Falkirk down Dundee Utd & East Fife cause League Cup shock

Falkirk beat Dundee United in the battle of league champions as East Fife caused the shock of the opening day of the Premier Sports Cup group stage.

The fourth-tier Fifers eased past Championship visitors Greenock Morton 3-0 thanks to a hat-trick from veteran attacking midfielder Alan Trouten.

Meanwhile, in the group of champions, League 1 table-toppers Falkirk were worthy 2-0 winners over Championship winners Dundee United, while third-tier newcomers Stenhousemuir thumped the Highland League’s Buckie Thistle 4-0.

Meanwhile, there were also hat-tricks for Curtis Main as Dundee thumped Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic 7-1, Hibernian’s Dylan Vente as his side hammered Elgin City 5-0 and Aidan Connelly for Raith Rovers as they overcame Stirling Albion 3-0.

Group A

Queen of the South 0-3 Aberdeen: Jimmy Thelin’s Aberdeen era got off to a winning start with an impressive win.

The game also marked the start of Peter Murphy’s tenure as manager at Palmerston, but his third-tier side were blown away in the first half by the free-flowing Dons.

Ester Sokler’s header was followed up by a fine solo goal from captain Graeme Shinnie before the former finished off a neat move to score his second and the visitors’ third.

Dumbarton 1-1 East Kilbride (2-4 pens): The Lowland League champions took the bonus-point after the penalty shootout following a draw with their League 1 hosts.

A David Watson own goal gave the visitors the lead inside the first half, but Kalvin Orsi levelled shortly after.

Group B

Falkirk 2-0 Dundee United: After a fairly even first half, the hosts deservedly took the lead when midfielder Dylan Tait fired home following a corner before forward Ross MacIver rose to head in a cross at the back.

Stenhousemuir 4-0 Buckie Thistle: Matthew Aitken opened the scoring for the League 2 champions and Ross Taylor followed up with a second just before half time.

Michael Anderson made it three in the early stages of the second half and followed up with another to give himself a brace and complete a comfortable victory over the Highland League champions.

Group C

Elgin City 0-5 Hibernian: A double from striker Vente had top-flight Hibs in control by half-time against their League 2 hosts.

Marvin Ekpiteta, the former Blackpool central defender, scored on his debut before winger Martin Boyle and Vente completed the scoring.

Peterhead 0-5 Queen’s Park: The Championship visitors were also easy victors, with Zak Rudden taking just 30 minutes to open his account hours after the striker signed for the Glasgow outfit following his exit from Dundee.

Roddy MacGregor, their new signing from Inverness Caledonian Thistle, doubled the lead on the hour and fellow midfielders Zach Mauchin and Liam McLeish also found the net before an injury-time Jason Brown own goal.

Group D

Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic 1-7 Dundee: Dundee were rampant in the first half, with striker Main grabbing a double either side of goals from centre-half Antonio Portales and midfielder Lyall Cameron.

Ryan Astley, Cameron and Main added to the scoreline while Smart Osadolor briefly reduced the arrears at 6-1.

Annan Athletic 1-0 Inverness Caledonian Thistle: Cash-strapped Caley Thistle’s woes continued after relegation as they were edged out by one of this season’s League 1 rivals thanks to striker Tommy Goss’ early goal.

Group E

Forfar Athletic 0-2 Livingston: The side relegated from the Premiership had to wait until shortly after half time before Liam Sole broke the deadlock against their League 2 hosts.

Robbie Muirhead’s goal two minutes from time secured the three points.

Spartans 0-3 Dunfermline Athletic: Livingston’s Championship rivals took time to build on forward Lewis McCann’s early goal against their fourth-tier hosts.

It was not until Kane Ritchie-Hosler added the second with eight minutes remaining that they could breathe more easily and Taylor Sutherland added the third.

Group F

Brechin City 1-2 St Johnstone: The Premiership visitors needed a Graham Carey penalty on the stroke of half-time to break down the Highland League hosts.

New captain Kyle Cameron, the centre-half signed on loan from Notts County, doubled the lead on his debut, but a reply from John Moreland made it a nervous finish for the top-flight side.

East Fife 3-0 Greenock Morton: Trouten scored twice in the first half, the second a penalty, to put the League 2 side on their way to comfortable win and the veteran attacking midfielder completed his hat-trick after the break.

Group G

Motherwell 3-0 Edinburgh City: Debutant Kofi Balmer got the Premiership side off the mark against their fourth-tier visitors.

Dan Casey grabbed the second shortly after the break before a third defender, Stephen O’Donnell, completed the scoring.

Partick Thistle 3-2 Montrose: Ben MacIver-Redwood shocked the Championship hosts when he gave League 1 side Montrose the lead early on in the first half, but Aaron Muirhead levelling up before the break.

Kyle Turner gave Thistle the lead early in the second half, Ben Hermiston grabbed an equaliser for the visitors but veteran striker Brian Graham netted the 75th-minute winner.

Group H

Stranraer 1-3 Ross County: The Premiership visitors Ross County ran out comfortable winners as striker Jordan White opened the scoring inside 10 minutes and followed up with a 32-minute second.

Stranraer pulled one back through Deryn Lang, but striker Eamonn Brophy netted County’s third shortly after.

Stirling Albion 0-3 Raith Rovers: Connolly’s first-half double put the Championship visitors comfortably ahead against their League 2 hosts before the midfielder completed his hat-trick in the 66th minute.