BY ALAN TEMPLE – @CCP_Sport
Dumbarton star Mark Docherty is adamant lightning can strike twice as the Sons plot to stun Hibernian for a second time this season.
Stevie Aitken’s men claimed a shock triumph over the capital club on the opening day of the Championship campaign, with goals from Gregor Buchanan and Willie Gibson scoring a 2-1 victory.
It was Dumbarton’s first win over the Hibees since 1985 and, although they find themselves on a run of one win in their last six fixtures, Docherty insists the part-timers believe they can repeat the feat at the Rock this afternoon.
The 27-year-old said: “We have already beaten them at our place this season and it is a fixture which we are really looking forward to. No-one would have given us a chance on the first day of the season but we managed to get the win, so we are aiming for that again.
“They were packed with top players – they still had Scott Allan at the time – but we were determined, worked hard and performed to a really high level as a team. Hibs will rightly be favourites, but we want to replicate that performance and, on our day, we have players that can hurt them.
“Hibs are going for promotion and they will know that they need to win every game to keep pace with Rangers, so all the pressure is on them.
“With Morton winning at Easter Road, I’m sure that will give them even more incentive to come here and win, so we know it will be tough, but we won’t shy away from that challenge.”
Confidence
Dumbarton come into this contest on the back of a 5-0 Scottish Cup hammering at the hands of Dundee on Tuesday night, however Docherty insists morale has not been damaged by the reverse.
Indeed, he is more concerned by the lack of goals scored in recent weeks, rather than the five shipped in Tayside.
Docherty is the last man to find the net for Dumbarton – with his strike in the 1-0 win over Livingston coming 394 minutes ago. However, he has backed the Sons to end their drought after four consecutive blanks.
He added: “Tuesday night was a disappointment, but it was a freebie in terms of trying to do something special in the Scottish Cup. The league has always been the bread and butter and we are looking ahead to Hibs with confidence.
“However, we do need to start scoring – that’s what we’ve been lacking and if you don’t score freely then you are going to struggle to win games.
“But our attacking players are not short of confidence. They know that if the chances keep coming then eventually the luck will turn and the goals will come. We need a wee break in front of goal and maybe the Hibs game is the perfect time for that.”
