SPFL Tier 4, The Rock,* 2/8/25.

So after the phoney war of the League Cup group stage (see Group E) comes the start of the league season.

It somehow seemed right that after the tribulations of last season this should begin with a win but it wasn’t easy. After they scored just before half-time – and then missed a sitter – it was always going to be a tense second half. But we saw it through.

We had only three players in our starting line-up who’d  been with us last season (and one of them, goalie Shay Kelly, only for a couple of months  at that) with one other on the bench. It’s going to take a while for the new ones to gel and we looked that way.

Clyde started brighter but we began to come into it. The turning point came with us getting a corner. Ryan Blair dropped it right onto Clyde keeper (and former Son, Jay Hogarth) who didn’t deal with it and Ally Roy headed it in.

The second was almost a carbon copy. Again Hogarth didn’t deal with the corner and Mark Durnan was credited with putting it in at the far post. On Clyde’s highlights though it looks as if he made no contact as the ball seems to hit the post and go in so it would be Ryan Blair’s goal.

In the second half we sat back too much and so Clyde had a lot of possession. Shay Kelly had two very good saves but apart from that they didn’t really threaten our goal. We had a couple of breakaways where a run of the green would have seen us score but generally we didn’t link up as well as is necessary. That may come.

Morgyn Neill at centre half seemed to really enjoy himself. Big-hearted, throwing himself to get the ball, rousing the crowd.

There were signs of there being a team in us. I hope they come to fruition. I don’t think I can be doing with many games where we’re hanging on like we were here.

*Edited to add: the Rock is now officially the Marbill Coaches Stadium.

SPFL Tier 3, The Rock, 4/5/21.

Never underestimate the ability of a football club to put its fans through the wringer. 1-0 up, drawn back level, then 2-1 down and into despair, before 2-2 and then an injury time winner. The lead in this changed hands twice. That doesn’t happen often.

But where did this effort come from? We looked good early on, scored when we were on top, Jaime Wilson on the shoulder of the last defender (but in our own half!) running onto the through ball and putting it past the keeper with an early shot.

Then we fell out of it. Perhaps there was thought of holding onto the lead but the way we had been playing up to then we could and should have scored again.

Instead we were our own worst enemies failing to clear the ball properly before losing it and our defensive organisation. Admittedly Sam Ramsbottom had anotehr very good save just before that.)

The second half was mostly woeful, though, the tin lid being put on it when we lost the ball at our penalty area level and a looped hanging cross lured out Ramsbottom who couldn’t claim it and it was headed in.

There then seemed to be a grinding inevitablity to things and a limp surrender to relegation (okay, to the play-offs,) was unfolding. Then a Ross Forbes corner was hammered into the net by Morgyn Neill’s head (why had Forbes played all those short free-kicks earlier?) and the unlikeliest of comebacks was on.

Urgency had become the order of the day. As in the Forfar game last week the manager threw the kitchen sink at it with two late substitutions.

Fulfilled in fairy-tale fashion in the first minute of injury time when Ross Forbes hooked the ball into the area almost without looking. Jaime Wilson did not look favourite but he threw his head at the ball and buried it.

That’s the first time in the league this season we’ve scored more than twice and also the first time we’ve come from behind to score. It’s the first time we’ve gone behind and not lost.

I suppose that supplies some reason for hope if we do end up in the play-offs.

But that fate depends on how Clyde get on on Thursday.

SPFL Tier 3, New Bayview, 1/2/20.

Well we threw this one away.

We had dominated the first few minutes and then they scored in their first attack, a clearance falling to former Son Scott Agnew whose shot took two deflections on its way past Conor Brennan who nevertheles looked slow to get down to it.

Their second was a joke. Instead of dealing with a loose ball at the edgeof the box, we stood off it and allowed their player to volley it home. They could have made it three when for the only time in the game they got a man in on goal but Brennan’s spread legs deflected the shot.

The lifeline came at the very end of the first half Morgyn Neill heading home a Joe McKee free-kick.

About fifteen minutes into the second half Stefan McCluskey chased down an East Fife defender forcing him into a mistake. McCluskey then set up new signing Robert Jones to finish neatly. We were all over them for the next ten minutes and then all that hard work was undone as we gave away a free-kick. Scott Agnew’s delivery was headed home too easily. All those tall guys in our side and we lose a goal like that. Again I thought Brennan might have positioned himself better.

It was all over when we conceded another free-kick not far outside the box. Just about everybody in the ground knew where Scott Agnew was going to place it – and he duly did.

Our defence in this one was a complete bomb-scare, totally unlike the display at Pittodrie two weeks ago. Misplaced passes in midfield didn’t help either.

Sam Wardrop at right back didn’t look like the player he was in his first spell at the club, Ross Forbes – back for a third or fourth time with us depending on what you count – didn’t, or couldn’t, impose himself. Robert Jones up front though was a success, despite his height very good with the ball at his feet and composed for his goal. Jai Quitongo came on when the game was lost but showed some nice close control and a few neat touches.

The most frustrating aspect of the game though was that East Fife didn’t have to work hard for their win and didn’t look much above us, if any at all.

Going forward we’ll need to hope the useless defending is eradicated and the new boys gel together. OtherWise it’s going to be a nervous few months.

SPFL Tier 3, Stark’s Park, 21/12/19.

It is, as they say, a funny old game. Granted they were several players short but so were we. We only had three on the bench – and one of them is the reserve keeper.

I’d have taken a draw. To say I’m happy with a win against the league leaders away when they hadn’t lost at home before today would be an understatement. And with a clean sheet too, more than a rarity for us. It’s days like this that make supporting a wee team worthwhile.

We were at it from the off and had much the best of the early exchanges but our failure to punish their misplaced midfield passes threatened to bite us when a delightful chip left their forward one on one with Conor Brennan who managed to get his fingertips to the attempted lob to push it on to the bar and reacted well to get the rebound.

Not long after, we scored. Conor Scullion tussled for the ball but seemed to lose it only for it to fall for Stuart Carswell whose delicious back-heel set up Scullion for a cross into the box. He pulled it back to P J Crossan who slotted it home (apparently via a deflection.)

Raith had a warning when Morgyn Neill’s header from a corner went straight to a well-positioned keeper but a few minutes later it was two. Crossan won a free-kick. He feinted to take it quickly but thankfully relented. Joe McKee drilled it into an unmarked Ryan McGeever who powered it into the bottom corner.

I was dreading forty-eight or so minutes hanging on to a lead but in truth Raith didn’t threaten us too much second half. They kept playing it down the inside right channel but only made Brennan make one save – a header from a cross. Otherwise any efforts they had were off-target.

So that’s now three away wins in a row, we’re up to fifth again, only four points from fourth position and five from first place.

That’ll do.

SPFL Tier 3, New Bayview, 21/9/19.

I’d have taken a draw before the game but having been 2-0 up (albeit against the run of most of the play) it definitely feels like two points dropped and an opportunity missed.

Then again we haven’t exactly been defensively sound at any point this season (the game at Annan apart) so I’m not at all surprised we couldn’t hold out.

After a brief flurry from Sons at the start East Fife had most of the play in the first half and had several efforts come close. Then in one of our occasional forays up front we got a corner on the right. Joe McKee’s delivery was well met by Morgyn Neill but the keeper made a smart stop down to his left. He had no chance with the header resulting from the subsequent corner, Ryan McGeever powering his header (almost identically flighted by McKee) into the top corner.

They had what looked from our end a stonewall penalty appeal but the ref booked the forward (who didn’t complain) for a dive.

Three minutes into the second half Ruaridh Langan took the ball for a walk in their area and was fouled. Isaac Layne stepped up and despatched the pen. It was too long a time left for any Sons fan to feel comfortable though and East Fife began to throw the kitchen sink at us.

Sure enough they got a man over after a free kick and though Conor Brennan got both hands on the ball somehow it slithered over the line.

East Fife now had their tails up and came at us even more strongly but were leaving gaps at the back as a result.

Still they it was who scored next after McGeever’s clumsy challenge in the box. Again Brennan got both hands to it but it squirmed under him. I merely note that another keeper might have saved both these efforts.

There were several more scares and also a few opportunities for us to score before the end (notably when Matthew Shiels was through one-on-one but he telegraphed his finish which was in any case too weak.) When it came the final whistle was something of a relief.

East Fife looked a good side, spreading it about well, looking like they knew what they were doing and well worth their position at the top of the table so this was a good point in that regard.

We looked good in patches but gave the ball away too often and frequently failed to get a pass away quickly enough and far too often resorting to a punt up to Layne.

Two home games coming up to finish the first quarter. We’ll see where we are by then.

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.