Wednesday 24th April 2019
DUMBARTON don’t know yet for a fact that they’ll be playing against East Fife next season.
Calum Gallagher could certainly be forgiven for hoping that they will be – after completing a feat that no Sons player has achieved for 17 years.
The striker’s goal against the Fifers on Saturday meant that he gets to put them on his mantelpiece, having scored in all four games against them this season.
Alas, it was not a first. Paddy Flannery was the last player to do that, getting to keep Stirling Albion in season 2001/02.
And in the 1987/88 campaign, Owen Coyle scored in all four league games against Partick Thistle.
The difference, though, was that both of those were achieved despite one of the four games being lost. Calum has achieved his haul in four victories.
Should East Fife miss out on the top four this season, they will no doubt place the blame at Dumbarton’s door – with Calum getting much of the stick for his performances.
Speaking to www.dumbartonfootballclub.com, Calum said: “I did have it in the back of my mind after I scored in the last game against East Fife and it was there again today.
“When I hadn’t scored at half time I did wonder if it was going to be my day, but it was nice to get the game put to bed in the second half.
“East Fife are a good side who play some really good football, even after they went 3-0 down today. They are a bit of a sleeping beast. But from a personal point of view I’ve certainly enjoyed playing against them!
“The boys haven’t had an issue with creating chances. When we go forward we look as dangerous as anybody in the league.
“I’d been on a bit of form and hoped I would get a goal at Forfar last week. It wasn’t to be as I played at central midfield, which I actually enjoyed.
“I have a debate with somebody about whether I’ll get 15 goals this season. I’m on 12 now, 11 in the league, so hopefully I can reach that in the final two games.”
Dumbarton, though, would have traded four wins against East Fife to still have a shot at winning promotion this season.
That will not happen, but neither will relegation, as victory over the Fifers and results elsewhere confirmed it is League One for Sons again next season.
A higher finish in the table is still up for grabs, and Calum is targeting it over the final two outings against Stranraer and Arbroath.
He added: “When we had a good run of seven or eight wins we were aiming for much higher, but we ran out of steam and it dropped again.
“We’ll just need to take it on the chin for some poor performances, but in the last three weeks we’ve really shown the right attitude to see out the season.
“We can still finish fifth and that has to be our aim over the last two games. We need to give it 100 per cent and make a good impression on the gaffer if we are looking to stay here next season.
“The likes of Dom Thomas and Cammy Ballantyne have got the world at their feet, but we need to show what we are about. We need to focus on winning the two games we have left.”
Andy Galloway