Chris Faulds

Hamilton Academical defeated Alloa Athletic 1-0 at New Douglas Park, with Cameron Blues scoring the only goal after Cameron O'Donnell slipped and Hamilton quickly moved the ball into the box. Alloa struggled during the first half but improved substantially after the interval and created opportunities to equalise. Manager Andy Graham criticised the team's lack of belief and character before half-time, while taking encouragement from the response after the break and urging the squad to perform with the same intensity for the full 90 minutes.

Steven Hetherington made his 300th appearance for Alloa, becoming only the 13th post-war player to reach the milestone, despite the achievement coming in a 4-1 defeat by Ayr United. The midfielder, who first joined Alloa in 2014 and returned in 2023, credited the club's managers, teammates, volunteers, supporters and community spirit for his longevity. He also emphasized his aim of helping younger players such as Max Cameron and Kyle Glasgow develop and progress in their careers.

Ayr United defeated Alloa Athletic 4-1 to win their League Cup group and advance to the next stage. Owen Stirton scored twice and Kieran Shanks added a penalty as Ayr led 3-0 at half-time. Alloa improved substantially after the interval, with Cameron O'Donnell scoring, but Scott Taggart missed a penalty that could have reduced the deficit before Jamie Murphy restored Ayr's three-goal lead. Alloa finished fourth in Group G with four points and will now focus on the League One opener against East Fife.