SPFL Tier 2, The Rock, 2/4/16.

Well. It’s as you were in the league what with all five games being draws but the failure of Rangers to win means they have an even bigger incentive to beat us on Tuesday night as that will make them champions. They might not have to beta us if Hibs don’t win – but that’s a situation I wouldn’t like as then Livingston would have avoided defeat against them; on which point thanks to Alloa for getting the draw (which sadly wasn’t enough to prevent them being relegated.)

It’s all getting far too tense. It’s possible, if results go against us, that by the time we play Queen of the South on the 12^th we could be four points behind Livi with a much worse goal difference; very much worse if our usual Ibrox thumping takes palce..

SPFL Tier 2, The Rock, 31/10/15.

Oh dear. Things are now getting desperate. Especially with Livingston getting another win today.

Unless there’s a turn-round soon (and there’s little sign of that) I can’t see us avoiding the play-offs – or even the relegation spot.

So. Situation normal. Gloom abounds.

SPFL Tier 2, The Rock, 24/10/15.

Oh dear. It looks like the wheels have come off the wagon big style. That’s nine goals lost in two games where in the previous nine we’d only yielded up twelve – and that with no more than two in any one game.

I don’t know what it might be but something needs to be done soon to turn things round, especially if, as might be the case, Livingston are starting to get their act together.

Our next two are against Morton at home, where our record against them isn’t great, and Queen of the South away, ditto.

SPFL Tier 2, Cappielow Park, 12/9/15.

I’m not sure about this result as I’d have taken a draw before the game but as we were against ten men for a while perhaps we ought to have got all three points. Also our record at Cappielow is fairly mince, so a point is good.

But…. We didn’t score. Again.

We won’t keep our head above water if we can’t put the ball in the back of the net.

And we won’t be getting any points next week….

Scottish Challenge Cup,* Round 1, Cappielow Park, 25/7/2105.

And so it begins again. Only nine months to go.

But with an unusual result. I believe this is only our fifth win in this competition in its 25 year history. Two of those were in the same season.

Looking at the team sheet there were only two starters who were at the club last season. Life in part-time football.

While it’s a bit disturbing to have a three goal lead eaten into it’s still refreshing to kick-off a season with a win.

*It’s officially the Petrofac Training Cup but that’s just too much of a mouthful.

I see from the club’s website that Sons first game of the new season will be away to Morton. The game is scheduled for Saturday 26^th July; less than a month away.

Unlike the last two seasons we haven’t been drawn against Stranraer. I had half expected us to get St Mirren since Ian Murray has gone to manage there.

The second round is due on 19^th or 20^th August. I don’t suppose we’ll be interested in that one.

Just two seasons ago Dumbarton finished third in Division 2 of the SFL. Arbroath ended five points and one place better off.

Despite that apparently greater pedigree it was Dumbarton that prevailed in the play-off semi-final between the two, consigning Arbroath to another season in Div 2, while the Sons climbed, via their play-off win, onwards and upwards to SFL Div 1 (now the SPFL Championship.)

That mere two years later Sons have ended the season fifth in Tier 2 while Arbroath finished bottom in the next league down and so the clubs will play two divisions apart next season.

Morton were runners-up in Tier 2 last season. This year (despite beating Sons twice!) they were more or less dreadful and finished a poor last.

Things can change so quickly in football.

SPFL Tier 2, Cappielow Park, 1/4/14.

We obviously don’t do midweek games.

Or, we do; but not well.

That’s the promotion play-off spot out the window then.

Judging by the comments on the Pie Shop we should have won this. But we don’t get much luck against Dundee – at least recently – especially with refereeing decisions.

However, we’re stil fifth (if only on goal difference and with a game in hand) and by my calculations we cannot now be relegated automatically as we have two points more than Morton could possibly accrue.

Onwards to Falkirk on Tuesday, Livingston on Saturday then Morton in the next midweeek.

SPFL Tier 2, Central Park, 11/1/14.

A great win, thoroughly deserved, which takes us 17 points clear of Morton and 9 above Cowden. Mind you, the start was a bit iffy.

The first back pass Stephen Grindlay had to deal with he managed to hit an attacker with and it rebounded to another Cowden player who promptly laid it across goal where the scorer couldn’t miss. Amazingly we were level within about a minute after some ping-pong in their box when Colin Rhyming Slang hit the loose ball home.

We dominated the rest of the half and Mitch Megginson finished well after being put through the middle. The defender who tried to take him out got a yellow card for his trouble. In the meantime Chris Kane also got past a last defender but neither the lino nor the ref saw the jersey pull which stopped him getting his shot away.

They had an opportunity to score again but Stephen Grindlay got a foot in the way. Paul McGinn was right through but clipped his shot just over. Their equaliser came when Stephen Grindlay looked to have an easy clutch but somehow let it spill into a Cowden player.

In the second half we scored early, Chris Kane, who looks to have a bit of pace and effort in him, was well placed to finish off a fine passing move.

Thereafter we sat back a bit and allowed Cowden too much of the ball. They had a free-kick which rattled the bar as the sum total of their threat though and we looked dangerous on the counter, which is where the clincher came from, another great piece of interplay resulting in Mitch getting his second.

The only real chance we gave up came right at the end when one of their players was free in the box but couldn’t get his head to it properly.

I must say Colin Rhyming Slang had a good game today, winning a fair number of aerial balls and having some neat touches as well as scoring.