DUMBARTON will have to be taken seriously. They remain top of the
second division after Saturday's 1-0 win away to Clyde, who surrendered
second place but still are the only team with a better defensive record
than the leaders.
These sides have seemed reasonably well matched this season, although
Dumbarton have the better scoring record.
Charlie Gibson scored the only goal five minutes after the break when
he finished off from a fine pass by John McQuade. Clyde made a fight of
it and came closest to an equaliser when Stephen Gow kicked a Steve
Tennent shot off the line.
Dumbarton's stay in the second division has been marked by poor starts
to the league campaigns and a tendency to give away goals easily and
frequently. This time, however, they clearly have tightened up at the
back and thus have given themselves an excellent chance of returning
upstairs.
For those in search of goals the high-scoring East Stirlingshire
usually are the team to follow. The 'Shire have kept only one clean
sheet but have not failed to score in any league game. However, there
were no goals for 88 minutes during Saturday's home match against
Arbroath. An Alan McKenna header gave the visitors a first-minute lead
which they held until Charlie Lytwyn's equaliser almost on the final
whistle.
But the place with most action turned out to be Methil, where the 4-4
draw featured eight different scorers, two of whom were sent off, and a
frantic spell of five goals in the space of eight minutes from midway in
the second half. Dougie Hope put his side ahead on the half hour but by
the time he was ordered off early in the second half, Stenhousemuir led
2-1. The lead then moved quickly to 4-2 but two goals inside a minute
earned the Fifers a draw. Steve McCormick was the visitor sent off.
A John O'Brien own goal gave Stranraer the points away to Queen's Park
and the three other matches each produced four goals. The points were
shared at Brechin, where Paul Richie's two goals were equalised by
Berwick's Sandy Ross and then Brian Thorpe.
Queen of the South had three Thomsons in their team at Alloa, where
two of them were booked. Alloa were 2-0 up at half time but Stuart
Gordon soon pulled one back and the home side had to wait until the
final minute before skipper Willie Newbigging made sure of victory.
Cowdenbeath left themselves without cover for the injured Willie
Lamont and had to field a trialist keeper at Coatbridge. Fortunately,
Albion Rovers gave him little to do while the Fifers struck four times
through a goal by Colin Scott and a hat trick by Graham Buckley.
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