Joe Mckee scored the only goal of the game, as Dumbarton secured victory in their final friendly of pre-season against local rivals Clydebank.
In a fiercely contested game against the in-form Bankies, McKee’s class proved the difference - as the midfielder netted his first goal since returning to the Rock last month.
And manager Stevie Farrell was pleased with his side’s performance, against a Clydebank side who pushed them hard.
Farrell said: “It was good. Clydebank were very well organised, their shape was good out of possession and we had to find ways to break that down.
“I thought in the first-half we were a wee bit too pedestrian. The game was small.
“We had to stretch people and the players listened at half time and we got a goal from stretching the play.
“The message at half-time was all about breaking a team who are well organised and sit in down. And that’s what we did, so I’m pleased.”
Without the injured trio of Paddy Boyle, Paul Paton and Andy Geggan - and with both Eoghan Stokes and David Hopkirk isolating, Sons named new signing Carlo Pignatiello in their starting lineup - with the utility man beginning his Sons career in a midfield role alongside Joe McKee and Stuart Carswell.
With the pitch doused in a rain shower just before kick off, both sides struggled to get ahold of the ball in a scrappy first-half.
Bankies winger Lee Gallacher had the first chance of note, as he lashed into Callum Erskine’s gloves from the edge of the area - before Sons industrious trialist left-back dug out a cross that just evaded Ross Maclean at the far post.
Erskine then breathed a sigh of relief as he and Gregor Buchanan got involved in a defensive mixup that saw Ross McPherson hit the deck - but despite claims from the Bankies dugout for a penalty the referee was unmoved.
As the game neared half time the Bankies threatened again. This time Gallacher pounced on a slack pass and drove forward before whipping a low effort underneath Erskine that bounced to safety via the post.
After a below par first-half, Dumbarton started the second period as the better team - and began to make their quality show.
Conner Duthie twice called Jamie Donnelly into action, before a neat passing move sent Kalvin Orsi free down the right - but nobody in yellow could get on the end of his cutback.
Sons’ wouldn’t have long to wait for an opener however, and it was a goal that arrived in style.
A neat exchange between McKee and Orsi saw returning Son McKee skip beyond a couple of challenges and roll the ball beyond Donnelly and in off the far post.
The chances continued coming for the hosts as Ross Maclean drilled into Donnelly’s gloves from the edge of the area, before goalscorer McKee was denied by the former Rossvale keeper.
The Bankies reminded Sons of their threat however, and Matt Niven really should’ve done better than nod Gallacher’s inviting corner over the bar from six yards.
As the game wore on and the Sons introduced a host of trialists it became more fragmented, but there was still time for two more chances.
First a trialist midfielder danced beyond a number of challenges before having a shot deflected into the arms of Donnelly.
And then McKee could only tamely fire at the Bankies number one from close range, after getting on the end of a perfect Pignatiello delivery.
In the end though it mattered little, as the Sons held on for a second victory and third clean sheet of a productive pre-season.
