Written by Administrator Monday, 04 May 2009 16:28

So barring a very unlikey scoring fest by East Stirlingshire on Saturday, Sons have won the Division Three title.

You have to hand it Jim Chapman here, he eventually found the winning formula and it paid off with a fantastic finishing sequence, including breaking the club record for minutes without conceding a goal.

I must be honest here - I didn't think Sons would do it. In fact, at the start of the year I thought a play-off place would be unlikely. I'd had the misfortune of watching a turgid 1-1 draw at Stenhousemuir followed the week after by the 5-2 hammering by East Stirlingshire. We were so poor in that game and so thoroughly taken apart by the Shire that promotion seemed like a pipe dream.

After New Year, I was at another defeat by East Stirlingshire, this time by three goals to one, although to be fair, it was a much closer contest and the 'Shire were helped by an exceptionally soft penalty in the second half. Still, I didn't get that promotion feeling.

Victories against Albion Rovers and Elgin got March off to a good start but defeats by Montrose and Annan and a draw against Albion Rovers, again cast doubt over the team's promotion credentials.

At the start of April, I saw a Sons victory against Stenhousemuir who were at that point in freefall. It was not a convincing performance but it was a victory and a play-off place was now looking good. This was the second 2-0 win in the space of week and was the start of what could be called the promotion run. Sons beat Forfar and Berwick before being held to a 0-0 draw against the then leaders Cowdenbeath in a game that saw Cowden's normal attendance figure trebled with a vast travelling Sons support. If we had won that game we would have taken over at the top of the table but we knew now that a playoff place was guaranteed.

The following week, Sons did make it to the top after Montrose came from behind to beat Cowden and Sons thrashed Forfar 4-0.

And then we come to last Saturday. I couldn't make it to the game but was glued to the Sky Sports videprinter. Forfar had managed to put two past Cowdenbeath in the first 5 minutes which was just phenomenal. Unfortunately, Cowden managed to get the score level by half time as Dumbarton were cruising to victory against Elgin and the 'Shire were ahead against Albion Rovers. The Cowden-Forfar game finished level and both Sons and the 'Shire won meaning that barring the unlikely huge defeat/huge win scenario, Dumbarton cannot be overtaken with one game to go.

Congratulations to the team, the manager and all connected with the club. Roll on next season.

What would really finish of the season on a high would be Queen's Park staying up, meaning that John Gemmell and Andy Rogers would stay in Division Three. That would be just fantastic. Failing that Stenhousemuir going up would be OK, as Gemmell and Rogers would still be the Third and it gives me another local away game to go to.