Whilst the Arbroath Santa Crew were watching their team lose out to makeshift Queen's at Hampden our friends from the west coast were doing what many a team has done this season, humping Montrose. David Robertson has taken the Angus outfit's levels of ineptness to new lows this season despite numerous big signings and they were well and truly anhilliated 5-0 by Gerry McCabe's rampant Sons at Links Park. A fantastic performance from on loan St Johnstone striker Stephen Dobbie was the headline grabber and with the "sturdy" centre forward making his last Dumbarton appearance before heading back to McDiarmid Park he will be determined to sink Queen's with a similiar showing this weekend.
The two sides have had numerous connections over the last few years with ex Spiders Paul Martin and John Gallagher the management duo as Sons suffered relegation from Division Two last season. Their squad last campaign included ex Spiders James Allan, Gemmell, Danny Ferry, Jamie Smith and Graeme Connell. Martin was replaced by Gerry McCabe in the summer after supporters pressure forced the Queen's Park Championship winner out of the door at The Rock.
Currently, Paul Ronald is becoming a bit of a favourite with the Hampden faithful with his versatility and no nonsense showings. The forward has scored 4 times this season and picked up the man of the match award against Arbroath last week despite being played in an unfamiliar centre defensive position, expect that to happen again tomorrow. He was skipper at Sons last season.
The other ex Son in the Queen's Park squad Robert Dunn is finding it a bit harder to win over the Hampden faithful. Despite excelling in victories over Aberdeen and East Fife early in the season the striker has yet to score for Queen's and is struggling for form. He is expected to get another chance partnering on form David Weatherston on Saturday if he overcomes his niggling knock.
We have met Sons once already this season on the 19th August and the 1-0 win we recorded that day set up for the magnificent Aberdeen win three days later. Despite dominating the game and David Bagan rattling David Crawford's woodwork three times Sons couldn't score and Queen's got a rather fortunate three points near the end. Sub Ronald's low cross tucked home by Steven Canning with 15 minutes or so remaining.
Queen's are expected to take a big away support through there and let's give the team the same tremendous backing they recieved at Montrose, Brechin and East Fife recently. Mon The Queen's!!!!
LIKELY LINE UP!
XI: David Crawford, Paul Cairney, Mick Dunlop, Damiano Agostini, Paul Ronald, Steven Canning, Tommy Murray, Tony Quinn, David Weatherston, Richard Bowers, Mark Ferry
SUBS: Xander Cowie, Jonny Whelan, Shaun Molloy, Chris Colquhoun, Mick Keenan
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