Dumbarton3–2Banks O'Dee

Deryn Lang made it three goals in a week with the winner against Highland League Banks o’Dee.

The victory sets up a final matchday showdown against county neighbours Clydebank as Sons aim to make it beyond the league phase of the KDM Evolution Trophy for the second straight season.

On the back of victories against Spartans and Kilmarnock B, boss Frank McKeown shuffled the pack - welcoming back Tom Lang and David Craig to his starting line-up for the visit of the Aberdeen side.

And having netted six times in their previous two matches, Sons started like a side who had found their confidence - with a slick opening goal inside just 12 minutes.

Skipper Mikey Doyle pinched possession and set off on a driving run down the right before slipping in Robbie Cleary with a perfectly weighted pass, and the Canadian squared for Leighton McIntosh to smash into the empty net.

After Lachie Macleod had nodded a free-header straight at Sons keeper Mason Munn for the visitors, the chances began to flow for Frank McKeown’s side.

Deryn Lang was left punching the turf in frustration as he glanced a header from Robbie Cleary’s cross narrowly wide of the far post - but it wouldn’t be long before the red-hot striker would make his mark.

Mikey Doyle’s ball forward was misjudged by a defender and sent the summer signing from Stranraer clean through. He was wiped out by onrushing keeper Daniel Hoban, leaving referee Mark Daly with no option but to point to the spot.

Scott Honeyman stepped up to send Hoban the wrong way from 12 yards to double Sons’ lead.

Lang almost added a quickfire third, and the goal his showing had deserved, as he raced onto a defence splitting pass and clinically found the net - but the assistant’s flag cut short any celebrations.

Robbie Cleary was next to threaten with a free-kick that looped over the wall and into the gloves of the grateful Hoban, before another chance came and went for Lang to find the net.

This time a sharp move down the left sent Owen Hartington clear, with the Celtic loanee clipping in a cross that found the unmarked forward - but his header was straight at Hoban in the away goal.

For all their play, however, Sons found themselves ahead by just a single goal at the break - as Banks struck on the stroke of half-time.

Neat play saw Grady McGrath sent clear, and the former Cove Rangers frontman made no mistake with a sharp finish beyond Mason Munn.

That gave the visitors a new lease of life in the second-half, as they started on top - albeit without seriously testing Munn in the home goal.

A dangerous counter attack only ended as Magnus Watson tripped over the ball as he raced in on goal, before goalscorer McGrath had a free-kick from the edge of the box bravely blocked by the Dumbarton wall.

Aided by the introduction of Josiah Sowa, Sons grew into the half, with Owen Hartington firing a deflected warning shot narrowly wide.

After Sowa saw penalty claims fall on deaf ears, the all-important third Dumbarton goal of the afternoon finally arrived with 24 minutes remaining.

Lang rolled a defender and spread play superbly to Robbie Cleary, with the winger beating two men before prodding back to Lang - who drilled into the bottom corner.

That would be Lang’s final action of a superb showing however, as he was forced off with a hamstring injury.

It didn’t look as if that would derail Sons however, until a bolt from the blue got the away side back into things with 10 minutes left on the clock.

Liam Duell took aim from the edge of the area with an effort that Munn could only get fingertips to on its way into the top corner.

A trademark Sowa run almost immediately restored Sons’ advantage as he surged beyond a collection of challenges and tested substitute keeper Matthew Duncan, with Scott Honeyman just unable to turn in the rebound.

Grady McGrath then passed up a golden chance to draw the Highland League side level as he blazed over a cutback from the edge of the six yard box, leaving the home end breathing a sigh of relief.

However the final chance would come for the Sons.

Driving play from Sowa sent substitute Scott Tomlinson racing clear, but the winger clipped wide of target one-on-one with Duncan - as Sons held on to set up a final matchday showdown in their first meeting with Clydebank for more than a quarter of a century.