After last week’s draw for the group stages of the Betfred Cup, Hearts, Edinburgh City and Spartans today learned their fixtures in the competition.
Hearts will begin their campaign with a Wednesday evening trip to Aberdeenshire to face Highland League champions Cove Rangers on 18th July. Craig Levein’s team then face Raith Rovers at East Fife’s Bayview Stadium on 21st July, with Rovers’ Starks Park unavailable due to work on the pitch. Hearts complete their section with two home games, Cowdenbeath – who shipped ten goals on their last visit to Tynecastle – on 24th July and Inverness Caledonian Thistle, managed by Hearts legend John Robertson, on Sunday 29th July, this final tie also being broadcast live on BT Sport.
Edinburgh City begin their Betfred campaign at fellow League Two side Clyde before a somewhat daunting trip to Scottish Cup finalists Motherwell. City’s two home games are against Queen of the South and Stranraer.
Lowland League champions Spartans kick off with a home game against Dumbarton before visiting newly promoted Premiership side St Mirren. Dougie Samuel’s team then head to Hampden on Saturday 21st July to face Queens Park before welcoming Premiership high-flyers Kilmarnock to Ainslie Park for their final group game.
The full Betfred Cup fixture list (courtesy of www.spfl.co.uk) is:
Group A
Saturday 14 July
Dundee United v Arbroath
Ross County v Elgin City
Tuesday 17 July
Alloa Athletic v Arbroath
Ross County v Dundee United
Saturday 21 July
Arbroath v Elgin City
Dundee United v Alloa Athletic
Tuesday 24 July
Elgin City v Alloa Athletic
Wednesday 25 July
Arbroath v Ross County
Saturday 28 July
Alloa Athletic v Ross County
Elgin City v Dundee United
Group B
Saturday 14 July
Falkirk v Montrose
St Johnstone v East Fife
Tuesday 17 July
Falkirk v Forfar Athletic
Montrose v East Fife
Saturday 21 July
Montrose v St Johnstone
Sunday 22 July
East Fife v Forfar Athletic
Tuesday 24 July
St Johnstone v Falkirk
Wednesday 25 July
Forfar Athletic v Montrose
Saturday 28 July
East Fife v Falkirk
Forfar Athletic v St Johnstone
Group C
Saturday 14 July
Inverness Caledonian Thistle v Cove Rangers
Raith Rovers v Cowdenbeath (at East Fife)
Tuesday 17 July
Cowdenbeath v Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Wednesday 18 July
Cove Rangers v Heart of Midlothian (8.00pm)
Saturday 21 July
Cowdenbeath v Cove Rangers
Raith Rovers v Heart of Midlothian (at East Fife – Live on BT Sport, 3.00pm)
Tuesday 24 July
Heart of Midlothian v Cowdenbeath
Inverness Caledonian Thistle v Raith Rovers
Saturday 28 July
Cove Rangers v Raith Rovers
Sunday 29 July
Heart of Midlothian v Inverness Caledonian Thistle (Live on BT Sport, 3.00pm)
Group D
Saturday 14 July
Brechin City v Peterhead
Stirling Albion v Dundee
Tuesday 17 July
Dunfermline Athletic v Peterhead
Stirling Albion v Brechin City
Saturday 21 July
Peterhead v Stirling Albion
Sunday 22 July
Dundee v Dunfermline Athletic (Live on BT Sport, 3.00pm)
Wednesday 25 July
Brechin City v Dunfermline Athletic
Peterhead v Dundee
Saturday 28 July
Dundee v Brechin City
Dunfermline Athletic v Stirling Albion
Group E
Saturday 14 July
Ayr United v Morton
Stenhousemuir v Partick Thistle
Tuesday 17 July
Partick Thistle v Morton
Stenhousemuir v Albion Rovers (7.30pm)
Saturday 21 July
Albion Rovers v Ayr United
Morton v Stenhousemuir
Tuesday 24 July
Albion Rovers v Partick Thistle
Ayr United v Stenhousemuir
Saturday 28 July
Morton v Albion Rovers
Partick Thistle v Ayr United
Group F
Saturday 14 July
Airdrieonians v Livingston
Annan Athletic v Hamilton Academical
Tuesday 17 July
Annan Athletic v Berwick Rangers
Hamilton Academical v Livingston
Saturday 21 July
Berwick Rangers v Airdrieonians
Livingston v Annan Athletic
Tuesday 24 July
Airdrieonians v Annan Athletic
Berwick Rangers v Hamilton Academical
Saturday 28 July
Hamilton Academical v Airdrieonians
Livingston v Berwick Rangers
Group G
Saturday 14 July
Clyde v Edinburgh City
Queen of the South v Stranraer
Tuesday 17 July
Motherwell v Edinburgh City
Queen of the South v Clyde
Saturday 21 July
Edinburgh v Queen of the South
Stranraer v Motherwell
Tuesday 24 July
Motherwell v Queen of the South
Stranraer v Clyde
Saturday 28 July
Clyde v Motherwell (Live on BT Sport, 3.00pm)
Edinburgh City v Stranraer
Group H
Friday 13 July
Kilmarnock v St Mirren (Live on BT Sport, 7.45pm)
Saturday 14 July
Spartans v Dumbarton
Tuesday 17 July
Dumbarton v Queen’s Park
St Mirren v Spartans
Saturday 21 July
Dumbarton v Kilmarnock
Queen’s Park v Spartans
Tuesday 24 July
Queen’s Park v St Mirren
Spartans v Kilmarnock
Saturday 28 July
Kilmarnock v Queen’s Park
St Mirren v Dumbarton
Author of The Team for Me - 50 Years of Following Hearts. Runs Mind Generating Success, a successful therapy practice in Edinburgh. Contact me if you want rid of any unwanted habits. Twitter @Mike1874
