Dundee 2
Dumbarton 0
League (First Division)

Manager's Programme Notes

The postponement of our game against Raith Rovers on Saturday because of the St. Patrick's Day snow storm, was another disappointment for the players and the fans. It was to be the first of three home games in eight days, a spell in which we hoped to make up some of the leeway on the league.

The very late call-off of the game against Ayr on Wednesday was even worse. We got the pitch playable, but Ayr were unable to travel because of the weather.

Believe it or not, we have played only two league matches, against Clydebank and Montrose, in thirteen weeks. This puts us seven matches behind league leaders Kilmarnock, six behind other top clubs. Games in hand are never as good as points won and the weather plus a run of three cup ties on the trot is a severe test for our concentration on winning the league.

Today we have a crack at Dumbarton, who are also well behind in fixtures. They have played the same number of games as ourselves. Davie Wilson's side consider themselves promotion candidates too.

One heartening thing came from our three-game Scottish Cup run. We met Rangers and St. Mirren, top teams in the Premier League, on successive Saturdays and put away seven goals against them. That is no mean feat. The result at Ibrox, where we did not play well, was a disappointment. We lost three bad goals in six minutes, following the award of a dubious penalty kick against us. No team can go four goals behind Rangers and come back, though we nearly did. Keeper Peter McCloy made a wonderful one handed save from Alan Lamb which seemed certain to go in.

Our first priority has always been to win the league and return to the Premier competition as champions. With so many games to play we are to be very busy and must maintain our effort.

After the cup run we made a successful return to league business against Montrose. We are in a good position and some of the recent results from other matches have been a help to us. Most of the clubs in the top positions cannot afford to drop points now while we can make a slip or two without making things too difficult for ourselves. But our aim is to keep winning and we look for the boost that the whole hearted support of a large following will give our players at all our games.