Dumbarton manager Stevie Aitken praised his side's character after they gained a vital three points against Falkirk on Saturday.

Sons went in front on the stroke of half-time via and own goal and Garry Fleming scored the winner for Dumbarton just a couple of minutes after the visitors had equalised in the second half.

Aitken admitted he feared the worst when the Bairns equalised.

He said: "Against a team like Falkirk when it goes back to one each you think that they're in the ascendancy and they're going to go on and win it.

"It showed the character of my players because every one to a man worked their socks off. I've never questioned their character.

"It's a well deserved 3 points."

The game was the first tie for Sons at the Cheaper Insurance Direct Stadium after Sons were stunned by junior side Bonnyrigg Rose in the Scottish Cup.

Aitken admits that his players had a point to prove after that game. He said: "It's been well publicised that the Scottish Cup was a disappointment.

"The players are only human. They didn't go out that night and want to get beat it just didn't go well and they know that.

"We've got a group of players that understand what we're trying to do to give you everything that they've got every training session and every game.

"It just shows you a week in football, how it can change. We've now got the celebrations of a terrific win."

Along with Dumbarton doing their own bit on Saturday afternoon, other results also went their way with relegation rivals St Mirren, Ayr United, Dunfermline and Queen of the South all dropping points.

Aitken was pleased at the results as a whole, but says that feet will remain firmly on the ground. He said: "It'll make it sweeter. But the league is judged over 36 games. We don't want to get carried away.

"There's a lot of big games coming up. We can only affect us."