out that way *(though I missed the first twenty minutes or so due to being held up on the way.) Peterhead were one up before I got into the ground. Our general play at this point seemed to be littered with misplaced passes and lack of control.

Their second came after they were awarded a free-kick for their forward falling over. Connor Brennan saved the effort well but only at the expense of a corner which they converted to a headed goal.

Cue much discussion among the Sons fans round me about whether this was the worst Dumbarton team they’d ever seen and if we’d even manage to secure any points at all in the league.

Then almost out of the blue we scored. PJ Crossan waltzed down the left and his cross found Ruaridh Langan directly in front of goal and he banged it in. There was strange lack of celebration by those on the pitch though. None of the usual gathering round the scorer.

It did though begin to engender confidence in the team. Half time may have helped here as we came out and started to take the game more towards the home side. We hadn’t really forced their keeper into any saves though but then Crossan took the ball up on the edge of their area and instead of skipping outside as he’d done so often before – there were three defenders lined up waiting for that – he shimmied inside to get a yard of space and belted it past the keeper. Celebrations this time; on the terracing, east stand, and pitch.

Isaac Layne had been lumbering about to little effect and generally being muscled out of things but had livened up by this time starting to win balls played up to him. Apart from a flurry after the equaliser we were dominating possession by now and won a free kick on the main stand side. Layne got in front of his defender to head it in. Delirium among the fans – we were just about pinching ourselves – and plenty of celebration on the pitch.

In trying to get back into the game Peterhead resorted to long balls most of which were pretty aimless. We held out reasonably comfortably. Manager Jim Duffy made late substitutions (to waste time I suppose) and among them was Ryan Tierney who impressed me again with his hold up play. He was unlucky with a late Crossan pull back which he hit first time and the keeper made a good save.

So a win, three points, a journey home much happier than had seemed likely earlier and a season now looking much less daunting than it had. Fans and players indulged in much mutual applause after the final whistle blew.

This might have been a one-off, football is a strange game, but the players at least should take heart from it.

At least we now only need a draw from somewhere in order to equal Brechin’s low points record. One more win would surpass it.

It’s the hope that kills.