Dumbarton boss Stevie Farrell has urged his side to be ready for eight cup finals as they look to beat the drop in League One.

Sons lost for the third time in a row on Saturday as Queen’s Park picked up a comfortable three points with a 3-0 win at the moreroom.com stadium.

Farrell’s side remain second from bottom in the fight to avoid relegation – though results elsewhere did go Sons’ way as fellow strugglers Peterhead and Alloa were both beaten and bottom dogs East Fife, who are next up for Dumbarton, picked up a point.

Sons’ fate remains in their own hands and Faz admits that’s the only saving grace from the weekend.

Speaking post-match, he said: “All week we worked on our defensive shape against them. We know how they play, and going up the pitch we have caused them problems.

“We spoke about defending properly after last week, and particularly in the opening period of the game – and we lose a goal after four minutes. It’s not good enough.

“I’ve said what I’ve said to the players and that will remain private, but I’ll never come out here and individually say anything about any player.

“I’ve told them exactly what I think of them, individually and collectively, but ultimately all eyes are on me.

“The pressure’s on me to make sure we get this job done, and if we continue with performances like that, we are going to make it very difficult for ourselves.

“I’ve said to the players ‘you can walk about with your heads on your chests or get your chests out and be ready for eight cup finals’.

“The only thing I would say is, is that it’s a top five against a bottom five. The league is completely split. Peterhead, Alloa and ourselves were all beat today so nothing has changed from that point of view but that’s the only positive of the day.”

Sons travel to bottom of the league East Fife on Saturday looking to increase the gap over Stevie Crawford’s men to nine points and Faz says he wants his team to rediscover the form that saw them bounce back in January from a run of five league defeats on the spin.

He added: “We found a way of turning it in January after the horrible run that we were on and we’ve got to find a way again.”