Sons passed up numerous opportunities to equalise before Danny Mullen put Livi 2-0 up.

After that Sons went to pieces, going on to concede five for the second time in as many home matches.

Murray said after the game: “I thought we were excellent in the first half, we dominated up until the first 15 minutes of the second half.

“You always get that feeling when you don’t score that the players can get disheartened. The header David Van Zanten missed at the back post was probably the turning point in the game, we dipped after that.

“Livi got the goals at the right times but we capitulated after the second goal. Sometimes circumstances dictate how you have to go about things.

“Overall of course we are disappointed with the scoreline but I felt for 60 minutes we were by far the better side.” Dumbarton’s squad has suffered with injuries, players leaving the club have also given Murray selection issues, Sons could only name four substitutes on Saturday with one of them — Archie Campbell — having suffered with flu all week.

With Van Zanten coming off on Saturday with an injury to add to the list of players in the treatment room, Murray insists bringing in new faces is a priority.

He said: “We are quite fortunate that we have a week off after the Falkirk game so we’ll use that time wisely. Garry Fleming is suspended next week, Van Zanten is definitely out next week. The good thing is Mark Gilhaney will return to training on Tuesday.

“There is no doubt that we need bodies in that is a no brainer.”