Dumbarton skipper wants repeat from East Stirling

Nov 21 2008 by Andy Galloway, Lennox Herald (main ed)

MICHAEL Dunlop hopes East Stirling can repeat their performance against Dumbarton on Saturday to do Sons a favour in the title race.

The defender made his long-awaited debut in the shock 5-2 defeat at Ochilview after nine months on the sidelines.

But he is pledging that the players will work hard to make it up to the fans who witnessed Sons’ first defeat in nearly three months.

He said: “It would be good if Shire could do it again and do us a favour. Stenny extended the gap on Saturday, so wins for them and ourselves would close it again.

“However, it’s really about what we do and we have the players to do it, as we’ve shown in recent games. If we play well, we are a match for anybody.

“It was good to be back to play the full 90 minutes but that’s about the only thing that I can be happy with. I felt good physically in the later stages.

“It was a bad game to make my debut in but East Stirling played well and thoroughly deserved their win.

“We were poor and that was very disappointing as we’ve been playing really well. It was just a bad day at the office but it’s important that we bounce back against Albion Rovers.

“I wouldn’t blame the plastic pitch as it’s the same for both teams. The better side won and I don’t think a normal surface would have made any difference.

“We feel bad for all the fans who paid their money to go. We feel we let them down and the only way to repay them is to go out and win and put a smile back on their faces.”

Sons are at home to Albion Rovers on Saturday, with Gary Wilson now free from suspension and competing with Michael for the left back position.

If the former Queen’s Park defender plays, he will be up against ex-Hampden teammate Stephen Canning, currently on loan to Rovers from Brechin City.

He added: “I had been quite confident we would do well on Saturday after how we’ve been playing recently.

“We weren’t exactly great against Stenny but took a point, and we were excellent at home to Berwick.

“I still keep in touch with Stephen and it will be strange if I play against him having been on the same side for so long!

“But it’s up to the manager whether I keep my place. It’s all about working hard in training this week, and he will pick the team.”