Jim Chapman's view: Dumbarton v Berwick

Nov 7 2008 by Andy Galloway, Lennox Herald (main ed)

WE were outstanding against Berwick, and there was some great football played. All the hard work we are putting in during training is starting to pay dividends for us and that’s very pleasing.

However, we were sloppy towards the end of the game and that’s what gave them their second goal.

How you finish a game is just as important as how you start, so that was disappointing, but I can’t fault anyone overall.

We want to play an exciting game with width and that aspect of our game was first class. We were great in getting to the ball first and are getting stronger as well, but complacency is something that sets in. We have earned the right to play good football but I want that all the time.

It was a very difficult decision to leave Iain Chisholm out after his performances in the last two games.

However, we were at home and were expected to take the game to Berwick so we restored Derek Carcary.

Iain fully understood why we made the decision, and Derek’s performance was a large part of the result.

There are a few knocks out of the game, as there are every week, and we will wait and see what shape we are in ahead of Saturday’s visit to Stenhousemuir. As long as we are all fit, we should do all right.

However, the visit to Ochilview is no more important than any other fixture. It’s the same three points that are at stake.

Stenny will be working hard towards the game and so will we. We will go about our preparations as we normally do for every game, and it’s important that the players don’t fall for the hype that will surround it.

It’s simply a game against a side competing strongly at the top of the table.