Steven Pressley’s Dundee see Premier Sports Cup hopes dashed by Alloa loss

Steven Pressley suffered a second defeat as Dundee manager as Alloa left their visitors’ hopes of Premier Sports Cup progression in ruins.

Dundee were on the end of another 1-0 defeat at the Indodrill Stadium after losing their opening game against Airdrie.

The decisive moment came midway through the second half when Luke Graham could only turn Steven Buchanan’s shot into his own net as he tried to clear in the goalmouth.

The result moved Alloa on to nine points at the top of Group C, three ahead of Airdrie with a game more played.

Mikael Mandron hit a hat-trick as St Mirren started and finished strongly in an 8-2 home win over Annan.

Mandron put Saints three up inside nine minutes following Killian Phillips’ double but trialist Myles Gaffney pulled two goals back for the visitors before Richard King converted a penalty on the hour mark.

Stephen Robinson’s side went goal crazy in the final 10 minutes with Mandron completing his treble and Jayden Richardson and Roland Idowu also on target.

Ayr are a point behind Saints with a game in hand in Group D after Curtis Main hit a double in a 4-0 home win over Arbroath.

Falkirk could not follow up their seven-goal thrashing of Brechin as they were held to a goalless draw by Cove in another trip to the North East. The Bairns gained a penalty shoot-out bonus point but Spartans moved top of Group A with a 2-0 win at Glebe Park.

Stephen O’Donnell hit the only goal as Motherwell moved top of Group G with victory over Stenhousemuir at Ochilview.

O’Donnell had earlier had a goal disallowed and Callum Slattery hit the bar from a free-kick before the defender converted from a back-post corner four minutes before the break.

Livingston bounced back from defeat by Kilmarnock with a 2-0 home win over Brora Rangers. Danny Wilson opened the scoring with an overhead kick just after the half-hour mark and Zak Rudden headed the second with six minutes left.

Ross County cut the gap on Group B leaders Partick Thistle to two points after Jay Henderson’s second-half winner in a 1-0 victory over Queen of the South at Palmerston.

East Kilbride moved top of Group F as they followed up their shock triumph over Raith Rovers with a 4-1 win at Elgin with the help of Jack Leitch’s first-half double.

St Johnstone joined the SPFL newcomers on six points after Uche Ikpeazu’s 90th-minute goal – his first for the club – earned a 1-0 win at Inverness.

Hearts all but secured qualification for round two thanks to a 4-0 victory at Stirling – their third four-goal haul of the group stage.

Craig Halkett headed the opener in the 13th minute and Claudio Braga added a diving header 10 minutes later. The impressive Alexandros Kyziridis shot high into the net seven minutes before the break and Halkett headed the fourth with 10 minutes left.

Hearts moved on to nine points, six points ahead of several teams including Dunfermline, who got off the mark with a 4-0 win at Dumbarton with the help of a Josh Cooper double.