RELEGATION-THREATENED Morton’s survival hopes were dealt a hammer blow today after a 2-0 defeat at Dumbarton.

Ton faced eighth-placed Sons in a crunch bottom-of-the-table clash at the Bet Butler Stadium and were in desperate need of a victory to close the gap on their opponents.

However, a goal in either half saw the Cappielow club suffer an eighth successive reverse which allowed the hosts to move 15 points clear of them.

The result also saw Ian Murray’s men leapfrog Queen of the South into seventh spot, leaving Morton 13 points off the Doonhamers and the safety of eighth position.

Ton went into the match buoyed by two new signings in David Robertson and Jamie McCormack, both of whom were handing starting berths.

Dumbarton, meanwhile, fielded recently released Morton skipper Mark McLaughlin at the heart of their defence alongside another ex-Ton player in Andy Graham.

The visitors survived a nervy first 20 minutes in which Dumbarton passed up a handful of half chances and began to find their feet as the half progressed.

Conceding goals in the final five minutes of the first half is a problem that has plagued them this season, though, and they found themselves behind at the break again today.

Bryan Prunty was the scorer, stroking home a spot-kick after referee Kevin Clancy had adjudged Reece Hands to have blocked Chris Turner’s shot with his arm.

The ball did strike the midfielder’s arm but it was not in an unnatural position and certainly wasn’t intentional. The Ton players, management, and fans were quite rightly furious with the call.

If there was a sense of injustice, it did not have any discernible effect on the visitors’ second-half display as they huffed and puffed without ever really threatening to score.

And Dumbarton put the result beyond doubt nine minutes from time when substitute Chris Kane headed home a Colin Nish cross Morton (4-3-2-1): Caraux; McCormack, Cole, Peciar, Fitzpatrick (Russell, 73); Bachirou, Taggart, Hands (Campbell, 60); Robertson © (Fulton, 53), McKay; Cham.

Subs not used: Habai, Wallace, McNeil, Gaston (gk).

Booked: Peciar (18), Taggart (45).

Dumbarton (4-1-3-2): Grindlay; McGinn, Graham, McLaughlin, Linton; Turner; Gilhaney, Kirkpatrick (Murray, 72), Megginson (McDougall, 82); Prunty (Kane, 68), Nish.

Subs not used: K. Smith, Agnew, S. Smith, Lumsden(gk).

Booked: Megginson (12), Turner (25), Nish (87).

Attendance: 1,462 Referee: Kevin Clancy