Bogey side Edinburgh City consigned Dumbarton to defeat at The Rock, on a day to forget for Frank McKeown’s new look Sons.

Keir Foster opened the scoring inside five minutes on his debut for the Citizens, with Innes Lawson netting a killer second before half-time and Murray Aiken sealing the points late on – as Sons remained winless against City in G82 since their arrival in the SPFL.

Boss Frank McKeown stuck with the same side that had started against Clyde a week previous, with latest addition Ally Spalding added to the bench.

However things got off to a nightmare start as Sons fell behind with less than five minutes on the clock.

Kristian Webster was adjudged to have tripped Lennon Walker on the right wing, with Innes Lawson’s free-kick catching out a statue-esque Sons defence and being met by the diving Keir Foster at the far post.

An attritional half hour of football followed, with neither side forcing either goalkeeper into action. And the game became scrappy and bogged down in midfield.

Josiah Sowa’s pace saw him scythed down by a crude Josh Grigor challenge, with referee Cameron Stirling playing an advantage that came to nothing. To the frustration of an increasingly disgruntled home support.

And that frustration intensified just after the half hour, with Michael McIndoe’s men adding a second.

A slick move was started by Murray Aiken in his own half, with the former Hibernian youngster feeding Foster down the left.

His shot from a tight angle could only be parried by Aidan Rice in the home goal, with the onrushing Innes Lawson reacting quicker than anyone in white to blast into the net.

Things could’ve been even worse for the shellshocked hosts too as a miscommunication between Tommy Robson and Ali Omar let Foster in on goal – but he was denied one-on-one by a brave stop from Rice.

Clearly less than impressed with his side’s first-half showing boss Frank McKeown turned to his bench at the break, introducing Ally Spalding and Deryn Lang for Scott Tomlinson and Josiah Sowa.

The switch had an early impact as Sons started the second period on top.

First Scott Honeyman found no takers for his inviting free-kick, before away keeper Shea Dowie touched the attacker’s swirling corner onto the bar.

However City then should’ve put the game to bed as they passed up a glorious chance for a third.

A superb move carved open the Dumbarton defence and sent Innes Lawson clean through, but he drilled wide of the post when a goal looked a certainty.

That almost proved pivotal right away as Sons put together their best move of the game.

Scott Honeyman set off on a driving run that opened up space, before testing Dowie with an effort that lacked power – but was fumbled behind by the keeper for a corner.

Honeyman was looking like the man with the spark to get Sons back into the game, and he cracked the bar straight from a corner – with Mikey Doyle just unable to force home the rebound as Sons desperately searched for a route back into the game.

However those hopes were finally extinguished with 14 minutes remaining.

Keir Foster wriggled himself clear of a number of challenges in the area and picked out Innes Lawson on the right. His cross was tapped towards goal by Tommy North who was denied by Rice from point-blank range, but again it was a red shirt that reacted first – as Murray Aiken smashed home a third.

Aside from a high effort from trialist Callum Biggar, Sons could find nothing in response – as they suffered a second loss of the League Two campaign.