However the skipper believes their performance will give Ian Murray’s side confidence when facing the league’s big teams during the rest of the campaign, starting when Hearts visit the Rock on Saturday.

Sons took the lead at Ibrox when Graham put the visitors in front after 15 minutes and were unlucky to be 2-1 behind at the break.

Dumbarton had chances to make it 2-0 and to equalise in the second half — but Rangers struck a third in the closing stages to seal the victory.

Graham is sure that Sons’ display shows they can compete with the best teams in the league.

He said: “I think we played well and were unfortunate not to get something out the game.

“We really went for it in the last 10 minutes and threw everybody forward, we are disappointed to lose the third goal because it doesn’t look as close as the game was.

“I think if we get the second goal which we had chances to do we would’ve took something from the game; I don’t think we’ll have a better chance to get a result against Rangers than that.

“We conceded a really unlucky goal to make it 1-1.

“Before that you could feel the atmosphere around the stadium was really negative and that was transmitting to the players.” Dumbarton welcome Hearts this weekend and will take confidence from their showing at Ibrox. They also remain one of only two teams – the other being Hibs — to take something from the title favourites this season, drawing 0-0 when last time the sides met at the Rock.

Graham insists there is no reason Dumbarton can’t get a positive result come Saturday evening.

He said: “We are trying to make Dumbarton a harder place to come this year and we did well against them last time, so that will be fresh in their mind too. If we play the way we did yesterday we have every chance of getting something.” His Ibrox goal was Graham’s second of the season having already netted against Hibs — and Graham admits it will be hard to top the feeling of scoring at Ibrox.

He said: “I scored one at Stirling Albion that clinched the league for us but Saturday’s goal was certainly something to remember.”