With Ian Murray’s wife giving birth a number of hours before kick off, the manager didn’t arrive until half way through the first half, just in time to see Falkirk take the lead through defender David McCracken before Rory Loy made it 2-0 in the second period.

Speaking after the match a disappointed Ross said: “We were poor and I don’t think either Ian or myself would shy away from that.

“It wasn’t for lack of effort or desire — we just didn’t play well.

“We didn’t start the game well, we didn’t finish the game well and the bit in between wasn’t great either.

“We have no qualms about the result, it was just an off night for too many players at the same time, we didn’t deserve anything from the game and we have to move on.” Murray and Ross made five changes to the team that lost against Dundee on Saturday with Jamie Ewings, Hugh Murray, Mark Gilhaney, Scott Agnew and Garry Fleming replacing Stephen Grindlay, Mark McLaughlin, Jordan Kirkpatrick, Mitch Megginson and Colin Nish The game started slowly with Falkirk dominating possession but only having a Will Vaulks header straight at Ewings and a Rory Loy effort that landed on the roof of the net to show for their efforts. However, the hosts made their dominance count in the 25th minute when McCracken headed home Mark Millar’s corner.

Murray and Ross tried to bring the Sons into the game by introducing Kirkpatrick for Scott Linton before the break but he could not stop Dumbarton going in at half time 1-0 behind.

Dumbarton got off to a bright start in the second half and were inches from equalising when Michael McGovern just stopped Scott Agnew’s powerful drive from crossing the line.

That was to be the closest Dumbarton came to levelling and in the 73rd minute Loy doubled the hosts’ advantage with some neat footwork in the box before drilling the ball low across Ewings and into the bottom corner of the net.

Loy added a third shortly after but he was denied by the linesman’s flag before Hugh Murray was sent off in the 89th minute after collecting his second booking of the game. Falkirk: McGovern, Kingsley, Vaulks, Beck, Alston (Leahy), Sibbald (Hogg), McGrandles, Loy (Small), McCracken, Millar, Chalmers.

Unused substitutes: Durojaiye, Flynn, Bowman, Shepherd.

Dumbarton: Ewings, McGinn, Linton (Kirkpatrick), Graham, Miller, Murray, Turner (Nish), Gilhaney, Agnew (Megginson), Fleming, Kane.

Unused subs: Grindlay, Smith, McDougall, Prunty.