Premier Sports League Cup: Matchday One Review
Most Scottish League One clubs kick-started the 2022/2023 season last weekend as the League Cup Group Stages got underway. Here are three things we learned…
McPake gets off to winning start as Dunfermline hit two past East Fife at Bayview
James McPake got off to a winning start as Dunfermline boss as a Lewis McCann double saw the Pars ease to victory over League Two side East Fife.
McCann opened the scoring for the visitors in the 67th minute before doubling their advantage from the penalty spot seven minutes from time.
The victory means that the Pars are top of Group C, a point ahead of Premiership side Ross County who gained a bonus point after a 1-1 draw against Highland League side Buckie Thistle.
McPake’s side are back in action on Tuesday night as they welcome the aforementioned Buckie Thistle to East End Park, while Alloa Athletic begin their League Cup campaign at home to East Fife.
Dunfermline Athletic manager, James McPake: “It’s a tough competition as we seen in other results today. First-half, I didn’t think we were our normal selves, like we were in pre-season matches. Certainly in the second-half there was a marked improvement and we got a 2-0 victory and I took it.”
Airdrieonians ease to a convincing victory over Cowdenbeath in McCabe’s first match in charge
Player-manager Rhys McCabe got off to a flyer in his first competitive match as Diamonds boss with a 3-0 victory over Lowland League side Cowdenbeath at Central Park.
Goals from summer signings Justin Devenny and Cammy Ballantyne had the visitors in cruise control going into the interval, before Adam Frizzell tripled their advantage on the hour-mark.
The victory sees the Diamonds lead Group E on goal-difference, marginally ahead of Arbroath who narrowly defeated Premiership side St. Mirren.
Next up for the North Lanarkshire club is a home tie against fellow League One side, the re-named FC Edinburgh at the Excelsior Stadium, in which will be the visitor’s opening competitive match.
Airdrieonians player-manager, Rhys McCabe: “The boys applied themselves the way we wanted. The pitch is really hard and bobbly, so it would’ve been good to get the passing ball more crisp, but I think we knocked it about, especially in the first-half really well and we came away with a few goals, so we’re pleased.”
Last-gasp winner sinks the Doonhammers as they fall to defeat in five-goal thriller
Queen of the South marked the start of the competitive season with defeat as League Two side Annan Athletic ran out 3-2 winners at Palmerston Park.
New signing Connor Murray scored the opening goal for the home side in the eighth minute, before an own-goal from goalkeeper Max Currie pulled one back for the visitors shortly before the half-hour mark.
Chris Johnston put the Galabankies in front three minutes later as the visitors went into half-time with a slender lead, before Ruari Paton equalised for the Dumfries side five minutes after the re-start.
As the match entered the final minutes, with it looking likely that penalties would need to be taken to decide the bonus point, Lewis Hunter scored the winner three minutes from time.
The defeat for Willie Gibson’s men has them bottom of Group F after the opening day, and will return to action tomorrow evening as they face Ayr United at Somerset Park.
Queen of the South player-manager, Willie Gibson: “We wanted to start the season in a positive manner and I feel the boys let themselves down. I can’t fault their effort and commitment since day one of pre-season, we’ve brought in some good quality to the squad, but on today’s performance we need to do more than that.”
Elsewhere in Group D, Clyde also suffered defeat with a 5-0 loss to Hibernian at Easter Road, whilst Falkirk gained a bonus point in a 5-4 penalty shoot-out victory over Greenock Morton, after the match finish 0-0 at Cappielow. Meanwhile, in Group G, Kelty Hearts narrowly lost 1-0 to Inverness Caledonian Thistle at New Central Park and in Sunday’s televised Group A match, Aberdeen eased to a 2-0 victory over Peterhead at Balmoor.