McInally gutted for his players after Sons loss

Peterhead paid the price for being blunt in attack at Dumbarton as they slumped to a fourth consecutive defeat after missing a glut of chances.

Six good opportunities were passed up in the first half and the Blue Toon were hit with a suckerpunch on 54 minutes when Ryan McGeever scored to give promotion-chasing Sons the spoils.

Further openings were squandered and a strong penalty shout was ignored to leave manager Jim McInally having to lift the spirits of his players.

The Balmoor boss said: “I know what the problem is. If you do not score goals, then you do not pick up points. I cannot criticise the effort put in and I am gutted for the players.

“They are down but

I have told them to look at Montrose. They have just won their fourth game in a row and that is what happens when you have confidence.

“I would feel different if we were not competing or were well-beaten but we were well in the game.

“However, for all the shots we had, we never worked their keeper enough. Everything seemed to roll past and that is the way it is going for us just now.”

McInally, remaining upbeat, added: “We played really well in the first half and then started the second half well also.

“However, we then had a bad five minutes and we paid for it.

“We got back into things and should have had a penalty when Ben

Armour was pushed 15 minutes from time with the referee three or four feet away. Their manager Jim Duffy felt it was a penalty and when things are going against you that is what happens.

“We never got a break and we need something to fall for us to get us going again.

“We will keep working away until it does.”