Dunfermline

Partick Thistle once again failed to find a cure for their incorrigible travel sickness as an opportunist Aidan Connolly strike condemned the Jags to another defeat on the road.

A howler from Dunfermline goalkeeper Lee Robinson handed Morton a draw on Jonatan Johansson’s home bow as manager.

Both these sides required penalty shootouts for victory in last weekend’s Irn-Bru Cup but this stalemate was indicative of two teams apparently heading in different directions.

Dunfermline’s gruelling away day in England felt more like a happy homecoming to Myles Hippolyte as he helped the Pars see off Boreham Wood in front of a swathe of his friends and family.

Dunfermline Athletic’s trip to the ‘British Hollywood’ was far from a blockbuster affair on the pitch. However, manager Allan Johnston has paid tribute to the dedicated supporters who ensured the occasion felt box office.

Dunfermline Athletic travel south on Saturday to face English National League side Boreham Wood in the second round of the Irn-Bru Cup.

Inverness won for the first time in four games and condemned Dunfermline to a third successive loss thanks to three unanswered second-half goals, Shaun Rooney, Liam Polworth and George Oakley on target as John Robertson’s side climbed up to second.

Hearts have farmed out another three players, Ryan Edwards joining 
St Mirren and Malaury Martin and Aidan Keena heading to Dunfermline.

Ayr are riding high at the summit of the Championship and the manner of this victory surely fired a warning to their rivals who have been caught cold by the league’s new boys.

The performance was not one to savour but when Hearts’ name was drawn against Motherwell in yesterday’s Betfred Cup quarter-final draw, no-one involved with the Gorgie club cared how they had made it past Dunfermline to get there. All that mattered was that they had found a way.

Hearts manager Craig Levein has urged onlookers not to read anything into Kyle Lafferty’s decision to throw his top into the throng of Gorgie fans at the final whistle.

Dunfermline have questioned the sense in including teams from outwith the country in a Scottish national cup competition.

Last year, it was Hearts’ inability to overcome Dunfermline that denied the Tynecastle club the opportunity to escape the group stage of the Betfred League Cup and led to managerial upheaval.

It is far too early in proceedings to get overly excited about individual results, but this is a victory that proved emphatically Ross County’s title credentials.

Furious Fraser Aird has demanded Dundee United stop pleading for precious time to gel – because they should already be in full flight in their quest for promotion.

Dunfermline piled more pressure on United boss Csaba Laszlo as they avenged last season’s play-off elmination at Tannadice.

Having qualified for the knockout stage of the Betfred Cup on goal difference by virtue of Inverness Caledonian Thistle’s five-goal defeat at Tynecastle this afternoon, Partick Thistle face the daunting task of hosting the cup holders Celtic in the last 16.

In a second tier featuring so many former top-flight sides, Thistle and County have their work cut out, writes Andrew Smith

With nine points already safely secured and brimful of confidence after netting seven goals in midweek, Dunfermline were not expected to make such heavy weather of confirming their progress to the knockout stages.