And then there where two.
Celtic and Rangers remain Scotland's sole representatives in European football this season as Hearts proved unable to overturn the 4-0 scoreline against Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb. Despite goals from Michael Stewart and Marius Zaliukas in what was from all accounts a stirring and battling performance from the Jambos, the damage had been done in Zagreb.
A full report is available from the BBC site.
Meanwhile, the draw for the group stages of the Champions League were held this evening. Rangers should be pleased with their draw which, along with Group H is probably the easiest of the 8 groups. Drawn alongside the Gers are Sevilla, Stuttgart and Unirea Urziceni.
Sevilla are undoubtedly the top side in the Group. The Spanish side finished 3rd in La Liga last year behind Real Madrid. VfB Stuttgart also finished 3rd last season in the German Bundesliga, a league they last won in 2007. Romanian League winners Unirea Urziceni are the fourth team in the group and should be considered the minnows, although time will tell!
Rangers will start their campaign in Stuttgart on September 16. Sevilla come to Ibrox on September 29 while Unirea visit on October 20, with Rangers making the return trip on November 4. Rangers then play Stuttgart at home on November 24, and finish with a flourish in Spain on December 9.
27/08/2009
26/08/2009
Scottish League Cup Results (Part 2)
There where no real surprises in the second batch of games in this years Scottish League Cup. St Johnstone put six past Arbroath. Steve Milne and Kenny Deuchar both scored twice to put the Saints into the Third Round. St. Mirren score either side of half-time against a 10-man Ayr United.
The Fife derby between Dunfermline and Raith Rovers ended in a comfortable 3-1 win for the Pars. Mark Cambell scored an own goal for Raith in that game.
On a side note, it's nice to see Neil McGregor back in action with Dunfermline. The former Clyde player, released from the club following their relegation and financial difficulties at the end of last season was a favourite in Inside Left's desperate attempts at playing Football Manager. No matter which team I was busy getting relegated, Neil came with me, often with great results.
Where was I?
Ah yes. Hibs. Another own goal, this time from Brechin's Ian Nimmo, helped John Hughes' men to an easy win over the Second Division side. Derek Riordan and a 25-yard belter from Paul Hanlon finished any resistance the Glebe Park outfit had to offer.
The complete list of teams to go into the hat for the Third Round draw is as follows: Hibernian, Dunfermline, St Mirren, St Johnstone, Dundee United, Dundee, Inverness Caley, Kilmarnock, Ross County and Queen of the South. They'll be joined by our lucky European qualifiers, uhur, Celtic and Rangers (the spongy ball and the ribbed ball respectively, allegedly), Aberdeen, Motherwell and Falkirk.
No idea when the draw is, sorry, but it'll be soon. Possibly.
The Fife derby between Dunfermline and Raith Rovers ended in a comfortable 3-1 win for the Pars. Mark Cambell scored an own goal for Raith in that game.
On a side note, it's nice to see Neil McGregor back in action with Dunfermline. The former Clyde player, released from the club following their relegation and financial difficulties at the end of last season was a favourite in Inside Left's desperate attempts at playing Football Manager. No matter which team I was busy getting relegated, Neil came with me, often with great results.
Where was I?
Ah yes. Hibs. Another own goal, this time from Brechin's Ian Nimmo, helped John Hughes' men to an easy win over the Second Division side. Derek Riordan and a 25-yard belter from Paul Hanlon finished any resistance the Glebe Park outfit had to offer.
The complete list of teams to go into the hat for the Third Round draw is as follows: Hibernian, Dunfermline, St Mirren, St Johnstone, Dundee United, Dundee, Inverness Caley, Kilmarnock, Ross County and Queen of the South. They'll be joined by our lucky European qualifiers, uhur, Celtic and Rangers (the spongy ball and the ribbed ball respectively, allegedly), Aberdeen, Motherwell and Falkirk.
No idea when the draw is, sorry, but it'll be soon. Possibly.
The Ballbag - Arsenal v Celtic
Tonight, Celtic aim to do the practically impossible and overturn a two-goal deficit away at Arsenal, and so book themselves into the group stages of the Champions League.
Having read various web sites previewing this game, there's not one blogger out there that gives Celtic anything more than hee-haw chance of getting through, let alone get a result.
Let's be honest and get this out of the way: Celtic will not win this game.
Arsenal are a side brimming with confidence, having got off to a flyer in the league. The 2-0 defeat of Celtic at Parkhead was sandwiched between a 6-1 demolition of Everton and a 4-1 destruction of Portsmouth.
Celtic have not exactly been shabby either in the goal scoring department. The 3-0 win at Aberdeen was followed by a seven-goal thriller against St. Johnstone, so, like Arsenal, Celtic are going into this game on a high, despite being two goals down before a ball is even kicked.
The form comparisons are all very well, and admittedly, Portsmouth are a poor side this season and Everton are having a 'mare of a time of it as well, losing to Owen Coyle's Burnley, but neither of these two sides should be easily dismissed: on their day, they'd give most SPL sides a run for their money.
And even without captain Cesc Fabregas, Arsenal are simply awash with talent: Van Persie, Eboue, Arshavin, Gallas, Denilson, Clichy. The list goes on.
So, what is the point of this post?
The point is this: when the final whistle goes on this game, I hope that none of my fellow bloggers write scathing articles about the state of Scottish football. God knows we've had enough of those already this week.
Celtic will still be in Europe, they'll still be flying the flag for Scottish football. Arsenal are not Artmedia Bratislava. Arsenal are no FBK Kaunas, or FC Vaduz or Sigma Olomouc. There will be no shame to suffer, no crisis to have caused, and no country to have let down.
It's just one team, beaten by a better team. That's football. That's all it is. No more, no less.
Alright Chick?
Having read various web sites previewing this game, there's not one blogger out there that gives Celtic anything more than hee-haw chance of getting through, let alone get a result.
Let's be honest and get this out of the way: Celtic will not win this game.
Arsenal are a side brimming with confidence, having got off to a flyer in the league. The 2-0 defeat of Celtic at Parkhead was sandwiched between a 6-1 demolition of Everton and a 4-1 destruction of Portsmouth.
Celtic have not exactly been shabby either in the goal scoring department. The 3-0 win at Aberdeen was followed by a seven-goal thriller against St. Johnstone, so, like Arsenal, Celtic are going into this game on a high, despite being two goals down before a ball is even kicked.
The form comparisons are all very well, and admittedly, Portsmouth are a poor side this season and Everton are having a 'mare of a time of it as well, losing to Owen Coyle's Burnley, but neither of these two sides should be easily dismissed: on their day, they'd give most SPL sides a run for their money.
And even without captain Cesc Fabregas, Arsenal are simply awash with talent: Van Persie, Eboue, Arshavin, Gallas, Denilson, Clichy. The list goes on.
So, what is the point of this post?
The point is this: when the final whistle goes on this game, I hope that none of my fellow bloggers write scathing articles about the state of Scottish football. God knows we've had enough of those already this week.
Celtic will still be in Europe, they'll still be flying the flag for Scottish football. Arsenal are not Artmedia Bratislava. Arsenal are no FBK Kaunas, or FC Vaduz or Sigma Olomouc. There will be no shame to suffer, no crisis to have caused, and no country to have let down.
It's just one team, beaten by a better team. That's football. That's all it is. No more, no less.
Alright Chick?
25/08/2009
Scotland squad named for crunch World Cup qualifiers
The Scotland squad for the two crucial games Group 9 games against Macedonia and The Netherlands where named this afternoon at Hampden.
Craig Gordon has been included in the squad, having recovered from a long term injury. His lack of match practice might be a factor however, with Burley perhaps opting for the more match-fit David Marshall. The presence of Sunderland's Craig Gordon means Aberdeen's Jamie Langfield will have to wait longer for his chance in goal - he's been dropped in favour of Rangers' Neil Alexander.
Veteran defender David Weir is recalled to the squad as the Scottish defensive options are dwindling through injuries (Steven Caldwell, Christophe Berra and Stephen McManus) and suspension (Gary Caldwell). The 39-year-old was named captain of Rangers following Barry Ferguson's controversial expulsion from the Scotland setup.
Kilmarnock's Kevin Kyle is also included, as is Falkirk defender Darren Barr. The two make up the only Scottish-based players to make the squad and who do not play their club football with either Rangers or Celtic.
The unexpected heavy defeat in Norway earlier in the month has meant that Scotland need to win both games to have any chance of making the World Cup Finals next year. Burley's men begin on 5 September with the home game against Macedonia, with Holland to come four days later.
A win against Macedonia is a tough proposition. With a good home crowd supporting the side, I believe we can get a result against Macedonia. It will be a huge task, not to mention a tense fixture: Macedonia, like Scotland also need to win their next two games to have a chance of qualifying.
Macedonia play their last game against Norway, who play Iceland on the same night that the Scots take on Macedonia.
Assuming we beat Macedonia, our last Group 9 game against The Netherlands is then another must-win game. The Dutch qualified at a canter conceding only 2 goals while scoring 16, and we can only hope that they bring the reserve squad for a run-about in, what is for Bert van Marwijk at least anyway, a meaningless fixture.
Gordon (Sunderland), N Alexander (Rangers), Marshall (Cardiff)
Barr (Falkirk), McManus (Celtic), Berra (Wolves), G Caldwell (Celtic), S Caldwell (Burnley), Davidson (Preston), Hutton (Tottenham), McAllister (Bristol City), Whittaker (Rangers), Weir (Rangers)
G Alexander (Burnley), Brown (Celtic), Commons (Derby), D Fletcher (Manchester United), Hartley (Bristol City), McFadden (Birmingham), Maloney (Celtic)
Clarkson (Bristol City), S Fletcher (Burnley), Kyle (Kilmarnock), Miller (Rangers), Naismith (Rangers).
Craig Gordon has been included in the squad, having recovered from a long term injury. His lack of match practice might be a factor however, with Burley perhaps opting for the more match-fit David Marshall. The presence of Sunderland's Craig Gordon means Aberdeen's Jamie Langfield will have to wait longer for his chance in goal - he's been dropped in favour of Rangers' Neil Alexander.
Veteran defender David Weir is recalled to the squad as the Scottish defensive options are dwindling through injuries (Steven Caldwell, Christophe Berra and Stephen McManus) and suspension (Gary Caldwell). The 39-year-old was named captain of Rangers following Barry Ferguson's controversial expulsion from the Scotland setup.
Kilmarnock's Kevin Kyle is also included, as is Falkirk defender Darren Barr. The two make up the only Scottish-based players to make the squad and who do not play their club football with either Rangers or Celtic.
The unexpected heavy defeat in Norway earlier in the month has meant that Scotland need to win both games to have any chance of making the World Cup Finals next year. Burley's men begin on 5 September with the home game against Macedonia, with Holland to come four days later.
A win against Macedonia is a tough proposition. With a good home crowd supporting the side, I believe we can get a result against Macedonia. It will be a huge task, not to mention a tense fixture: Macedonia, like Scotland also need to win their next two games to have a chance of qualifying.
Macedonia play their last game against Norway, who play Iceland on the same night that the Scots take on Macedonia.
Assuming we beat Macedonia, our last Group 9 game against The Netherlands is then another must-win game. The Dutch qualified at a canter conceding only 2 goals while scoring 16, and we can only hope that they bring the reserve squad for a run-about in, what is for Bert van Marwijk at least anyway, a meaningless fixture.
Scotland Squad
Gordon (Sunderland), N Alexander (Rangers), Marshall (Cardiff)
Barr (Falkirk), McManus (Celtic), Berra (Wolves), G Caldwell (Celtic), S Caldwell (Burnley), Davidson (Preston), Hutton (Tottenham), McAllister (Bristol City), Whittaker (Rangers), Weir (Rangers)
G Alexander (Burnley), Brown (Celtic), Commons (Derby), D Fletcher (Manchester United), Hartley (Bristol City), McFadden (Birmingham), Maloney (Celtic)
Clarkson (Bristol City), S Fletcher (Burnley), Kyle (Kilmarnock), Miller (Rangers), Naismith (Rangers).
21/08/2009
The Ballbag's Scottish Football Four to Follow
Despite the somewhat tepid performances of our teams in Europe this week which led to our total rant last night following the Hearts game against Dinamo, Scottish football, for all its faults, lives to play on another week.
It's only really when Scottish teams play in Europe that Inside Left ends up hiding behind the sofa; when it comes to our domestic game, the thrill and excitement is still the same for us, whether or not we have TV rights, sponsorship or even a rosy future to look forward to.
There's nothing to beat the feeling of walking down the road to the ground, sitting in the stands watching your team, and no amount of dodgy results against diddy teams from Europe (or even England) will change that.
So, with that said, let's get on with our Four to Follow!
In the SPL, there's a few games that stick out for various reasons. The fixture between champions Rangers and Hearts would probably have been the game of the weekend if Hearts had managed to not lose by quite so many goals. A 2-1 defeat for the Jambo's would have set up a cracking tie, with two teams in good spirits going into this game. As it was, we all know what happened to Hearts, so I fear that this game is going to be another standard win for Rangers.
Another interesting fixture sees Celtic take on new boys St Johnstone at Parkhead. Celtic of course got off to that cracking start against a useless Aberdeen side, while the Saints more than acquitted themselves last week against Motherwell. Perhaps if they managed to hold on to their leads, then this might have been an interesting fixture.
Or there's Aberdeen against Hamilton, two sides looking for their first win of the season following heavy defeats last week.
But the first of our Four to Follow matches is not one that would immediately grab your attention, but it's made more interesting by the fact that both sides are under new management, and that both sides have a point to prove.
Falkirk are a bit of an oddity. A side that was noted for playing some excellent football, a side that reached the semi-final of the League Cup and the final of the Scottish Cup (losing to Rangers on both occasions), yet which only avoided relegation by the skin of their teeth. Most of last season Falkirk struggled to make much of an impact in terms of their league position, but manager John Hughes somehow managed to pull the results out of the bag when the going got tough, not least that nerve racking win over Caley on the last day of the season, which kept the Bairns up and that relegated Caley.
Of course, Hughes jumped ship over the summer, instead taking up the reins at the team with which he'll return to Falkirk with tomorrow, Hibernian.
Hibs missed out on European football this season, finishing sixth, bringing to an end another distinctly average campaign that saw early exists from Europe and domestic Cup competitions. It cost Mixu Paateleinen his job, and the Hibs fans will be expecting much from Hughes. He's already brought over a few of his old team mates from Falkirk, including Patrick Cregg and Kevin McBride and also some of the old playing style. Hibs had to fight for the win against 10-man St. Mirren last week, but a win's a win, so they're full of confidence going into this game.
Eddie May, who had the pleasure of leading Falkirk into Europe had to suffer the shame of losing to a team from Liechtenstein. Not the best start to your tenure, but it's early days yet. Despite losing to Rangers 4-1 on the opening day of the season, Falkirk actually didn't have a bad game, with some encouraging spells which may well work against non-Old Firm teams, such as Hibernian.
So, two teams with something to prove: Falkirk for proving they're better than most people give them credit for, and for sticking it up John Hughes; and Hibernian for continuing their winning start and John Hughes for sticking it up Falkirk. Expect a passionate, committed game. We go for a Hibs win.
Dundee are many bookies candidates for promotion to the SPL. They drew 2-2 with Raith Rovers at the weekend, having to come from behind in the process to earn that draw. The opening day win against Morton was also a little more troublesome than you'd want really. Progress through the Cup competitions is on track, with convincing wins against Cowdenbeath and Stranraer along the way, but then you'd expect them to win those anyway.
Inverness, like Dundee have won one and drawn one game so far, but they've probably got the best chance of going straight back up. For one, they're playing First Division football with an SPL division squad. Not only that, in Terry Butcher they've got a manager who, while not having one of the more illustrious managerial track records, is a real fighter and campaigner, the sort to get the fire in the belly that Caley need to ensure a rapid return to the SPL.
So, this game is between two sides we feel will be challenging for the title all the way. Although it might have been better to have the first meeting between the later on in the season to judge how good both sides are (or not), we may get an early indication here of how this battle for promotion might pan out.
For some reason, and this is completely the fault of my keyboard and not some kind of subliminal thought process, I keep mistyping 'Stirlingshire' into 'Stirlingshite'. A few years ago this may well have been more appropriate but The Shire have really matured and grown into a solid enough side of late. Gone are the days when they where the subject of a book and BBC news crews, all wanting to see the worst side in Britain.
The team that took over that crown last year was Elgin City. The Borough Briggs outfit finished bottom of the table on 26 points having won only seven games all season. East Stirlingshire, in contrast, nearly made it to the Second Division, the side losing out to Cowdenbeath in the play-offs. That play-off game was also the cause for Jim McInally receiving a 16 game touchline ban from the SFA for "excessive misconduct", along with a £1,000 fine. You'd wonder what he did or said to deserve such a ban; McInally has started an appeal process.
Both sides have had encouraging starts to the season, which should make for an entertaining game. We'll go with an East Stirlingshire win.
Our final game today is between two of the top sides in the Highland League. Deveronvale are currently top of the league, with Inverurie Locos not far behind. Neither of these two sides ventured from top 5 last season. Past meetings between the sides have been high scoring games (although that's no indication - most Highland League games are high scoring!), with the Banff side winning the last encounter 3-2 back in April, revenge for their 5-2 defeat in the Scottish Cup at the start of last season. Because of home advantage, We'll go with a Deveronvale win.
Clydesdale Bank Premier League
Celtic v St Johnstone
Falkirk v Hibernian
Hamilton v Aberdeen
Motherwell v Kilmarnock
St Mirren v Dundee Utd
Rangers v Hearts
The Irn-Bru First Division
Ayr v Morton
Dundee v Inverness CT
Dunfermline v Airdrie Utd
Queen of South v Partick Thistle
Ross County v Raith
The Irn-Bru Second Division
Cowdenbeath v Alloa
Dumbarton v Clyde
East Fife v Arbroath
Peterhead v Stenhousemuir
Stirling v Brechin
The Irn-Bru Third Division
Berwick v Livingston
East Stirling v Elgin
Montrose v Forfar
Queens Park v Albion
Stranraer v Annan Athletic
Highland League
Brora v Buckie Thistle
Deveronvale v Inverurie Locos
Formartine Utd v Fort William
Forres Mechanics v Wick Academy
Keith v Turriff United
Lossiemouth v Clachnacuddin
Nairn County v Fraserburgh
Rothes v Cove Rangers
Strathspey Thistle v Huntly
It's only really when Scottish teams play in Europe that Inside Left ends up hiding behind the sofa; when it comes to our domestic game, the thrill and excitement is still the same for us, whether or not we have TV rights, sponsorship or even a rosy future to look forward to.
There's nothing to beat the feeling of walking down the road to the ground, sitting in the stands watching your team, and no amount of dodgy results against diddy teams from Europe (or even England) will change that.
So, with that said, let's get on with our Four to Follow!
In the SPL, there's a few games that stick out for various reasons. The fixture between champions Rangers and Hearts would probably have been the game of the weekend if Hearts had managed to not lose by quite so many goals. A 2-1 defeat for the Jambo's would have set up a cracking tie, with two teams in good spirits going into this game. As it was, we all know what happened to Hearts, so I fear that this game is going to be another standard win for Rangers.
Another interesting fixture sees Celtic take on new boys St Johnstone at Parkhead. Celtic of course got off to that cracking start against a useless Aberdeen side, while the Saints more than acquitted themselves last week against Motherwell. Perhaps if they managed to hold on to their leads, then this might have been an interesting fixture.
Or there's Aberdeen against Hamilton, two sides looking for their first win of the season following heavy defeats last week.
But the first of our Four to Follow matches is not one that would immediately grab your attention, but it's made more interesting by the fact that both sides are under new management, and that both sides have a point to prove.
Falkirk v Hibernian
Falkirk are a bit of an oddity. A side that was noted for playing some excellent football, a side that reached the semi-final of the League Cup and the final of the Scottish Cup (losing to Rangers on both occasions), yet which only avoided relegation by the skin of their teeth. Most of last season Falkirk struggled to make much of an impact in terms of their league position, but manager John Hughes somehow managed to pull the results out of the bag when the going got tough, not least that nerve racking win over Caley on the last day of the season, which kept the Bairns up and that relegated Caley.
Of course, Hughes jumped ship over the summer, instead taking up the reins at the team with which he'll return to Falkirk with tomorrow, Hibernian.
Hibs missed out on European football this season, finishing sixth, bringing to an end another distinctly average campaign that saw early exists from Europe and domestic Cup competitions. It cost Mixu Paateleinen his job, and the Hibs fans will be expecting much from Hughes. He's already brought over a few of his old team mates from Falkirk, including Patrick Cregg and Kevin McBride and also some of the old playing style. Hibs had to fight for the win against 10-man St. Mirren last week, but a win's a win, so they're full of confidence going into this game.
Eddie May, who had the pleasure of leading Falkirk into Europe had to suffer the shame of losing to a team from Liechtenstein. Not the best start to your tenure, but it's early days yet. Despite losing to Rangers 4-1 on the opening day of the season, Falkirk actually didn't have a bad game, with some encouraging spells which may well work against non-Old Firm teams, such as Hibernian.
So, two teams with something to prove: Falkirk for proving they're better than most people give them credit for, and for sticking it up John Hughes; and Hibernian for continuing their winning start and John Hughes for sticking it up Falkirk. Expect a passionate, committed game. We go for a Hibs win.
Dundee v Inverness CT
Dundee are many bookies candidates for promotion to the SPL. They drew 2-2 with Raith Rovers at the weekend, having to come from behind in the process to earn that draw. The opening day win against Morton was also a little more troublesome than you'd want really. Progress through the Cup competitions is on track, with convincing wins against Cowdenbeath and Stranraer along the way, but then you'd expect them to win those anyway.
Inverness, like Dundee have won one and drawn one game so far, but they've probably got the best chance of going straight back up. For one, they're playing First Division football with an SPL division squad. Not only that, in Terry Butcher they've got a manager who, while not having one of the more illustrious managerial track records, is a real fighter and campaigner, the sort to get the fire in the belly that Caley need to ensure a rapid return to the SPL.
So, this game is between two sides we feel will be challenging for the title all the way. Although it might have been better to have the first meeting between the later on in the season to judge how good both sides are (or not), we may get an early indication here of how this battle for promotion might pan out.
East Stirlingshire v Elgin
For some reason, and this is completely the fault of my keyboard and not some kind of subliminal thought process, I keep mistyping 'Stirlingshire' into 'Stirlingshite'. A few years ago this may well have been more appropriate but The Shire have really matured and grown into a solid enough side of late. Gone are the days when they where the subject of a book and BBC news crews, all wanting to see the worst side in Britain.
The team that took over that crown last year was Elgin City. The Borough Briggs outfit finished bottom of the table on 26 points having won only seven games all season. East Stirlingshire, in contrast, nearly made it to the Second Division, the side losing out to Cowdenbeath in the play-offs. That play-off game was also the cause for Jim McInally receiving a 16 game touchline ban from the SFA for "excessive misconduct", along with a £1,000 fine. You'd wonder what he did or said to deserve such a ban; McInally has started an appeal process.
Both sides have had encouraging starts to the season, which should make for an entertaining game. We'll go with an East Stirlingshire win.
Deveronvale v Inverurie Locos
Our final game today is between two of the top sides in the Highland League. Deveronvale are currently top of the league, with Inverurie Locos not far behind. Neither of these two sides ventured from top 5 last season. Past meetings between the sides have been high scoring games (although that's no indication - most Highland League games are high scoring!), with the Banff side winning the last encounter 3-2 back in April, revenge for their 5-2 defeat in the Scottish Cup at the start of last season. Because of home advantage, We'll go with a Deveronvale win.
Scottish Football Fixture List, 22nd August 2009
Clydesdale Bank Premier League
Celtic v St Johnstone
Falkirk v Hibernian
Hamilton v Aberdeen
Motherwell v Kilmarnock
St Mirren v Dundee Utd
Rangers v Hearts
The Irn-Bru First Division
Ayr v Morton
Dundee v Inverness CT
Dunfermline v Airdrie Utd
Queen of South v Partick Thistle
Ross County v Raith
The Irn-Bru Second Division
Cowdenbeath v Alloa
Dumbarton v Clyde
East Fife v Arbroath
Peterhead v Stenhousemuir
Stirling v Brechin
The Irn-Bru Third Division
Berwick v Livingston
East Stirling v Elgin
Montrose v Forfar
Queens Park v Albion
Stranraer v Annan Athletic
Highland League
Brora v Buckie Thistle
Deveronvale v Inverurie Locos
Formartine Utd v Fort William
Forres Mechanics v Wick Academy
Keith v Turriff United
Lossiemouth v Clachnacuddin
Nairn County v Fraserburgh
Rothes v Cove Rangers
Strathspey Thistle v Huntly
18/08/2009
ALBA Challenge Cup Second Round Results
It took a last minute goal from Peter Watson to secure a place in the next round for Annan, and Elgin City score three times in the second half to edge out league leaders Albion Rovers 3-0 at Borough Briggs.
Elsewhere there where no real upsets or surprises, with the First Division sides all going through. Dundee beat Cowdenbeath, with Leigh Griffiths, Gary Harkins and Mickael Antoine-Curier getting on the scoresheet. Partick Thistle trash Forfar Athletic 6-1 to secure their place in the Quarter Finals and there where wins for Caley, Ross County and Queen of the South.
Elsewhere there where no real upsets or surprises, with the First Division sides all going through. Dundee beat Cowdenbeath, with Leigh Griffiths, Gary Harkins and Mickael Antoine-Curier getting on the scoresheet. Partick Thistle trash Forfar Athletic 6-1 to secure their place in the Quarter Finals and there where wins for Caley, Ross County and Queen of the South.
The full results are as follows, with links to the BBC website.
Annan Athletic 1-0 East Stirling
Cowdenbeath 0-3 Dundee
Dunfermline 1-2 Queen of South
Elgin 3-0 Albion
Forfar 1-6 Partick Thistle
Inverness CT 3-0 Stranraer
Ross County 2-1 Morton
Stirling 3-1 Stenhousemuir
The Quarter Final games will be played on Sunday 6 September.
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