Ten-man Kilmarnock leave it late against Elgin - League Cup round-up

Updated 3 hours ago Ten-man Kilmarnock needed a stoppage-time Joe Hugill goal to defeat League 2 hosts Elgin City 1-0 in the Premier Sports Cup group stage. Fellow Scottish Premiership side St Johnstone were comfortable winners as they dispatched Greenock Morton 3-0 at McDiarmid Park, while holders St Mirren beat Cove Rangers 4-0 at Balmoral Stadium, Aberdeen edged out Queen's Park 2-1 and Dundee United eased aside Arbroath 3-0. League 1 newcomers East Kilbride came from behind to beat Dumbarton 5-3 in a thrilling contest at K-Park and there were also wins for Airdrieonians, Ayr United, Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Montrose, Queen of the South, Ross County and Stenhousemuir. No panic, but Celtic not good enough yet - Lambert Gemmill leaves Scotland U21 role after 13 years Hassan priority target for Celtic - gossip Group A Dan Happe headed Aberdeen ahead after only three minutes from a corner against Queen's Park and fellow summer signing Lewis Smith slotted the second eight minutes later. But Jim Hamilton headed home from a corner on the hour mark as the Championship visitors made the top-flight side sweat for victory. League 1 side Queen of the South eased aside Highland League outfit Brora Rangers with a 3-0 victory at Dudgeon Park. Player-manager Nicky Clark opened the scoring on 14 minutes and Liam Smith netted two goals in the space of three minutes in the second half to secure the win for the visitors. Group B Dundee United recovered from Tuesday's surprise defeat by Montrose as Zac Sapsford curled in the first-half opener at home to Arbroath. Idjessi Metsoko slotted the second just after the break, with fellow summer signing Lachlan Rose slotting the third. United top the table but only on goal difference from Montrose, who have a game in hand, after the League 1 side were 2-0 winners away from home against League 2 outfit Stirling Albion. Ewan Loudon stepped up to score a first-half penalty for the visitors and, two minutes later, Blair Lyons doubled their advantage with half an hour played. Group C St Mirren were comfortable winners over League 1 hosts Cove. Jalmaro Calvin and Luke Douglas scored their first goals for the Buddies as Craig McLeish's side maintained their 100% record in the group. Fellow summer signing Samuel Ramos converted Killian Phillips' cross for the visitors' second before half-time and 17-year-old Douglas added St Mirren's third - his first senior goal. Cameron Elliott scored a hat-trick as League 1 newcomers East Kilbride defeated fourth-tier Dumbarton in their eight-goal thriller at K-Park. Leighton McIntosh scored first for the visitors, but Elliott levelled for the hosts inside half an hour. He added a second eight minutes later and completed his hat-trick before half-time. Dumbarton pulled one back with 20 minutes to go courtesy of Scott Honeyman and levelled in the 81st minute as McIntosh scored his second, but late goals from Darragh O'Connor and Craig McGuffie sealed East Kilbride's victory. Group D Airdrieonians beat League 2 visitors Annan Athletic 3-0 thanks to goals from Kian Taylor, AJ Bridge and Henry Lister. Fellow League 1 side Ross County struck early against Clyde in their 3-1 win. Brian Graham scored first after just two minutes in the Highlands and Richard Chin added a second inside five. Nathan Cannon pulled one back for the League 2 visitors, but a second-half penalty, converted by Graham, ensure the victory for the hosts. Group E Stenhousemuir beat Highland League hosts Brechin City 2-1 after striking first thanks to Michael Anderson. Brechin levelled just before half-time through Dale Hilson, but a goal on the stroke of half-time from Dale Carrick ensured victory for the Championship side. Partick Thistle took the bonus point by winning the penalty shoot-out against fellow Championship side Livingston on penalties after playing out a 1-1 draw in normal time. Robbie Muirhead struck first for the hosts, but that was cancelled out by Alex Samuel's 80th-minute equaliser for Thistle. Group F Championship side Inverness were largely comfortable winners away to Lowland League champions Linlithgow Rose thanks to first-half goals from Ryan Duncan and Noa Boutin. Premiership side St Johnstone beat Greenock Morton 3-0 in Perth. It took until the 69th minute for the deadlock to be broken as Jamie Gullan scored from the spot. Reece McAlear added a second before another Gullan spot-kick ensured the Championship side's defeat. Group G