DUMBARTON assistant manager Stevie Farrell is adamant loan signing Eamonn Brophy will prove to be the crucial final piece in Sons’ new look squad.

Brophy has arrived on a three month emergency loan from Hamilton Accies, the 19-year-old striker made his debut off the bench in last week’s 0-0 draw at Morton.

After he made his first start against Rangers on Saturday, Farrell insisted Dumbarton made the move for Brophy to offer Sons boss Stevie Aitken a different option up front.

He said: “He is different to the strikers we have got at the club, me and Stevie had said in the last few weeks that we were looking for that something different.

“We have Steven Craig and Garry Fleming who come to the ball, their game is to hold it up and bring others into the game. Whereas Eamonn lives on the shoulder, he goes in behind defences, he runs down the side of centre backs.

“Having that mixture and those different attributes is key to us. Eamonn comes with good recommendations, we’ve watched him ourselves and we’re gald to have him at the club because he looks like he’ll be a good addition.”  While Brophy looks set to feature heavily for Sons until his loan ends in December, Dumbarton look set to be without full back Scott Taggart for up to six weeks with a torn stomach muscle after going off Morton.

However there is better news on former Ross County forward Stevie Ross who will be back to full fitness soon after not featuring since his debut off the bench away to Falkirk on August 28.

He said: “Stevie is on his way back, he has returned to light training last week and he has stepped that up, we are hoping to have him back in a couple of weeks.

“Taggs is struggling, it looks like he could be out for a good few weeks. We are being guided by the medical people but he has got a bad one.”