Dumbarton notched up their third league win in eight days, but it took a superb late strike by Chris Boyle to finally end the Peterhead resistance.
Both managers felt afterwards that their respective side showed the effects of a gruelling mid-week away fixture, and there was little doubt that this played a major part in a game which, while entertaining enough, was almost devoid of chances at each end.
The Sons dominated possession, but their fine passing moves continually broke down on the edge of the box and there seemed little chance of their adding to the 10-goal tally of their two previous fixtures. The visitors were content to hit on the break, and had the industrious Bobby Linn been given decent support they might well have gone home the happier side.
Peterhead's best chance came in the 13th minute when Keith Gibson found space in the box, but his goal-bound shot was hooked off the line by Mark Dempsie.
Paul Mathers in the visiting goal had hardly been called into action, but there was nothing he could do just three minutes from time when Boyle let fly from 25yards and the ball screamed into the top left-hand corner of the net. Somehow, a goal of this quality seemed out of place in this game.