Dumbarton2–1Partick Thistle

THEY'LL tell you in any walk of football that a win is a win.

The main purpose of this game was to prepare Dumbarton for the new season. After 37 minutes the priority was to come out of it with no further injuries.

But all the same, victory over a Partick Thistle team who finished last season in the Premiership's top six is a very decent way for the new-look Sons side to make its mark.

Christian Nade opened the scoring and, although Kevin Nisbet equalised for the Jags, the late winner came courtesy of the man who replaced Nade — known only in the teamlines below as C Trialist.

Stevie Aitken finished the evening knowing a lot more about his team than he did before after a useful exercise.

However, he also had to deal with another setback for midfielder Grant Gallagher, who eight minutes from half time suffered a knee injury.

It remains to be seen how long the new occupant of the no.5 jersey will be out for. But even after it happened, Sons held their own and, although reliant on keeper Scott Gallacher at times, picked up the victory.

Before opening the scoring, Nade had already gone close with a bending shot which keeper Ryan Scully turned away.

The next time the ball fell to the striker in the area, on 13 minutes, it was the result of Tom Walsh's cross, which he buried.

Gallacher's first major test of the evening was on 19 minutes, saving well from Stuart Bannigan, but the rest of the first half saw Dumbarton dominate.

Walsh sidestepped two challenges on the edge of the area only to shoot over, before David Wilson broke with the ball from his own half.

He played in Mark Stewart, but the striker's effort was beaten away by the keeper.

Early in the second half another opportunity fell to Walsh after he was played in down the left. His shot from a narrow angle after breaking into the area was just the wrong side of the far post.

Then after 52 minutes it was all square again when Thistle's Christie Elliott dodged a challenge out on the right and sent over a low ball for Nisbet, on loan to Ayr United last season, to convert.

That triggered a series of chances for Partick, but Gallacher was up to the challenges set by both Stevie Lawless and Chris Erskine in quick succession.

He was then beaten by Nisbet again with 15 minutes left, from a free kick, but the set piece crashed off the bar and the ball was scrambled clear.

Shortly afterwards Kris Doolan was put through at a narrow angle, but once again Gallacher was on form, turning the shot past the far post.

With 10 minutes left C Trialist, one of four such players on the night, tried a scissors kick from Craig Barr's header across goal, but couldn't make clean contact and his shot was saved.

However, two minutes later he cashed in on a sliced clearance from a low ball in from the left and finished at a narrow angle.

Job done, and purpose served.