Not a new signing but our Dimitris (spelled Dimitrios in the link for some reason, though the squad list has Dimitris) Froxylias, who seems to have been dubbed “Jimmy”, has signed an extension to the season’s end.

Well, his defensive contribution may be iffy but his attacking instincts and ball control are an asset. Something to build on for the rest of the season.

Scottish Challenge Cup*, Third Round, The Rock, 6/10/17.

An odd night statistically. I’m sure that’s the first time we’ve won three Challenge Cup ties in one season and it marks four home games in a row we’ve won 2-1 – and the away game in that sequence was lost by the same score. And we don’t usually beat Stranraer.

I must say Stranraer turned out for this in an ugly black strip with horrible luminous yellow flashings and socks.

We should have had this dead and buried after ten minutes. At least four great chances in that time. Mark Stewart charged down a defender’s forward pass and set up Calum Gallagher who didn’t shoot first time but instead dollied round another defender and his subsequent shot was saved by the keeper’s legs. Then a Chris McLaughlin cross gave Calum Gallagher a free header and he didn’t get anything like enough on it. The goal came after a fine driving run into the box from David Wilson to set up Craig Barr who still had a lot to do but did it superbly. A minute or so later Dimitris Froxylias hit a chance over the bar. Pretty much it for the half except for Scott Gallacher going off to be replaced by Jamie Ewings and us letting Stranraer have too much possession.

Second half followed the pattern of the latter part of the first but we always looked comfortable. Scott Agnew (formerly of this parish) pinged over a few great cross-fields balls with that left foot of his but was otherwise uninfluential.

The game was all but over when Tom Walsh skinned the full back yet again and put over a beautiful cross. Mark Stewart showed Calum Gallagher how it’s done.

Froxy did track back more than I’ve seen him but when on the ball occasionally tried too much. He was perhaps a bit too cute with a late shot which was deflected then cleared off the line.

They had a couple of moments from corners where the ball flashed across the box but were nowhere near clinical and only two shots, both long range, on target in all of normal time both of which Jamie Ewings dealt with easily. Three minutes stoppage time was announced and I thought we might actually get a clean sheet. But another poorly given away and defended corner led to them scoring with the second last touch of the game.

It’s the first time I’ve seen us win this season, since late January at Raith in fact.

I’m glad we’re not in the third tier. I thought Stranraer were brutal (football fan speak for not very entertaining.)

*Irn Bru Cup if you must.

SPFL Tier 2, Almondvale Stadium, 30/9/17.

On another day we would have won this.

We started quite brightly but they soon came into it. By the time they scored I felt it had been coming. For the rest of the first half we showed nothing – not even a shot on target in the whole half. Froxy looked a good player with the ball at his feet but sometimes wanting defensively. Their goal was another lost to a set piece. That needs sorted.

Second half was a different story. We dominated it with Tom Walsh skinning their right back almost at will. Unfortunately his crosses were not met by any of our players. Christian Nade did have a header that crashed off the bar and cruelly bounced off the line. In the meantime Livi had begun the time-wasting early.

In the end Tom Walsh did it all by himself, again taking the right back to the cleaners before his shot beat the keeper. From our angle it looked like he’d chucked it in but there may have been a deflection.

For a while after that we looked very lively and Walsh again tried to beat the keeper at his near post but this time he saved it.

Livi came out of their shell and started to threaten. If they’d played like that the whole half they might have found the game a lot more comfortable.

Communication at the back seems a problem for us. It was an attempted header backwards that undid us, their forward pouncing on it to head home.

From then on Livi’s time-wasting was even more blatant.

A frustrating day in the end. Two, or even three, points lost.

SPFL Tier 2, The Rock, 23/9/17.

A historic day at The Rock.

Sons’ first ever game against ICT at home – and our first ever win against them.

Our Dimitris (though he seems to have been dubbed Froxy) came up trumps again for the equaliser and Sam Wardrop chipped in with the winner.

So that’s nine points from seven games – only two shy of Morton. Two difficult ones against teams above us now though before the first quarter finishes.

SPFL Tier 2, The Rock, 16/9/2017.

A welcome first three points. Even this early in the season this had the feel of a must win game. (Certainly mustn’t lose.) We have to look to be taking points away from the only other part-time team in the division.

Mind you when I turned on the TV to look at the latest score at 4.30 we were losing. At least we turned it round with two late goals but from the looks of it them going down to ten men might have aided us (though I have to say it doesn’t usually.)

So it seems there is a point to Mark Stewart after all and our Dimitris came up with the winner again.

aet 2-1.

Scottish Challenge Cup*, Round 2, The Rock, 2/9/17

What a novelty. When was the last time we won two Challenge Cup ties in a row?

Though it seems like it wasn’t a good performance – even if they parked the bus after they scored.

Still we managed to score a goal through David Wilson late on in the ninety minutes to take it to extra time.

And then new signing Dimitris Froxylias stepped up to bang in a free kick with what sounds like the last kick of the ball to spare us penalties.

I keep thinking of how Lord Charles would pronounce the last part of our Dimitris’s surname. (Below at 2.21 and 5.16 and 6.07 minutes in.)

What will Round 3 bring?

*OK, the Irn Bru Cup.