What of the match itself? For anyone needing a brief reminder, we started bad, had a poor midsection and the least said about the ending the better. Apart from that we were ok! I'm not being harsh in saying we sucked big time. We lost two bad goals where we let a nippy wee striker called Gary McCutcheon run at pace at our defence, with no midfield cover, for two of the goals, Ronaldohno put through his own net at a corner under pressure, and for the second away game in a row we had a man controversially sent off. Welcome to Division Two as they say.

We did of course rally a bit with a scorcher from Paul Armstrong, and moments after the sending off David McGuire was scythed down in the box by the last man when in a goalscoring position (red card according to the rule book, but not to our ref!!), but Doc telegraphed the resultant penalty to kill off our comeback. Needless to say there were a few unhappy campers in Red and White.

The biggest problem for Sandy will be the lacklustre approach from the off. Sandy replaced Boyle with Armstrong in the starting lineup, and reverted to the usual midfield with Gardner and Wilson back. Losing Marv seconds after conceding the first goal didn't help either but there can be no excuses for losing the game. We just simply looked awful. The sending off was a comedy show. Moments earlier (midway thru the second half) Dumbarton's right winger (in a 442 lineup), Mark Crilly, feigned injury after a Stephen Docherty challenge. The ref blew up to give him treatment (I thought he could only do that for a headknock?), the physio came on, kissed his leg better, he fake hobbled to the touchline, he got waved back on, he fake limped for a few yards till the ref's back was turned, and then he raced onto a throughball that Liam McVey challenged him for. McVey did slide in and got the ball, Crilly rode the challenge and feigned another injury. THE REF GAVE MCVEY A STRAIGHT RED!!!! Did McVey swear at him? That can be my only guess, other than the ref if a completely hopeless piece of sh*t who must be visually impaired worse than me. David Winnie took the ugly, fat, useless, former A*r, cheat straight off (he didn't need a strecher - luckily for the ambulencemen). Airdrie were livid, and within seconds Glancy had started bombing into the Dumbarton half before releasing McGuire how beelined into the box at pace only to be upended by left back Stewart who had come accross to cover. He was unashamedly sent sprawling whilst driving in on goal for a clear scoring opportunity (although given the way we were playing...). Stewart had to go. STRAIGHT YELLOW!!!!!! Again, there may be another valid reason why there was no red. Then again the ref may simply be 'the ref if a completely hopeless piece of sh*t' to quote myself from two minutes earlier. But this time I'm convinced. THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH HIS EYESIGHT! Welcome to Division Two. Despite that manic two minutes though we were lucky only to concede three. It may have ended differently had Doc scored but.....

Dumbarton (442): Grindlay, McEwan, Stewart, Tommy Brown, Duffy, Collins, Crilly, Bonner, Dillon, McCutcheon, Andy Brown. Subs: McKeown, McCann, Robertson, McKelvie, Wight.

Airdrie Utd (532): McGeown, Armstrong, McVey, Stewart, Brannigan, Vella, Lee Gardner, Marvin Wilson, Glancy, Ronald, Docherty. Subs: Boyle, McGuire, Miller, Willie Wilson.

I was speaking with someone knowledgeable about the game, and well connected with the club, and was heartened to hear that there would be two signings that should help improve the squad. He shared my concerns about the formation but was quick to point out that we've got little to work with. This year really is about consolidation. If we're in the same boat next year then complain. Don't compare Sandy with McCall, who had a lot more to play with in the budget, albeit 'fools gold'. This Airdrie will be built on a solid foundation, and these are only being carefully laid at the moment. Sandy and Jim will get it right, we'll need to be a bit more understanding tnan normal. It would be a miracle to get promoted this year and a disaster to get relegated. My old friend confirmed this. Ballantyne mooted at it all summer too. We were warned. Rome wasn't built in a day. Things are going in the right direction despite that result. It doesn't mean we should suffer crap, and that kind of display every week would be detrimental, but our continued support will see us through.

As for the team we do have glaring problems that I don't think are insurmountable. Firstly I've got to admit that I hate 352 formation. Any decent team I've ever seen can quickly change their defensive formation into a neat 5 defenders and 5 attackers, providing cover and depth. The 352 formation that McCall and now Sandy have adopted leaves a huge gap between the 3 midfielders and 3 defenders that can be easily abused by a decent midfield runner when the midfield are all pushing up. Craig Brown bored Scotland with it for years as his midfield never pushed out and never clicked to his own cost. All the decent teams have a sitter and a runner in central midfield. Look at Brazil in recent years with Dunga holding. France had Deschamps. I can't remember the Brazilian this year but they did the same anyway. Man Utd have Keane (although he struggles to regiment himself enough at times), Hamann at Liverpool, Kenny Black at Airdrie in the mid nineties, Lambert at Dortmund in 97, etc., etc., etc. There are other problems too. The strikers lack goals. The defence is too slow.

Of course these are problems for Sandy to address. We know he's snapped up Stevie McKeown who we know is a gutsy wee striker with a fitness doubt. We know that Neil McGowan, an accomplished left back will sign, and we're hopeful that another striker will sign (hopefully a higher calibre one).

Personally I prefer either a good old fashioned 442 set up, or 343 that Doddie favoured. I don't think we've the players for a 442 but here's what I think he'll do. Firstly in defence I think that he'll pull Paul Armstrong into the centre. That'd mean Armstrong, Stewart and Vella. In midfield I think that McGowan will move straight into the left wing berth, with McVey switching to the right. In the middle I'd have Doc and Marv. I know most of us think of Marv as the defensive one because he's a tiger, but he's much better as the runner. Up front I'd go for McGuire, Ronald and Glancy, but obviously hoping that a more prolific centre can be found.

Man of the match: Paul Armstrong by a long way.