Dumbarton have often been described as the great unpredictables of the Second Division this season however, after winning three games in a row, there are signs that they can emerge as a side that is heading up the way now as opposed to up and then down the way.
The Sons' Manager Alan Adamson has worked hard at finding the right blend between experience and youth to get a consistency in his side however, one constant ingredient has been defender James Creaney.
The 23-year-old is a regular feature in the left hand side of Adamson’s defence and after an up and down career, he is enjoying a regular run as a Dumbarton player.
Creaney said: “I started off my career at Kilmarnock in 2005 when I was just 16 before moving to Ayr in October 2007 where I spent a couple of seasons. I then moved to Stranraer and was a regular in their first team under Derek Ferguson as we got promoted to the Second Division in season 2007/08.
“We had finished in second place and defeated Montrose in the Play-Off Semi-Finals but lost to Arbroath in the Final. It was the season that Gretna went out of business, so despite losing we got moved up a division. It was to be a difficult season as the club nearly ran out of money and we were relegated with Keith Knox coming in to replace Derek halfway through.”
Creaney left Stair Park that summer saying: “I wanted to move back to full-time football and travelled over to Ireland to get it. I jumped at the chance to play for firstly Dundalk and then Galway and overall, it was a really good experience. With Dundalk, we finished in fourth or fifth place however, my second season saw me fighting relegation with Galway.
“It was a good standard and Shamrock Rovers have shown how good it is with their exploits in Europe this season. A couple of the boys I played with are now over playing in England and I also played against Eoin Doyle who has just signed for Hibs. He scored against Cowdenbeath the other week in the Scottish Cup and I would not mind someone repeating that for us this weekend.”
Creaney headed home in the summer of 2010 to join Dumbarton as he explained: “I had two seasons in Ireland before Jim Chapman took me to Strathclyde Homes Stadium. There was a lot of cost cutting going on at Galway and across the Irish League in general so I came back to Scotland to try to get fixed up. I did not know Jim before but he must have liked what he had seen as he gave me a good run of games when I joined.
“Results were a bit up and down and I had picked up a wee knock before the current boss took over from Jim. We rallied and stayed in the division.”
This season Dumbarton started in an inconsistent fashion with a 5-1 home defeat from Stirling Albion being quickly followed by a 6-0 success at East Fife. It now however, looks like the Sons may well be settling.
Creaney said: “All season we have been a really good team going forward and scoring goals however, we were also quite good at conceding them. Recently we have been a bit harder to score against and hopefully, that is the way things are going to be from now on.
“We have won our last three games and that gives you confidence and further good results are always easier to achieve with a confident side.”
Creaney puts some of that improvement to the introduction of the experienced Jack Ross as Assistant Manager at the club.
The former Clyde, Hartlepool United, Falkirk, St. Mirren and Hamilton Academical man accepted his position shortly into the new season with Creaney explaining: “Jack has played at the highest level of the game in Scotland and picked up lots of knowledge. He has passed on that experience to help all the team but to the defenders in particular.
“He has been great to have about the place and with him having been a full-back himself, he has been able to help me with bits and pieces of my game which has been a huge help.”
Dumbarton’s recent trio of wins have been of the last gasp variety with Pat Walker twice and Bryan Prunty hitting winners at times that other clubs find hard to hit back against with Creaney saying: “Our victories have all come in the last minute of games and hopefully, that shows that the squad here will never give up. What is also important is that we have beaten really decent sides in this division to achieve them.
“Arbroath and Brechin at home were tough games and it is always a battle against Airdrie at their place.
"These were games that we had to win after a disappointing performance at Albion Rovers at the start of December when we got beat 3-1. Hopefully, those successes have sent out a message in terms of what we want to do for the rest of the season."
The message about Dumbarton’s aims will emanate stronger with a good display against League leaders Cowdenbeath at The Rock on Saturday with Creaney commenting: “We are a side playing with a bit of confidence now and we can look to take the game to them. They beat us too easily at our place earlier in the season but at Central Park, we secured a goalless draw on a day when the game was played in dreadful conditions.
“It will be difficult but our aim has got to be to keep playing well. We have got ourselves into a good position now and another couple of good results will see us consolidate in the top half of the table.
"We want to finish the season as high as possible and the Play-Offs are not beyond us. In fact, we are in one of the places just now.”
Creaney now combines playing with working with his Dad in Glasgow’s Govan area would be happy to break up the father and son partnership as he explained: “My aim is to keep playing well for Dumbarton and seeing where that takes us but ideally, I would love to be a full-time footballer again, preferably in Scotland.”
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