Aberdeen gaffer Mark McGhee and Willie Miller joined the disappointingly small crowd at Balmoor to check on the progress of their loan players Jonathon Crawford, Nicky Clark and goalkeeper Jonathan Bateman and both Jon and Nicky were to play a big part in the game.

Nicky Clark started the game well controlling the centre of the park and in the first five minutes Peterhead almost took the lead when Clark played in Graeme Sharp, who squared the ball to Martin Bavidge, but the Bloo toon failed to connect with the goal gaping.

The home side was not to be denied, though, and Nicky Clark was instrumental again as he set up Graeme Sharp in the 13th minute with the Peterhead winger shooting from 14 yards. Dumbarton defender Chris Smith tried to block the effort on the line but the ball squirmed through his legs and the Blue Toon were ahead.

Dumbarton were stung by the toon’s positive start and pressed for an equalizer, the visitors got their reward with an equaliser on 27 minutes. Former Aberdeen and Caley Thistle forward Dennis Wyness received the ball 20 yards out, turned and sent in an inch perfect lob over the outstretched hand of Paul Jarvie into the roof of the net.

The Sons had goalkeeper Michael White to thank for keeping the scores level just before the break when he tipped Jon Crawford's header on to a post. A goalmouth scramble ensued as the home side tried to force the ball over the line and ended with Barry Wilson firing wide.

The pressure towards the Blue Toon goal increased in the second half and it took a goal-line tackle from Calum Macdonald to deny Wyness following a fine run and cross from Stevie Murray before Sons substitute Derek Calcary fired wide from inside the box. Eight minutes later, it was Winter's turn to shoot over, rapidly followed by a curling shot by Chisholm from a narrow angle that curled just past the outside of the far post.

On 69 minutes Paul Jarvie produced the save of this or any other night, Derek Carcary met a cross from Dennis Wyness and the ball flew goal ward only to be tipped over the bar as the home side struggled to stay in the game.

The Blue Toon's task was made even harder in the 76th minute when Jon Crawford was shown a straight red card by referee Scott Macdonald for a two-footed challenge on Murray. The small crowd expected the defender to get a booking at the most but the response from the Dumbarton players seemed to influence the match official.

The dismissal seemed to galvanize the Bloo Toon and on 79 minutes, Neil McVitie broke free on a surging run to the edge of the Dumbarton box and his shot was deflected into the left hand side of the penalty box where an unmarked Graeme Sharp coolly slotted the ball under the keeper from close range.

Dumbarton pushed for a second equalizer but the home side stood firm, surviving the onslaught to claim only their fourth home Second Division win of the season. It was the second game in a row that the Toon finished the game with ten men and with a packed programme of games in March suspensions and injuries will play a major part in any push for the play off places.

Neale Cooper was unhappy after the match because the red card took the shine off a vital victory for his side in front of a crowd of only 327, the lowest ever at Balmoor. Cooper said: “It was a very disappointing decision. I don’t think Jonathan would have been sent-off if the Dumbarton players hadn’t reacted in the manner they did. They all rushed up to the referee, pressuring him to take action. I’ve never liked to see that sort of thing happening, especially when Murray hadn’t even been touched, never mind injured.”