Dumbarton1–5Livingston

IT was a really disappointing afternoon for Dumbarton in the SPFL Championship, as foot-of- the table Livingston inflicted a humiliating 5-1 defeat on them at the Rock.

Gaffer Ian Murray said after the game: “I thought we were excellent in the first half. We dominated up until the first 15 minutes of the second half.

“You always get that feeling when you don't score that the players can get disheartened. The header [we] missed at the back post was probably the turning point in the game, we dipped after that.

“Livi got the goals at the right times but we capitulated after the second goal. Sometimes circumstances dictate how you have to go about things. “Overall of course we are disappointed with the scoreline but I felt for 60 minutes we were by far the better side.”

Sons went behind to a simple goal after just five minutes. A Livingston corner bobbled dangerously in the box before Jordan White nodded home from close range.

For much of the opening period Dumbarton looked well in control of the game. They created more chances, but clearly lacked a killer touch in front of goal.

Dylan Easton and Mitch Megginson had chances, before Megginson saw a shot stopped by the legs of the Livi 'keeper.

An opportunity for Scott Linton at the far post saw him put the ball into the roof of the net.

Next, David van Zanten was blocked well by a defender before he could get in on goal.

Before the break Megginson picked up a booking for a challenge which appeared to be well controlled and clearly on the ball.

In the second half Sons started to press hard once more.

Sons 'keeper Danny Rogers stopped Livingston going ahead on a breakaway, as he stopped Mullen with a fine block.

Perhaps the turning point in the game came when Dumbarton's Garry Fleming put in a good cross, but van Zanten was only able to head over the bar, missing a chance for the home side to go level.

The referee waved away a home penalty claim on 54 minutes, after Livi's Danny Mullen had been thwarted by alert 'keeper Danny Rogers at the other end.

Then Livingston struck on the break when Mullen pounced to place the ball high into the net from ten yards out on 63 minutes.

Things got scrappy from then on. An injured David van Zanten was replaced by Scott Taggart for Sons, before the visitors made it 3-0 with a soft rebound goal from Mullen again on 72 minutes.

It went from bad to worse when Keaghan Jacobs put his side 4-0 in front on 79 minutes.

Gaffer Murray then made a change, bringing Dylan Easton off and replacing him with Archie Campbell, who had made the bench despite recovering from a bad cold.

However, there was no respite for Sons.

Jordan White pushed home a fifth three minutes later. It was far too easy for Livingston.

Sons looked thoroughly demoralized. Sons substitute Donald McCallum put in a good ball across goal, but there was no-one there on the end of it.

Minutes later the enterprising younster gave his team a consolation goal with a well engineered tap-in on 86 minutes.

In a gesture noted with appreciation by the fans, Lee Mair ran the length of the pitch to offer a congratulatory handshake to McCallum.

Dumbarton remain in seventh position in a competitive division. Next up is a visit to promotion-chasers Falkirk, who have just beaten leaders beat Hearts, next weekend.

Boss Murray concluded in relation to Sons' current situation: “A combination of injuries and player movements has left us down to the bare bones in terms of personnel.

"But I believe we have the quality there and having Stuart Findlay and Dylan [Easton] on board eases things slightly. That still leaves us with places to fill and we are working to bring in players in this transfer window.”