Sunday 26th February 2017
LEWIS VAUGHAN is proof that good things come to those who wait.
For the last month, the on-loan striker has had to sit and watch most of Dumbarton’s matches, either from the stand or the bench before coming on as a sub.
Yesterday he was handed a return to the starting line-up against Falkirk – and justified it within 38 minutes with a fantastically worked and struck equaliser in what went on to be a 2-2 draw.
The striker must be looking forward to playing the Bairns again, at Dumbarton on the last day of the season. As well as yesterday’s goal, he’s also scored past Falkirk keeper Danny Rogers from the halfway line.
That was when Rogers was a Sons player and Lewis was playing for Raith Rovers, from whom he is on loan.
But that rematch with the Bairns is for another day. Now, for Lewis, it’s all about Dunfermline at East End Park on Saturday.
He said: “I’ve come to Dumbarton to play games and start scoring goals again, so I’m delighted to get my first for the club. Hopefully there are a few more to come before the end of the season.
“It’s just a coincidence that yesterday and my halfway line goal were against Danny! I’ll score goals whenever I can against whoever I can.
“It was also welcome for me to make my first start for a few weeks. The gaffer told me I’d just been unlucky not to be starting recently and it was nothing to do with my form.
“It was just because in the game I missed, Dumbarton beat Raith Rovers 3-1. He couldn’t change the team after a result and performance like that.
“But I got a break and returned to the starting XI yesterday. I just want to play football and hopefully I can keep a place there.
“I want to play, whether it’s one of the ‘bigger’ games, like Hibs or Dundee United, or anybody else in the division. With Raith and Dunfermline being local rivals it may look like there’s a bit extra edge to Saturday’s game for me.
“But Dunfermline are the team we are targeting at Dumbarton. Ayr United are now five points behind us after losing to St Mirren yesterday, a result which keeps St Mirren fighting to avoid bottom spot.
“We’re trying to look ahead of us, and we want to catch Dunfermline, which we can do with a win on Saturday.”
Andy Stirling went on to give Sons the lead at Falkirk, but the home side equalised for a share of the points.
And Lewis reckoned it was a fair result, as well as a positive one for Dumbarton.
He added: “The first half hour or so was a bit scrappy. We didn’t have much of the ball and after Falkirk scored it gave us a shock and pushed us on a bit.
“The equaliser got us back into the game. We needed it to lift us.
“A draw was probably a fair result, and for us to go to Falkirk and get it is a good achievement for us.
“They had a few chances, but overall a share of the points was about right.”
Andy Galloway