St Mirren B were beaten 4-2 by Dumbarton in their opening KDM Evolution Trophy League Phase match.
First-half strikes from Scott Tomlinson and Chris Johnston gave the hosts the initiative going into the break. Evan Mooney pulled one back for Saints with a tidy finish 10 minutes after the restart, but the home side added a third on the hour mark when their captain Tony Wallace headed in from close-range. Fraser Taylor scored a terrific free-kick to reduce the deficit before Dominic Docherty rounded off the scoring for the home side.
Peter Hartley took charge of the Young Saints, assisted by Craig McLeish. Taylor captained the side, while Ryan Mullen, Jalmaro Calvin and Mooney were the other first-team squad members involved in the starting line-up.
Dumbarton took the lead on 19 minutes when Innes Clark couldn't control a pass from Taylor around 30 yards from goal. That allowed Tomlinson the chance to rob the young defender of the ball before driving forward and sending a nice low finish beyond Mullen from 20 yards.
The Sons added a second with 10 minutes of the first-half remaining. Chris Johnston raced on to a flick-on and slammed beyond Mullen to double the hosts' advantage.
Saints looked better after the restart, but almost conceded a third when Scott Honeyman headed just wide of the post in the opening moments of the second-half.
The Buddies' brighter start paid dividends when Mooney halved Dumbarton's lead with a tidy finish on 55 minutes. Josh Farquhar worked the ball wide to Flynn O'Brien whose low ball across the box was perfectly weighted for Mooney. The forward's touch took the Dumbarton defender completely out of the game and allowed him to send a lovely strike beyond Ollie Ecrepont to reduce the deficit.
Saints almost drew level on the hour mark when Clark rose brilliantly to meet a Taylor corner, but his powerful header flew inches over the bar. Within a minute of that missed opportunity, Dumbarton restored their two goal lead. Honeyman drove to the byline and saw his cutback take a deflection and spin in the air where skipper Wallace was on hand to send a header into the net.
The Buddies would add a second on 69 minutes to bring it back to within a goal when Taylor scored a brilliant free-kick. A cynical challenge on Mooney by Derin Marshall earned the Sons defender a yellow card. Taylor stepped up to take the free-kick 30 yards from goal and cracked it into the net via the post.
Dumbarton almost immediately made it 4-2 with Mullen having to make a terrific save to push away Honeyman's effort.
With 10 minutes remaining, Saints passed up a chance to level when Calvin was denied by Ecrepont who made himself big to block. The Jamaican forward exhibited his lightning pace to race on to a pass and drive toward the Dumbarton goal, but couldn't find the net.
Summer signing Jalmaro Calvin completed 90 minutes
The Young Saints continued to press for an equaliser and substitute Luke Douglas twice came close, flashing a shot just wide of the far post after running on to a good pass from Struan Thompson before volleying over a minute later.
Dumbarton would round off the scoring though with half-time substitute Docherty on hand to turn in a Johnston cross to secure the win and three points for the Sons.
Despite disappointment of the goals lost, a good learning opportunity for St Mirren B who are next in KDM Evolution Cup action against Alloa Athletic in two weeks' time.
Full-Time: Dumbarton 4-2 St Mirren B
St Mirren: Mullen, Hutchison, Clark, Hunter (Morrow 80), Barr, Taylor (c), Hodgkiss (Thompson 80) , O'Brien (Stoddart 80), Mooney (Douglas 70), Calvin, Farquhar (Lavery 62)
Subs Not Used: Tamosevicius
Dumbarton: Ecrepont, Lynas, Clark, Blair, Tomlinson (Kirkpatrick 46), Roy (Docherty 46), Wallace (c), Webster (Walker 13, Neill 63), Marshall (Durnan 71), Honeyman, Johnston
Subs Not Used: Kelly, Livingstone, Gilfedder, Connor
Referee: Graham Grainger
Attendance: 317
