Scottish League Cup: Arbroath, Ayr, Dundee, Kilmarnock, Livingston, Motherwell & Raith Rovers progress
- Published
Justin Amaluzor scored Motherwell's opener against Annan
Second-tier Arbroath, Kilmarnock and Raith Rovers have joined top-flight Dundee, Livingston and Motherwell in progressing in the Scottish League Cup.
Killie beat Stranraer 2-1 while Rovers beat Alloa on penalties after a 0-0 draw as Dundee beat Forfar 5-2 and Motherwell defeated Annan 2-0.
Ayr also progress as a group winner after being awarded a 3-0 win against Falkirk, who could not fulfil the game.
Arbroath and Livi are two of the three best group runners-up.
Dick Campbell's side beat Kelty Hearts 3-2 and Livingston were 3-1 winners over Cowdenbeath, edging out other sides on eight points because of a better goal difference.
The final group winner and best runner-up will come from Group H, which concludes on Sunday when St Mirren host Partick Thistle (15:00 BST). St Mirren, Thistle and current group leaders Dunfermline Athletic could all finish second in the group.
Hearts, already through with Dundee United in midweek, conclude against Inverness Caledonian Thistle on Sunday (17:15).
Aberdeen, Celtic, Hibernian, Rangers and holders St Johnstone enter at the second-round stage and will be seeded along with the three best group winners, which will be finalised on Sunday.
Second-tier sides reach last 16
Kelty looked on course to finish second in Group B with Kallum Higginbotham and Joe Cardle giving them a 2-0 lead at Gayfield, but Luke Donnelly reduced Arbroath's arrears. Colin Hamilton levelled the match and Nicky Low scored the hosts' winner from the penalty spot.
In the other Group B game, Elgin City got the better of East Fife 3-2. Kevin Smith and Connor McManus got East Fife's goals with Angus Mailer, Kane Hester and Tony Dingwall getting Elgin's.
At Rugby Park, Kilmarnock led through Fraser Murray, but Josh Walker levelled against his former side before substitute Chris Burke netted a deflected winner to move Tommy Wright's side top of Group F.
In the same group, Greenock Morton beat Clyde 2-1, with Robbie Muirhead scoring twice after Ally Love's opener for Clyde.
Raith's bonus point took them to nine points in Group D - a point above last season's finalists Livingston. Livi trailed to Liam Buchanan's opener for Cowden, but a Jamie Todd own goal levelled matters before Bruce Anderson and Craig Sibbald netted for David Martindale's side.
Free scoring Dundee were comfortable winners at Forfar
Jason Cummings scored the fourth and fifth of Dundee's goals, his first a penalty, after Charlie Adam, Corey Panter and Christie Elliott all netted. Stefan McCluskey and Grant Anderson were on target for Forfar.
Also in Group C, Ross County beat Montrose 4-1 with Blair Spittal scoring twice, Alex Iacovitti and Jordan White also scoring and Craig Johnston replying for Montrose.
Motherwell recovered from their midweek loss to Airdrieonians by easing aside Annan, Justin Amaluzor and Barry Maguire getting the goals.
Ally Roy scored a hat-trick as Queen of the South built up a 4-0 lead against his former club, Airdrie, Ruben Soares-Junior getting the other, before Gabriel McGill netted a late consolation for the visitors.
In Group E, which was won by Ayr, Hamilton Academical finished second after beating Albion Rovers on penalties. The 90 minutes ended 2-2 after Ronan Hughes and Callum Smith cancelled out first-half strikes by David Wilson and Charlie Reilly for the League 2 visitors.
Dunfermline moved above St Mirren into top spot in Group H, at least for 24 hours, with a 4-1 win over Stenhousemuir, as Craig Wighton and Kevin O'Hara each scored twice before Robert Thomson got one back.
In Saturday's sole match in Group A, Jordan McGregor put Stirling Albion in front and Martin McNiff and Jack Leitch sealed a 3-1 win after Scott Brown had scored an equaliser for Peterhead from the penalty spot.