What looked like being a promising afternoon went horribly wrong for Dumbarton as Queen of the South ran out comfortable winners at the C&G Systems Stadium on Saturday.

PJ Crossan opened the scoring on seven minutes, but by the time 16 more minutes had passed, the Dumfries side had run in four goals.
Michael Paton, Gary Oliver, Stephen Dobbie and Connor Murray were the men on target for the visitors as defensive mistakes cost Sons again.

The goal rush of the first-half made way for a more competitive second 45 minutes which yielded no further goals on either side. However, the damage was done.

It all looked so promising when Ryan Tierney’s ball to the back post found Crossan, whose narrow angled shot was deflected into the net.

But the lead lasted only three minutes until it was cancelled out in similar fashion. A searching ball in from the left by Queens found Paton waiting to squeeze the ball home against his former club.

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Three minutes later a low ball came into the area from the right, finding the unmarked Oliver for an easy finish six-yards out.

On 17 minutes the free-scoring Dobbie got what seems to be his obligatory goal for Queens, getting on the end of a through ball and cutting in from the left to beat Connor Brennan.

And six minutes after that, Murray bent home a shot from the edge of the area to further dampen spirits in the home areas of the stadium.
Joe McKee, making his debut as a signed player for Dumbarton, tried to narrow the gap shortly after that, but his shot from a decent position was saved.

Sons got to grips with the game a bit better after the restart, but were struggling to really test the visiting goalkeeper. Indeed, only a fine save by Brennan prevented Murray from making it five just after the hour mark.
McKee had another effort which was kept out by the goalie, while Brennan again denied Murray as the game entered its final stages.

It marked the end of a difficult week for Dumbarton which had previously seen them ship six goals away to Morton, the club where Jim Duffy was previously manager.

Incredibly, Sons were 5-0 down at half-time, and although Morgyn Neill headed a goal back in the second-half, a sixth goal for the Greenock club added further insult.

Dumbarton face another tough test tonight, with Premiership outfit Motherwell visiting the C&G Systems Stadium for Sons’ final match in Group E.

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After that it is on to the League One campaign, beginning on Saturday, August 3 at home to Raith Rovers.

Dumbarton: Brennan, Quitongo, Neill, Carswell (Langan 78), Hutton, Tierney (Crawford 46), McCluskey, McKee, McGeever, McMillan, Crossan (Zata 74). Subs: Pettigrew, Shiels.

Queen of the South: McCrorie, Holt, Kilday, Brownlie (Gourlay 78), Pybus, Murray, Kidd, Oliver, Dobbie (Hamilton 54), McCarthy (Irving 61), Paton. Subs: Burns, Williams, Williamson.

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