Stern Test for The Bairns in League Cup Last 16 Draw
The draw for the League Cup last 16 Round was completed following St Mirren’s 2-1 win over Ayr in Paisley. Holders Celtic will welcome Premiership new boys Falkirk in a repeat of last season’s quarter-final. On that occasion, Brendan Rodgers’ side came from behind twice to seal a thrilling 5-2 victory. Russell Martin’s first domestic cup match as Rangers boss will be at home to League 1 Alloa Athletic. The Wasps topped Group D impressively, securing a maximum 12 points from four wins, including a 3-2 away victory at Airdrie on Saturday afternoon. The draw also features three all-Premiership affairs: St Mirren host Hearts, Hibernian visit Livingston, and Kilmarnock meet Dundee United. A repeat of the Scottish Premiership semi-final playoff is scheduled as Scott Brown takes his Ayr United side to Firhill to face Partick Thistle. Thistle secured four wins out of four in the group stage, including a 3-1 victory over Ross County in Dingwall. Recently relegated St Johnstone will host Motherwell, while Dougie Imrie’s Morton welcome current Scottish Cup holders Aberdeen to Cappielow. All ties are due to take place across the weekend of August 16th – 17th. Full Scottish League Cup Round of 16 Draw Kilmarnock v Dundee United Livingston v Hibernian Partick Thistle v Ayr United St Mirren v Heart of Midlothian Rangers v Alloa Athletic Celtic v Falkirk Greenock Morton v Aberdeen St Johnstone v Motherwell
Spartans Boss: East Kilbride the Team to Beat in League Two
The Spartans concluded their Premier Sports Cup campaign with a 4–0 defeat to William Hill Premiership side Falkirk earlier today. The Edinburgh-based side went into half-time trailing by just one goal, but three second-half strikes from the full-time Bairns saw the score line widen after a promising opening 45 minutes. Dylan Tait opened the scoring in the first half before the Spartans tested Falkirk goalkeeper Scott Bain on several occasions. However, a second-half double from Calvin Miller and a goal from Scott Arfield secured a comfortable win for the hosts. Despite the two sides being separated by the full length of the SPFL pyramid, Spartans boss Douglas Samuel, now the longest-serving manager in the SPFL, having been at the helm since 2012, felt his side competed well. Speaking post-match, the former Edinburgh University boss said he was “proud” of his players and praised their “effort and performance,” although he admitted the second-half display could have been better. Spartans earned promotion into the SPFL pyramid in 2023 after defeating Albion Rovers in the play-offs as Lowland League champions. They begin their League Two campaign next week away to last season’s Lowland League winners, East Kilbride, marking their official debut in the senior league setup. Despite East Kilbride also being newly promoted, Samuel has already identified Mick Kennedy’s side as the ones to beat this season. He said: “They are the favourites for League Two, so I expect it to be a hard game. In that sense, today was great preparation for us” “Will they be able to press and get after us with the same intensity as full-time Falkirk players? “We’ll find out.” Kennedy, the former Darvel boss who famously defeated Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup, has been open about his ambition to take East Kilbride as high as the Championship within the next few years, and his side have already shown flashes of their quality. Earlier this month, they defeated Championship side Raith Rovers 4–2 in their own Premier Sports Cup group. However, they also suffered defeats to St Johnstone and Inverness Caledonian Thistle, the latter a 6–2 loss on Tuesday, suggesting there’s still work to be done. East Kilbride have also endured a disrupted pre-season in terms of squad building. Summer signings Josh O’Connor, son of former Hibs striker Garry, and Sena Niang both left the club just weeks after signing, in a bizarre situation. They’ve also been hit hard by injuries. New signing Ouzy See is out for the entire season after picking up an injury against Raith Rovers. Cami Elliott remains sidelined with an Achilles issue that kept him out over the summer. Defenders Jamie Hamilton and Jordan McGregor are out, while midfielder Joao Balde is racing against time to be fit for the League Two opener. While the Spartans’ heavy defeat to Falkirk exposed the challenges of stepping up against full-time professional opposition, there were encouraging signs in their competitive spirit and early-season preparations. With the League Two campaign kicking off next week against a strong East Kilbride side, Douglas Samuel’s squad will be eager to build on their pre-season efforts and make their own push at the top of the table. The coming weeks will be crucial in setting the tone for what promises to be an exciting season in the SPFL’s fourth tier.
McGlynn: “We’re Going to Another Level Now” as Falkirk Prepare for Premiership Return
Falkirk manager John McGlynn praised his side’s focus and momentum after a dominant 4–0 win over The Spartans secured progression to the last 16 of the Premier Sports Cup. Goals from Dylan Tait, Scott Arfield, and a Calvin Miller double rounded off an impressive group stage campaign at The Falkirk Stadium, with the Bairns finishing unbeaten on eleven points. Despite missing out on a seeded place McGlynn insisted the bigger picture far outweighs any short-term disappointment. For the Falkirk boss, next Sunday’s Premiership opener against Dundee United represents more than just a fixture, it marks the end of a long road back to the top flight after 15 years away. He said: “Next Sunday, at 2 o’clock, we’re live on Sky, everybody is buzzing here, everybody is so excited. “It is the first time for a generation of fans that they’re going to see their team playing in the Premiership.” The sense of anticipation has been building for weeks, ever since the Bairns secured their second consecutive promotion to return to the Premiership. McGlynn’s men looked sharp and clinical, with quick, one touch passes, and the ability to drive up the park quickly either from the flanks, or through the centre. While Falkirk’s cup form has been almost flawless, apart from a 0-0 draw away to Cove, where they picked up a bonus point during the shootout, McGlynn admitted it’s now all about what lies ahead: “We’ve come back, and we’ve played a lot of pre-season friendlies, and we’re fed up with them. “With the greatest respect, we’ve got a bit fed up with this because we’re going to go to another level now. “It’s the excitement and the enthusiasm that will be out here next Sunday. The winning momentum is there. “We wanted to continue the momentum today, which we have done.” Falkirk may have been edged out of a seeded spot by the likes of Hearts, St Johnstone, and Partick Thistle, all of whom took maximum points, but they head into the new league campaign unbeaten, confident, and with belief surging through the stands. For the Falkirk faithful, many of whom have never seen their club in the top tier, Sunday’s clash against Dundee United will be more than just a curtain-raiser, it’s a whole new ball game for a generation of supporters.
