It's a four-horse race and Sons can win it

Oct 17 2008 by Marc McLean, Lennox Herald

DUMBARTON assistant boss Alan Adamson reckons it’s a four-horse race for the third division title.

But although Sons are five points behind leaders Stenhousemuir, he reckons there’s nobody better than Dumbarton in the league.

Jim Chapman’s right-hand man is tipping Sons, Stenny, Cowdenbeath and Montrose to pull away from the other sides.

The Warriors currently have a five-point lead at the top, with the other three all on 16 points – four ahead of fifth-placed Forfar.

With the second quarter of the season starting at Montrose on Saturday, Alan is looking for Sons to make up for lost points.

He said: “The August games against Montrose and Stenhousemuir were definitely cases of points dropped, and we were disappointed to only take a point from Forfar recently.

“Early on in the season we were still a bit naive and didn’t know how the players would play as a team.

“However, having seen all the teams, I don’t think it is blasé to say that there is nobody better than us. We are playing attractive football because we are attacking all the time.

“Sometimes you have to change the system and I think moving Ross Clark into midfield was a masterstroke.

“But I can see the current top four teams now breaking away. There is already a gap and I think it will become a four-horse race for the title.”

Alan has been impressed by Sons’ recent performances before Saturday’s break for Scotland’s 0-0 draw with Norway.

He reckons that’s down to a more attacking style of play, which has seen Sons become the third division’s top scorers with 17 goals.

He added: “I think we’ve started well, although like all teams, it took us some time to gel. I’ve been in football long enough to know that having good players doesn’t necessarily mean having a good team.

“We saw some good things in the first few games, but now we are dominating matches and creating many chances.

“I’m certain Paul McLeod will score goals for us. I’ve known him since he was 14 and know what kind of player he is.

“When we started at Dumbarton, we would sometimes only go with one forward, but that’s neither Jim’s style nor my own.

“That was why we brought in two wide players in - Stevie Murray and Derek Carcary. They are entertainers and have helped us score goals again.”