It's Going To Be A Cracker

tough decisions!
By The Spider
April 22 2002

DUMBARTON v QUEEN'S PARK (Scottish League - Bells Division Three) Saturday, 27th April, 2002 at Strathclyde Homes Stadium - kick off : 3.00pm

If Dumbarton believe for one moment that Queen's are going to simply turn up like lambs to the slaughter to provide them with the three points that they need for promotion because we have nothing to play for, they need to think again! It has been said ad nauseum in recent weeks already, but it needs to be repeated for the benefit of any Dumbarton fans who visit this site this week whilst suffering from promotion frenzy fever. In their entire 102 year league history, Queen's have never finished bottom of the basement league, and as long as there remains the remotest chance of avoiding doing so, our youngsters will fight like cornered tigers so that they don't get tagged as "the worst team in the Club's history".

Dumbarton should therefore not be looking forward to our visit one little bit as Peterhead, East Fife and now Elgin City have all discovered to their cost in our last three away games. Six goals scored, only one conceded, and nine points gained.

Make no mistake about it. If Dumbarton win this game, it will be because they have earned it!

All that said, John McCormack needs to give his starting line-up for this game more thought than he perhaps has for some time when, due to a big injury list, it has picked itself to some extent. Don't expect too many changes (if any) to last Saturday's squad, but there are two areas in particular where he has to make the right selection and his task is an unenviable one:

• Who does he go with at left wing-back? Paul Borland is the better defender but Stephen Marshall only begins to look like a class player when he makes his runs from deep positions
• Does he find a starting place for Chris Fisher and, if so, at the expense of whom?

For what it's worth, this writer's view is that we should start with a line-up which is designed to frustrate Dumbarton as, the longer the game goes on without them scoring, the more the pressure increases upon them. It can rightly be pointed out that this is a game that Queen's need to win too, but they have more to lose than we have to gain. For this reason, I would start with Paul Borland and (controversially) put Stephen Marshall on the bench so that he will be completely fresh in readiness for an early introduction in the second half (for Paul Borland). I would not play Marsh up front or in midfield from the start as I believe the others listed are more effective than him in those positions.

The gamble is whether to play Chris Fisher from the beginning or not as he is the key player who makes the side tick. However, if he is lethargic mode, he brings little to the team as the last two home games showed. Taking cognisance of an excellent playing surface, I think that this game is made for "the Fish" as the big crowd is likely to motivate him into turning it on right from the start.

So, and it is only an opinion (and most certainly not a recommendation as Cowboy is in a far better place to judge than I), here is my starting line up to keep Dumbarton occupied for 60 minutes or so before bringing on Marsh to wreak havoc during the last half hour. Not that you'll need invitation I know, but please utilise the message board to let me know where I've got it wrong and what changes to the formation below you would make if it was your job to choose. If nothing else, it should make for an interesting debate!

		Tony Mitchell
	Neil Collins	James Bruce	Jamie White
Danny Ferry	Stephen Canning	Johnny Whelan	Tony Quinn	Paul Borland (Stephen Marshall)
	Willie Martin		Chris Fisher