Premier Sports Cup: Stoppage time winner for 10-man Premiership side as debutant saves Aberdeen

Dundee United bounced back from their Premier Sports Cup defeat at Montrose with a 3-0 Tannadice win over Arbroath.

Zac Sapsford and summer signings Idjessi Metsoko and Lachlan Rose were on target as United capitalised on the counter-attack. United went top of Group B on goals scored but Montrose have a game in hand after their 3-1 win at Stirling.

Joe Hugill scored a stoppage-time winner as 10-man Kilmarnock scraped past Elgin.

Kilmarnock's Joe Hugill celebrates his stoppage time winner against Elgin at Borough Briggs in the Premier Sports Cup. (Photo by Finlay Thom / SNS Group) | SNS Group

Killie were already struggling to break down their hosts at Borough Briggs before Jamie Brandon was shown a straight red card in the 37th minute for a late challenge on Lyall Booth.

Neil McCann’s side were heading for their second goalless draw this week after getting the bonus point against Raith Rovers but Hugill broke clear to finish in the third minute of time added on.

McCann told Killie TV: “Winning the game was so important. We made it very difficult for ourselves going down to 10 men.

“Jamie made a poor decision jumping into a challenge like that and, whether I thought it was a red or a yellow or not, it really hampered our chances of making it a more comfortable afternoon."

Raith suffered their second shoot-out defeat after a 1-1 draw at Hamilton. Rovers took the lead through Lewis Vaughan’s 26th-minute penalty but Cameron Blues soon levelled. Accies, Killie and Raith all have five points but Rovers have played one game more.

Aberdeen needed a stoppage-time save from impressive debutant Marius Muller to claim a 2-1 victory over Queen’s Park, despite going two up inside 11 minutes at Pittodrie.

Aberdeen's Marius Muller saves a shot during a Premier Sports Cup win over Queen's Park at Pittodrie. (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group) | SNS Group

Dan Happe’s header and a smart finish from Lewis Smith put the Dons in command, but Jack Hamilton pulled one back on the hour mark and Muller denied Lewis Stewart in an entertaining finale.

In the other Group A game, player-manager Nicky Clark was on target and Liam Smith hit a double as Queen of the South won 3-0 at Brora.

Holders continue strong start

St Mirren continued a strong start to their defence of the trophy with a 4-0 away victory over Cove Rangers.

Roland Idowu opened the scoring from the spot in the 31st minute and Samuel Ramos continued his flying start to life in Scotland with a close-range finish just before the break.

The holders scored twice in the final 10 minutes, firstly when 17-year-old Luke Douglas finished calmly and then when Jalmaro Calvin headed home.

Buddies boss Craig McLeish said he will make a decision soon on Stevie Mallan’s future after the midfielder played as a trialist.

McLeish said in a club video: “Right now he’s a trialist, he’s training with us. It’s been a few weeks now.

“He’s been great. It’s a credit to Stevie because probably at the start it was to use our training facilities and give him somewhere to train, and now he’s pushed it to being in our thoughts for possibly coming in.

“I’ve had conversations with him. He knows our situation, that it is a busy area of the pitch and it’s maybe not a priority right now, and we have to see how that develops."

East Kilbride joined St Mirren on six points in Group C after they beat Dumbarton 5-3 with the help of Cameron Elliott’s first-half hat-trick.

Jamie Gullan scored two penalties as St Johnstone defeated Morton 3-0 at McDiarmid Park in the Premier Sports Cup. | SNS Group

St Johnstone inflicted Morton’s third defeat as two Jamie Gullan penalties and a wonderful first-time volley from Reece McAlear earned the hosts a 3-0 victory in Perth.

Inverness are a point off Saints in Group F after first-half goals from Ryan Duncan and Noah Boutin earned a 2-0 win at Linlithgow Rose.

Ayr consolidated top spot in Group G as second-half goals from Owen Stirton and Kenzie Mitchell secured a 2-0 victory over Edinburgh City. Alloa’s 2-2 draw with Stranraer means only Falkirk can deny Ayr now and the Honest Men will seal progress with a point against the Wasps.

Brian Graham hit a double as Ross County beat Clyde 3-1 to join Dundee on six points after their second game in Group D. Airdrie beat Annan 3-0 to record their first win.

Partick Thistle went top of Group E after winning a penalty shoot-out at Livingston. Robbie Muirhead fired an opener into the top corner but Alex Samuel levelled on the rebound to seal a 1-1 draw. Thistle moved on to eight points, four ahead of Livi, while Stenhousemuir are on six after Dale Carrick’s winner earned a 2-1 victory at Brechin.