DUMBARTON dropped into the Championship’s bottom two after Denny Johnstone struck five minutes from time to give Morton a 2-1 win at the Rock on Saturday.

Darren Barr had brought Sons level after a stunning Joe McKee strike had put Ton in front. With the game looking likely to finish level, Johnstone made the most of some indecision in the Sons defence to give Jim Duffy’s men all three points.

Dumbarton boss Stevie Aitken made two changes to the side humiliated by Falkirk at the Cheaper Insurance Direct Stadium the previous week. Jordan Kirkpatrick and Eamonn Brophy replaced Jon Routledge and Steven Craig.

It was a lively start from Sons, lining up in a 4-4-2 formation. Inviting crosses from Steven Saunders and Willie Gibson couldn’t be converted by Eamonn Brophy and Garry Fleming.

After 10 minutes Grant Gallagher was a whisker away from getting his head to a Willie Gibson corner but Morton keeper Grant Adam grabbed the ball just as it looked like the midfield man would nod Sons into the lead.

Minutes later Brophy had the game’s first clear chance at goal. Kirkpatrick played a ball down the line for him to chase, the on-loan Accies striker looked second favourite but outmuscled Luca Gasporotto on the byline. As he approached goal at an acute angle, the cut back to Gallagher looked the best option, but he opted to shoot and fired it well wide.

A well worked move between Morton’s front men then gave the away side a sight at Mark Brown’s goal. Denny Johnstone did well to hold off challenges on the right before slipping in Stefan McCluskey, however his effort from the right side of the box didn’t threaten.

Morton then heaped pressure onto themselves. Lee Kilday was challenged by Brophy out on the left wing with the ball clearly coming off the Morton player last, with the opportunity to clear Kilday bizarrely let the ball run out for a corner which drew anger from the away fans. Dumbarton couldn’t capitalise on the two corners which materialised.

In the 38th minute Sons were forced into a change as Steven Saunders picked up an injury. Jon Routledge replaced him with Grant Gallagher filling in at right back.

Sons’ performance had taken a dip in the closing stages of the half and they were soon made to pay.

A corner from the right from Michael Tidser was cleared and then quickly played back in from the other side, Mark Brown punched away only as far as Joe McKee. The midfielder struck it on the half volley from fully 20 yards into the corner of the net. It was a tremendous strike and put Sons mentality to the test on the back of their bruising defeat to Falkirk.

Fleming soon had the chance to level, the ball broke to him on the right side of the box following a cross, he sliced the shot however when he really should’ve hit the target.

Moments into the second period and Sons should have been level. Mark Docherty did well to get a cross in from the left byline, it was inviting for Scott Brown to finish but under pressure he couldn’t get a clean contact and sent it high and wide.

In the 52nd minute Sons would haul themselves level. A free kick from the left from Willie Gibson wasn’t cleared and dropped at the feet of Darren Barr. The Sons captain instinctively stuck out his left foot to prod it into the top left corner.

Morton responded to the equaliser well with their midfield looking the stronger of the two. Goalscorer McKee in particular was having a bright afternoon, he went close with a free-kick which Mark Brown dealt with well.

On the hour mark a Bobby Barr cross appeared to strike Docherty on the arm. Referee George Salmond waved away what was a very strong appeal for Ton.

The second half was turning into a full blooded affair. With Livingston, who occupied the relegation play-off spot before play on Saturday winning convincingly over Raith Rovers, the value of three points was not lost on both sets of supporters. Sons for all their effort couldn’t muster any clear chances for a winner. Dumbarton boss Aitken threw on academy prospect Donald McCallum in place of Brophy with 15 minutes to go to ask a different question of the Ton backline.

It nearly paid off immediately as the teenager found space on the left before receiving a pass, he clipped a ball to the back post which looked on the money for Fleming to head in. But it drifted agonisingly out of reach for the striker.

With 10 minutes to go Fleming went close again. He controlled a lovely pass from Gibson expertly before driving at the Ton defence, space opened up for a shot from the edge of the box but he pulled a left footed strike wide.

It looked like the side’s wouldn’t be separated until Morton struck a decisive blow with five minutes to go. Substitute Alex Samuel chased what appeared to be a lost cause, but he managed to get round Darren Barr on the byline and square the ball. Mark Brown was caught in two minds, at first electing to come out towards Samuel to block before scampering back. That left Denny Jonhstone with the simplest of tasks to put it into the unguarded net.