Scottish League Cup: Dunfermline sink Partick Thistle as Premiership sides win
- Published
Brian Graham opened the scoring for Partick Thistle as they lost 4-2 to Dunfermline Athletic
Dunfermline Athletic sank Partick Thistle in a six-goal Firhill thriller and there were wins for Hearts and Livingston as Saturday's Scottish League Cup action produced few upsets.
Robbie Neilson's men saw off Peterhead 2-0, and the West Lothian outfit cruised past Brechin City 3-0.
Championship side Queen of the South lost 1-0 at home to third-tier Queen's Park, but Kilmarnock were 2-0 victors over Lowland League East Kilbride.
Three of the 14 ties were forfeited.
Due to respective Covid-19 outbreaks, Ross County, Dumbarton and Morton were unable to fulfil their fixtures against Forfar Athletic, St Mirren and Stranraer, with each handed a 3-0 defeat.
The highest-scoring game of the day took place in Glasgow, as Championship duo Thistle and Dunfermline contested a furious group H contest.
The hosts led through Brian Graham in the 16th minute, but were 3-1 down at the break as new arrival Nikolay Todorov, Aaron Comrie and Kyle MacDonald replied for the visitors.
Todorov added a second eight minutes into the second half, with Zak Rudden scoring a consolation for Ian McCall's side.
In group A, goals from Gary Mackay-Steven and Liam Boyce in each half ensured newly promoted Hearts began their campaign with victory at Balmoor.
Cove Rangers were stunned by a stoppage-time winner from Stirling Albion's Nathan Flanagan.
Rabin Omar and Flanagan put the visitors ahead, but a second-half Fraser Fyvie double hauled Cove level, before Flanagan's decisive 94th-minute effort.
Arbroath joined group B leaders Dundee United, who opened their account with a narrow win over Kelty Hearts on Friday, at the top of the table after dispatching Elgin City.
Luke Donnelly scored the only goal of the game for Dick Campbell's team.
Montrose delivered an emphatic start to the competitive season, with Highland League champions Brora Rangers beaten 3-0 at Links Park.
Martin Rennie, Blair Lyons and a Lewis Milne penalty earned the hosts a comfortable victory, as they move alongside Forfar on three points in group C.
Livingston and Raith Rovers top group D after both prevailed in their opening fixtures.
David Martindale's side, who were runners-up in last year's tournament, netted through new signings Tom Parkes, Ayo Obileye, with Jackson Longridge adding a third.
Rovers were 1-0 winners away to Fife rivals Cowdenbeath, courtesy of a Lewis Vaughan effort.
After a goalless group E draw between League One Albion Rovers and Championship Ayr United, the hosts claimed the penalty shootout and the additional point.
Hamilton Academical top the group after Friday's 1-0 triumph at Edinburgh City.
Nineteen-year-old Calum Biggar propelled Queen's Park to the group F summit as they upset Queen of the South in Dumfries.
A penalty shootout was required to separate Airdrieonians and Annan Athletic after a 1-1 draw, with the visitors taking the extra point.
Two new signings were on the scoresheet for Kilmarnock in their first match since being relegated from the Premiership.
Fraser Murray and Jason Naismith found the net for Tommy Wright's men as they subdued East Kilbride to move top of group G.