Second Division - Mid Season Review 2011/12

Colin Cameron has stepped into Jimmy Nicholl’s shoes and performed wonders.

Tremendous home form – 20 points from 24, conceding only five goals in eight games – has been the foundation for their early season success and they have only lost once in their last 12 League games.

With seven players contributing three or more League goals already, they obviously are a side that offer a threat from various areas of the pitch – something that gives them a real chance of finishing as champions.

Paul Sheerin has taken to management like a duck to water and his Arbroath side could produce back to back championships if their early season form is anything to go by.

In half of their games so far, they have scored three or more goals but they need to be tighter at the back – particularly on their travels – if they are to finish top of the pile.

Steven Doris and Gavin Swankie have chipped in with almost half of their League goals and that is brilliant as long as they remain fit.

Davie Irons’ side have been tremendous at home – 20 points from 27 – but need to improve their form on the road if they are to win the title – they have taken only eight points from 24 away from Ochilview.

Similarly, the Warriors have conceded only seven goals at home as opposed to 16 on the road.

The squad are experienced enough to go on a run and deliver the championship but they will need to recover from their Boxing Day loss at home to Cowdenbeath quickly.

The division’s highest scorers have work to do to get into the Play-Off shake up.

That must start with a better record on the road – building on their Boxing Day victory at Station Park. That was only their second win from nine games away from home.

Holding on to Ryan Donnelly may be key for The Diamonds as their young striker will be on the radar of a number of clubs having notched 17 times in 18 League games.

Paul Martin has worked miracles at the Wee Rovers and their second quarter results have been phenomenal – 16 points from a possible 24 after winning only five from the first 27.

Given their budget and lack of experience at this level, it is quite remarkable that they are currently fighting for a Play-Off position for promotion to the First Division.

If they are going to manage that, they will need to perform better away from Cliftonhill.

Much fancied City struggled at the start of the season and they have given the leaders a huge advantage to claw back if they are to come out on top.

Five wins from 17 games is not Championship contender material although there is some suggestion that their form is changing and that they could still have a part to play in the title race – four of those wins came in their last eight games.

Jim Weir’s players will also need to find the net more regularly to have any chance of promotion – 20 goals from 17 games is a poor return for anyone with those aspirations.

If Dumbarton are going to do anything this season, they need to do two things – win more games and concede fewer goals.

Five wins from 16 games is not good enough for any team with promotion or Play-Off hopes.

And that’s the same for a club who have conceded an average of two goals per game – that leaves the team needing to score too many goals to gain three points.

John Robertson’s side are world beaters one week and panel beaters the next.  They need some consistency to their game if they are to climb the League towards the Play-Offs.

They have shown they are capable of putting a run of results together and, to be honest, if they hadn’t won four on the bounce in October, they would have been worrying more about relegation.

Finally, 21 goals from 15 games is not enough if they have any real promotion hopes – especially when they have conceded 29.

One win in the last nine League games tells you exactly where Forfar’s problems lie.

Dick Campbell will be frustrated that he hasn’t got more out of his players up until now and the fact that The Loons have only won once at Station Park in eight attempts underlines how poorly they have performed.

However, knowing Dick, he will be emphasising that his team are only three wins from the Play-Offs for the First Division and nobody should write him or his players off at the moment from getting into them.

It’s been a tough old season so far for The Binos and it isn’t likely to get any easier any time soon.

Currently on a run of six defeats on the bounce, you have to ask what is going to spark them into life and get them out of the relegation spots. Stand-in Gaffer Greig McDonald has his work cut out.

Nobody could have predicted that after they won their first two League games of the season.