12 – Falkirk secured their spot in the last four of the SPFL Trust Trophy with a 4-2 victory over Dundee United at The Falkirk Stadium on Friday night. Two goals from Callumn Morrison and one apiece from Tom Lang and Finn Yeats helped John McGlynn’s side defeat the cinch Championship leaders to set up a semi-final at home to Welsh champions The New Saints. The Bairns are four-times winners of the competition, but this is the first time in 12 years they have made it to the semi-final stage. Worryingly for the rest of the sides in the competition, on each of the four previous times Falkirk have reached a Challenge Cup semi-final, they have gone on to win the trophy.
4 – Raith Rovers defeated Hamilton Academical 4-1 at New Douglas Park on Friday night to book their place in the SPFL Trust Trophy semi-final. A double from Jack Hamilton and goals from Sam Stanton and Dylan Easton ensured that Ian Murray’s side got some revenge for their loss to Accies in last season’s final. Rovers have an incredible recent record in this competition – they have won 17 of their last 18 ties, with the only blemish being that defeat to Accies last season. Friday’s success was Rovers’ fifth consecutive win against Accies at New Douglas Park since the start of the 2020/21 campaign – they have an aggregate scoreline of 12-1 over that period.
15 – Airdrieonians sealed the final spot in the last four of the SPFL Trust Trophy thanks to a penalty shoot-out victory over Greenock Morton at Cappielow. The match finished 0-0 after 90 minutes, but Josh Rae saved Lewis McGrattan’s spot-kick to secure a 6-5 victory on penalties. Rhys McCabe’s side will now travel to Kirkcaldy to take on Raith Rovers in the semi-final. It will be the Diamonds’ first semi-final in this competition for 15 years – the last time they made it this far, back in 2008/09, they went on to win the trophy by beating Ross County on penalties in the final.
6 – Cove Rangers defeated Stirling Albion 3-1 at Balmoral Stadium to move closer to the top two in cinch League 1. Rumarn Burrell’s first career hat-trick helped Paul Hartley’s side come from behind to secure a sixth consecutive victory. Burrell’s treble took his tally for the season to 12 goals in all competitions, and moved him to the top of the cinch League 1 goalscoring chart, with nine goals in 14 league matches. The last time Cove won six or more matches on the spin was during Hartley’s first spell in charge, when they won nine in a row between November 2021 and January 2022 on their way to claiming the cinch League 1 title.
3 – Stenhousemuir moved to the top of cinch League 2 thanks to a 3-0 victory over Stranraer at Stair Park. Matty Aitken, Matty Yates and Euan O’Reilly were all on the scoresheet for Gary Naysmith’s side as they leapfrogged Peterhead on goal difference at the top of the table. The Warriors are unbeaten in nine league matches, picking up seven wins and two draws, including victories in each of their last four. The last time the Warriors went this long without defeat in the league was almost a decade ago, when they went 12 matches unbeaten from January-April 2014, a run which included four wins and eight draws. Stenhousemuir have never won a league title in any division in over a century as members of the Scottish League – this season could be their best opportunity break that duck.
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