STEVIE Aitken has challenged his Sons team to make sure their Palmerston hangover is well and truly cured by the time they face Greenock Morton next month in the SPFL Championship.

Aitken’s side were thrashed 6-0 by Queen of the South in Dumfries last weekend, and they now have to wait another 11 days before they play again.

Dumbarton were due to face Hibs at Easter Road this week but the league fixture was postponed due to has been put on the back burner because the Edinburgh club has several players away on international call-ups.

As a result the Sons are left with more than a week and a half to lick their wounds before resuming their league campaign on Saturday, April 2, at home to Morton.

However, Aitken said he will use the time wisely and make sure his side is back firing on all cylinders again.

Reflected on the weekend drubbing, boss Aitken reflected on the shock weekend scoreline and said: “Nobody saw that coming from within the club.

“Talking to other managers they were all shocked but football can do that to you. it hurts. The players were not good enough.

“The players have received praise for our performances against Hibs and Falkirk this season but they have to take criticism too, we were not good enough.

“We were sore on Saturday night and into Sunday. And on Monday it wasn’t any easier, but there is nothing we can do about it. we have to put it behind us.

“The one thing the players have done is to react well to disappointment. When you get a result like that you want to put it right straight away.”

Aitken does, however, have a few players returning from injury and suspension.

Midfielder Jon Routledge and defender Mark Docherty have served bans and are eligible to play next weekend, while strikers Garry Fleming and Christian Nade have time to recover from their knocks.

Fleming is carrying a slight hamstring strain, while Nade is nursing a back problem.

Aitken said: “We do have some players coming back from suspension and with Christian and Garry, they’ll have this week and next to try to get over their injuries.

“Having a free week can go for you, or against you. It depends on the results as they come in.

“But the one thing we will make sure is that we are ready for the Morton game.

“Basically we have to learn from last weekend because we made a lot of mistakes on Saturday.

“It’s a new group of players and we’ll come back strongly and hopefully finish the season really strongly too.”