Dumbarton sealed their Championship survival with Saturday’s win over St Mirren, and manager Stevie Aitken has hailed the progress made by the club during his time in charge.

Aitken was delighted with his players’ efforts as they came from behind to seal the win that, coupled with Livingston’s defeat, guaranteed that the Sons will remain in the second tier for yet another season.

A Keith Watson own goal just before half-time cancelled out Calum Gallacher’s early opener for St Mirren, before Gary Fleming hit an absolute stunner into the top corner in the second period to earn the crucial three points.

Aitken says that it is his players that deserve all the plaudits as their self-proclaimed ‘Survival Saturday’ went exactly to plan.

He said: "When I took the job last summer one thing I was tasked with doing was keeping the club in the division and we've done it with a couple of games to spare.

"We've got more points than last season and I think we've scored more goals and conceded less.

"It's a fantastic achievement and if there are any awards being given out then my players certainly deserve them.

"The first half wasn't great from us and we were lucky to go in at half time level. But we really stuck together and were delighted to get the job finished in front of the home fans.

"League tables don't lie and this group of players don't deserve to be in the bottom two."

The Sons have secured safety with two games to spare, and can still finish seventh if they win their remaining fixtures against Hibs and Alloa and St Mirren lost to Rangers.