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.