While the rest of the UK is still fannying around in meaningless friendlies, up in Scotland the season has started for the clubs in the Scottish Football league, as this years Alba Challenge Cup kicked off.
The season just doesn’t seem to get any better for LIVINGSTON. The club where placed in administration on Friday while the Council look for ways to recoup their unpaid rent arrears. For now the football continues in Livingston, but the club will not be adding the Challenge Cup to their honours roll: a single goal by QUEEN OF THE SOUTH’s Barry Wilson was enough to separate the sides and send Livi crashing out of the competition in the first round (report)
Like Livingston, CLYDE are currently facing a few troubles of their own. Manager John Brown has worked wonders to rebuild his squad after the club where relegated last season – a series of open trails has brought in a new squad that recorded a great win against First Division side Partick Thistle. Unfortunately, that good form didn’t continue against fellow Second Division side STENHOUSEMUIR (report). Craig O’Reilly, a former Clyde player scored the opener, with Scott Dalzeil adding a second.
There was some good news for the other two clubs in Scottish football who’ve been hitting the headlines of late. STRANRAER, relegated last season from the Second division and currently in full fundraising mode won a hard-fought game against BERWICK RANGERS. The 4-2 win for The Clayholers came in a bad tempered game that saw both teams reduced to 10-men.
STIRLING ALBION finally received some good news yesterday afternoon as they progressed to the next round of the Alba Cup. Their 2-1 win over last season’s Second Division champions RAITH ROVERS (report) was quite comfortable, from all accounts, with goals by Andy Graham and David McKenna see Stirling through to the second round.
Elsewhere, MONTROSE pushed Terry Butchers’ INVERNESS CALEY all the way to extra time and penalties. A Sean Creighton own-goal put Caley in the lead before half-time, but the Angus side equalized against the run of play when Jordan Leyden put the ball over Ryan Esson in the Caley goal. With no more scoring in extra-time, the game went to penalties, with Caley eventually going through 5-3 on the night (report).
PETERHEAD failed to capitalize on their excellent showing in their friendly against ABERDEEN earlier in the week – they lost 2-1 at home to COWDENBEATH (report). ANNAN ATHLETIC’s first ever home match in the Challenge Cup ended in a 2-0 victory over QUEENS PARK with a Mike Jack double, with both goals coming from the penalty spot (report).
There’s one more game taking place today, as DUMBARTON take on MORTON. This game had to be moved to Sunday because of a wedding at Strathclyde Homes Stadium today (no, really!).
Full Results
Dunfermline Ath 2 – 1 Arbroath
East Fife 0 – 2 Forfar Athletic
Elgin City 3 – 1 Brechin City
Inverness 1 – 1 Montrose Inverness (CT win 5-3 on penalties)
Peterhead 1 – 2 Cowdenbeath
Ross County 3 – 2 Alloa Athletic (aet)
Stirling Albion 2 – 1 Raith Rovers
Airdrie United 0 – 1 Partick Thistle
Annan Athletic 2 – 0 Queen’s Park
Ayr United 0 – 2 Albion Rovers
Queen ‘O South 1 – 0 Livingston
Stenhousemuir 2 – 0 Clyde
Stranraer 4 – 2 Berwick Rangers
