Dumbarton manager Stevie Farrell admits his side never got out the traps quick enough as the Sons crashed out of the SPFL Trust Trophy at the first hurdle, with Rangers B running out comfortable winners at The Rock last night.

First-half efforts from Jake Hastie and Alex Lowry had the visitors cruising at the break with Tony Weston’s strike fifteen minutes from time appearing to make the game safe.

Faz’s side looked to set up a dramatic finale as Gregor Buchanan headed home for Dumbarton with a few minutes to go before Eoghan Stokes scored his first for the club just after, but in the end they were to be no more than consolation goals.

The Sons boss was frustrated to exit the competition and wanted more from his players – but did reveal that one of the substitutes who played a vital part in the two late goals may have done enough to earn a start on Saturday against Queens Park.

Speaking post-match, he said: “I wanted to win the game. I’m not going to sit here as a manager and say this cup doesn’t matter to me, because it did matter to me and the players have been told that so I’m disappointed in the result. That’s the standards that we must set – that defeat isn’t acceptable.

“I always believe we will score goals because of the chances we create and football we play. I thought we should have scored more.

“I’m concerned about the goals we’re losing because it’s not as if they are carving us open. If we continue to concede goals we’ll make games very difficult, if we don’t concede goals there’s a chance we’ll be very successful.

“We had to go and press them and we did that towards the end of the first-half, and we certainly did it all second-half, but you’re 2-0 down by them and chasing the game and that’s a lesson they’ve got to learn.

“Managers don’t pick teams, players pick teams and Calum Wilson is saying to me that he wants in this team. That’s the last two performances he has certainly staked a claim to be involved at Firhill on Saturday without a shadow of a doubt.”

Farrell made just two changes from the side that went up against Airdrieonians on Saturday as Paddy Boyle and Andy Geggan came into the side to get minutes under their belts as they return from injury – they replaced Conner Duthie and Sam Muir.

A strong looking Rangers B team featured Croatian international Nikola Katic, who scored in an Old Firm game last season, recent £750,000 signing from Manchester United Charlie McCann and £350,000 ex-Motherwell man Hastie.

There wasn’t much in the contest in the opening twenty minutes but Hastie’s accurate finish from just outside the box had the visitors ahead before the impressive Lowry prodded home a second five minutes later after a poor clearance in the Sons backline.

Dumbarton finally got going after half-an-hour, and had Kalvin Orsi been a little less honest he may have won a penalty when he rounded Lewis Budinauckas but stayed on his feet and a chance fizzled out.

Geggan looked to follow up Saturday’s heroics with a strike from the edge of the area comfortably held by the goalkeeper and Gregor Buchanan nodded over the bar in Sons most notable chances towards the end of the opening period.

There were early sights of goal in the second-half for Sons to try and get back into the game but Ross MacLean nodded over and Carlo Pignatiello had an effort beaten away.

The visitors could have made the game safe a couple of minutes later but Hastie opted to shoot when a pass may have been a better option and Callum Erskine stood up well in the Dumbarton goal to keep out McCann after a mazy run from the midfielder.

Dumbarton’s best chance fell to MacLean at the back post but he could only divert the ball over the bar before Weston secured the Gers spot in the Second Round with fifteen minutes to go when he slammed the ball into the net. 

Substitute Wilson once again impressed when coming on and he had a hand in both of Sons consolation goals – first, he won the free-kick that he then crossed for Buchanan to head in before he turned his man inside out on the left-hand side to set up Stokes to sweep home.

League duty continues for Dumbarton this Saturday when they make the trip to Firhill to take on Queen’s Park as they look to maintain their unbeaten start to the season. Kick-off is at 3pm.