Dumbarton kicked-off their Betfred Cup campaign with a deserved 1-0 win over Annan Athletic at Galabank on Saturday thanks to Ryan Tierney’s second-half effort.

Eleven players made their Sons debut throughout the afternoon with three - Jordan Pettigrew, Lewis Crawford and Rico Quitongo - all making their first ever senior appearances.

And it was full-back Quitongo, son of former Dumbarton player and Scottish lower league journeyman Jose, who tested Aaran Taylor first with his swinging corner having to be tipped over the bar.

The front three of Crossan, Tierney and Stefan McCluskey were lively and energetic throughout the afternoon, and Crossan managed to get into a promising position after seven minutes but Taylor rushed off his line to prevent the former Celtic man from getting a shot away.

Further trickery and power from PJ Crossan on the left created Sons’ next chance as the ball found its way to the onrushing Crawford at the back post, but the young full-back’s shot was well blocked by Taylor.

Another chance fell Dumbarton’s way after 25 minutes as Crawford got on the end of McCluskey’s cross and had he headed either side of the goalkeeper then he surely would have given Dumbarton the lead, but Taylor gratefully clutched the ball in the centre of the goal.

READ MORE: Jim Duffy praises new-look Sons side after comfortable Annan win

The closest the home side got in the first-half against a well-organised Dumbarton defence, being talked through the game by the experienced Jordan McMillan, was an overhead kick from Tommy Muir that Pettigrew was happy to see float wide of the goal.

In the opening stages of the second-half the temperature continued to rise and the home side started well, but couldn’t quite find a way to test Pettigrew with Steven Swinglehurst’s looping header just missing at the far corner.

A calamitous mix-up on the hour mark nearly let the hosts in for the opener, but Quitongo was on the line to hook away Kyle Wilkie’s shot after Mati Zata and Pettigrew got themselves in a muddle following a long ball over the Sons defence.

Swinglehurst was the stand out in the Annan defence, so when he had to go off to receive treatment after a clash of heads left him gushing with blood, Sons took full advantage.

A pass from Stuart Carswell left Tierney on his own in the final third. With a defender and the goalkeeper to beat, he cut in past Euan Griffiths before lifting the ball over Taylor and into the net.

There could have been a second just a couple of minutes later as McCluskey beat the offside trap and looked to put the ball across goal for Crossan at the back post, but the pass was just intercepted and put behind for a corner.

Ruaridh Langan and Ryan McGeever came on for their Dumbarton debuts in the final quarter of an hour as Sons boss Jim Duffy looked to tighten up and it paid off as Sons held out comfortably and lie in second place in Group E of the Betfred Cup, behind Motherwell on goal difference after they defeated Queen of the South 3-0.

Sons take on Morton tonight in their second Betfred Cup match. Kick-off at Cappielow is at 7.45pm.

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