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Scotsman
2 hours ago
- Scotsman
Premier Sports Cup: Seven more clubs reach last 16 with final two spots still to be decided
Premiership trio joined in second round by third tier outfit Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Premiership trio Kilmarnock, Livingston and Falkirk all made it through to the second round of the Premier Sports Cup with comfortable home victories on Saturday. Motherwell and Hearts had already booked their places in Sunday's draw along with European qualifiers Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hibs and Dundee United, meaning there were nine spaces still up for grabs going into the final weekend of group stage fixtures. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Killie, Livi and the Bairns were joined in reaching the last 16 by Championship outfits Partick Thistle St Johnstone and Morton, with third tier Alloa Athletic the lowest ranked side to make it through. Partick Thistle's Logan Chalmers (centre) celebrates after scoring to make it 2-0 during a Premier Sports Cup group stage win over Ross County at the Global Energy Stadium. (Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group) | SNS Group Dundee – eliminated after losing their opening two fixtures – are the only top-flight side out of the tournament so far, with St Mirren aiming to progress on Sunday. Dunfermline still have a chance of qualifying as a best placed runner-up but will rely on Saints failing to beat Ayr, who are all but through as long as they do not lose heavily in Paisley. Falkirk sealed top spot in Group A by defeating Spartans 4-0 at home through goals from Dylan Tait, Scott Arfield and a Calvin Miller brace to leave manager John McGlynn in a positive frame of mind ahead of the start of the club's first Premiership season since 2009-10. "The entertainment value is going to be through the roof here," McGlynn predicted. "That's why we've got 5700 season ticket holders - they like what they see. We're now maybe the underdog in most games. I don't think we'll come up against oppositon in the Premiership that will sit so defensively as Spartans." Cove Rangers finished second but were not in the mix to be one of the three best runners-up after losing 2-1 at Queen's Park. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Teenage defender Ben Brannan scored a double and then went off injured as Kilmarnock pipped top-flight rivals Livingston to top spot in Group H with a 4-0 home victory over East Fife. Summer signings Marcus Dackers and Djenairo Daniels were also on target for Stuart Kettlewell's side, who made it through their four group matches without conceding a goal. Kilmarnock's Ben Brannan celebrates after scoring to make it 4-0 over East Fife in the Premier Sports Cup. (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group) | SNS Group "I thought the players showed up well by and large," Kettlewell said. "My one frustration is there was a little bit of slackness in the last 15 minutes of the game. I know we end up down to 10 men through injury, but it's trying to sustain the levels we've found throughout the game. But it's a work in progress and we'll continue to try and make that better." Livi struck four times in the first half as a 6-0 home win over Kelty Hearts helped them finish as one of the three best runners-up. Robbie Muirhead notched a double, while Andrew Winter, debutant Adam Montgomery, Shane Blaney and Stevie May were also on target. Partick maintained their perfect record to win Group B with a 3-1 victory at Ross County, while Stranraer beat 10-man Queen of the South 1-0 in the other match in the section. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad There was drama in Group C as Alloa came from behind to defeat Airdrie 3-2 and secure qualification at the expense of the Diamonds. A 2-2 draw would have been enough to take both teams through, but Steven Buchanan's 89th minute winner meant only the Wasps progressed. In the other match, Dundee saved some face after their humiliating start by making it back-to-back wins with a 5-0 triumph at home to Montrose. Simon Murray hit a first-half double before second-half strikes from Clark Robertson, Ryan Astley and Luke Graham. Dundee's Simon Murray (R) celebrates with Drey Wright after scoring to make it 1-0 over Montrose at Dens Park. (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group) | SNS Group St Johnstone sealed top spot in Group F with an 8-0 home win over 10-man Elgin, while Raith Rovers beat Inverness 5-1 with Dylan Easton bagging a hat-trick. With Hearts already having finished top of Group E, Dunfermline gave themselves a chance of finishing as one of the three best runners-up as they won 2-0 at home to Stirling. The Pars will go through if St Mirren lose to Ayr or draw and fail to pick up a bonus point. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Morton followed Group G winners Motherwell through as one of the best runners-up after winning 3-0 at home to Clyde, while Stenhousemuir beat Peterhead 1-0. In Group D, where Arbroath went down 1-0 to Forfar, Ayr will be looking to hold on to top spot away to St Mirren on Sunday. The Honest Men have such a good goal difference that they will go through as long as they do not lose heavily.
Daily Record
3 hours ago
- Daily Record
Hamilton Accies boss John Rankin opens up on 'bitter disappointment' of transfer embargo after Dumbarton defeat
The Lanarkshire side lost 1-0 to Sons to round off a miserable week for the club Hamilton Accies boss John Rankin admits his squad have a tough challenge ahead this season after the 'bitter disappointment' of their season-long transfer embargo. The Lanarkshire club were punished by the SPFL on Friday for failing to notify the SPFL they had been in default of their tax obligations to HMRC on three occasions, and now can't sign senior players for the entirety of this campaign. It is a huge blow to their League One title aspirations this season, having been relegated from the Championship last season off the back of a 15-point deduction from the SPFL for multiple rule breaches, including relating to the non-payment of players. Hamilton's woes were compounded today when they lost 1-0 at home to League Two side Dumbarton in their final Premier Sports Cup group game and Rankin has spoken for the first time since the club were hammered by the SPFL. The likes of Ricki Lamie, Charlie Telfer and Aaron Comrie had contract offers withdrawn due to the ruling and Rankin admits the embargo leaves them with a mountain to climb in the league this term. Speaking to the club media, he said: "We are absolutely gutted. We were on the training pitch preparing for today's game when we got the news and I broke it to the players. "It is very tough. The players were raw, flat and it is tough even now but we had to make sure we approached today in the right manner. "The players obviously had questions to ask because they came in and saw boys come in and train and be here for the full pre-season. "I feel for everyone with what we've got just now in the squad because we can't bring anyone in because of this embargo. "I am deeply gutted and it is something we've had to swallow. "But the commitment and the professionalism from the players over the last day has been great. They are all together and right now there is nothing else for it. "Hopefully we can overcome the challenge that lies ahead because, let's be honest about it, if we can't sign players for over a year it is going to be a tough challenge with the squad that we have. "But with the character we have, once we get over the initial bitter disappointment, we will come together and we will be fine." Despite the embargo, Accies are able to sign under-19 players or amateurs and the ruling saw the club hand a debut to 16-year-olds Josh Carson and Aaron Eadie. In the end, it was former Airdrie striker Ally Roy who shot down Accies as he pounced on a short header and lobbed Dean Lyness on the stroke of half-time to net the game's only goal. Reflecting on the match, Rankin added: "The hard part after yesterday's news was to make sure that everyone was ready and in the right mind to play. "We got clearance for two tralists at 1.30pm and we weren't able to name the team until then. "We gave Josh Carson his first start within that and we had to make sure that we protect people for next week in the league campaign, because that is the most important thing. "That was my first thought, to make sure we are ready for next Saturday. "But we looked really lethargic and I get that after the news yesterday, so it was about trying to motivate them to make sure they go and play. "Just before half-time the game changes with a mistake, it's a short back pass and then they get their goal. "After that, I felt we upped the tempo in the second half, huffed and puffed. "We made changes towards the end to give some boys minutes and protect others. "We took Connor Smith off to protect him and Kayden Aitken made his debut. We had chances and good opportunities but it just looked like it was one of those days. It sums up the feeling over the last 24 hours." Accies host Montrose in their League One opener on Saturday.
Scotsman
3 hours ago
- Scotsman
Hearts gaffer McInnes talks Sunderland rout, Braga & Aberdeen league opener
Hearts comfortably saw off Premier League Sunderland in their final pre-season fixture while honouring Craig Gordon. Sign up to our Hearts newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Hearts made Sunderland look second best in every area of the park as they swept the English Premier League side aside 3-0 in Craig Gordon's testimonial match. Head coach Derek McInnes acknowledged that his side were some way ahead of their opponents in terms of their respective pre-seasons but was pleased all the same with the manner of the victory. Claudo Braga, Lawrence Shankland and Alexandros Kyziridis scored the goals as the Jambos wrapped up their final preparations before next week's Scottish Premiership opener against Aberdeen. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Speaking after the Sunderland match, McInnes said: ' I think I've been so happy with the pre-season as a whole. Players have been fully committed, fully motivated. Hearts put Sunderland to the sword in Craig Gordon testimonial match 'I think it played out really in that performance. You come through the various training and put the demand on them through the hard work. 'The week before we go to Spain, then we play a couple of friendlies, then you go into the League Cup business and everything seems to be quite straightforward. But there's always that feeling of we've not really played a team of a similar level or better than us. 'It was almost a perfect day for Craig and the family. But for us at Hearts in the dressing room, the whole thing culminated in a really strong performance against a team who have spent over £100 million in terms of transfers to be ready. They're a team that used to win and they've come up from the Championship for a reason because they're literally good players. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It was important for us, despite us being ahead of them in their preparation, clearly, it was important for us to try and take a step forward and not be cowed by playing against good players, but almost to take that challenge on. The team picked was a team with Sunderland's shape in mind. We couldn't know what would be about us. 'They're a possession-based team, their movement is first class. They've got a brilliant manager who does a really good job with them and they test your organisation. So we set up with a team that we thought could nullify that in a sense. It would always be our view of going to a back four in the second half, which we did. 'I thought in both systems, the players' intelligence was as much as pleasing as their commitment. We scored some very good goals.' Claudio Braga was the player who opened the scoring, turning in a pin point accurate cross from Oisin McEntee with a fine header. That makes it four goals in total since his summer move and he's a player the gaffer was full of praise for. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'He's a boy who's so willing to work,' said McInnes. 'He's desperate to please. He's also got the quality to go in the back of that but with that quality, there's a real honesty. He's desperate to do well in a hard shirt. He's living his best life when he signed here. He couldn't be any happier. 'I think that plays out on the pitch, to be honest. So, he's really embraced us so quickly. The fans will really take to him if he keeps scoring goals, first and foremost. But even aside from his goal, his work rate and his link-up play has been very good.' Hearts transfer news latest from Derek McInnes There is still plenty of transfer business expected at Tynecastle before the window shuts both incomings and potentially outgoings. McInnes was asked about Valur Reykjavik midfielder Tómas Bent Magnusson, who the Evening News reported an offer has been made, and players who could exit before the end of August. 'I don't really want to comment on anything until anything's over the line,' McInnes said on Magnusson. 'So, you know, I think, like with all signings, we always seem to keep it in a secret at heart, so everything gets out. And we're interested in a few players.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In terms of potential outgoings, he added: 'I've been speaking to the boys regular, and I can't guarantee certain boys a lot of game time. So these conversations have been ongoing, really. I want to work with boys who work hard. 'There's a lot of boys here, all of them want to stay part of it, and are motivated to stay part of it. But ultimately, when the games start properly, as you indicated, it's difficult to keep everybody happy. We've got a few injuries at the minute, which is making sure we're a wee bit stretched in certain areas than we are in others. But I think that will all come quite naturally over the next few weeks, to be honest. 'You know, players want to play, and if they're not going to play, then it can be difficult for them. But in terms of me trying to shove players out the door, it's none of that. No player has shown anything other than a first-class approach to their work.'
