Monday 16th December 2019
SOME might credit it as an own goal.
But as he emerged from the dressing room on Saturday, you’d have been welcome to try telling PJ Crossan that Dumbarton’s winner against Forfar wasn’t his.
Already with one goal to his name – the second of three equalisers by Sons at Station Park – the forward cut in from the right and hit the post.
It looked like the chance was gone, until it rebounded off keeper Marc McCallum’s back and trundled slowly over the line.
PJ was introduced to the game as a substitute perhaps earlier than planned after Isaac Layne went off injured eight minutes from half time.
He was moved on to the bench after last week’s 2-0 defeat to Montrose, but was glad to return to the pitch and make a hugely positive contribution.
He said: “Last Saturday was horrific, but I’m just glad that I came on today and helped the team. If I can score or get assists to help the team then that’s the most important thing.
“We passed the ball a lot more today and played balls in behind the Forfar defence, rather than down the sides, and they couldn’t live with the pace.
“I don’t mind whether I play upfront or left midfield – as long as I get in the team. When you’re in midfield you have to defend a lot more.
“The winner hit the post and then the goalkeeper’s back, but we’ll take anything going and I will take any goal that is credited to me!”
After such a morale-boosting result, where better for Sons to head than to visit the league leaders this Saturday?
That is exactly their assignment away to Raith Rovers and PJ hopes that another positive result is in the offing to follow up the Forfar match.
He added: “We’ve proven already that while we’ve been a bit inconsistent this season, on our day we are a match for anybody in this division.
“When we played Raith at home we were unlucky not to take anything from the game. We know that we have quality as good as anybody and our mentality gives us a chance.
“Our spirits are high after beating Forfar so we will go to Kirkcaldy confident and hopeful of another good result.”
Andy Galloway