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The team suffered their first defeat of the 2026/27 Premier Sports Cup campaign as William Hill Premiership side St Mirren claimed a 4-0 victory at Balmoral Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Despite the scoreline, the side remained competitive throughout long spells of the contest and created a number of promising opportunities against the cup holders, particularly in the first half, with Balint Demus producing several excellent saves to keep the visitors at bay before St Mirren’s quality eventually told.

Hartley made five changes to the side that defeated East Kilbride on Tuesday evening. Balint Demus replaced Robbie Mutch in goal, while Layton Bisland, Dylan Ross and Mark Souter came into the defence alongside Liam Parker. Joseph Teasdale made his second full debut for the club following his return from Aberdeen, while Ryan Harrington partnered captain Arron Darge in midfield. Tuesday night’s goalscorers Max Barry, Reuben McAllister and Destiny Oladipo completed the starting line-up.

The visitors created the first opening of the afternoon after just three minutes when Jalmaro Calvin found space inside the area, but he could only scuff his effort straight into the arms of Demus.

Cove responded well and almost took the lead five minutes later. Harrington got on the end of a long ball over the St Mirren defence before cleverly hooking it into the path of Oladipo, whose powerful strike was well blocked by Richard King.

Demus was called into action again midway through the first half. Calvin’s initial effort was saved by the goalkeeper before Chris Mochrie was presented with two opportunities from the rebound, only for Demus to produce two excellent stops in quick succession to keep the scores level.

Cove went straight up the other end and almost broke the deadlock themselves. Good link-up play between Oladipo and Barry released the midfielder through on goal, but Jacob Chapman was quickly off his line to deny Barry before turning the ball behind for a corner.

St Mirren continued to threaten, with Declan John weaving through several challenges before bursting into the penalty area, only for the alert Demus to race from his line and sweep the danger clear.

The breakthrough arrived on 31 minutes when the visitors were awarded a penalty after Darge caught Killian Phillips late inside the penalty area. Roland Idowu made no mistake from the spot, sending Demus the wrong way to give the Premiership side the lead.

St Mirren doubled their advantage three minutes before the interval. Phillips delivered an inviting cross from the right and Samuel Ramos nipped in front of Bisland at the back post to convert from close range.

Cove started the second half positively and almost pulled a goal back on 52 minutes. McAllister’s dangerous cross was flicked towards his own goal by King, forcing Chapman into an excellent reaction save as he tipped the ball onto the post before recovering to gather just ahead of the onrushing Teasdale.

The hosts continued to threaten and came close again seven minutes later. Ackeme Francis-Burrell’s effort deflected kindly into the path of Teasdale, who showed good awareness to lay the ball into the path of Ross, but the defender’s driven effort fizzed narrowly wide of the far post.

St Mirren remained dangerous on the counter and Carrick McEvoy was inches away from extending the visitors’ lead when he drilled a powerful effort just over the top corner from 25 yards.

The visitors wrapped up the points with nine minutes remaining. A defence-splitting pass released Luke Douglas through on goal and the substitute kept his composure to slot beyond Demus.

St Mirren completed the scoring five minutes later. A corner was met by Alex Gogic, whose header looped into the air before Calvin rose highest to nod beyond the diving Demus and make it 4-0.

Attention now turns to Tuesday night’s Group C clash away to Dunfermline Athletic, as we look to return to winning ways against last season’s Scottish Cup finalists.

COVE RANGERS: DEMUS; BISLAND (ENEM, 61′), SOUTER, PARKER, ROSS; TEASDALE, DARGE, HARRINGTON (FRANCIS-BURRELL, 46′), BARRY (MAGUIRE, 61′), MCALLISTER (OPPONG, 61′); OLADIPO (WHITE, 46′).

SUBS: MUTCH, STEPHEN, FRASER.

GOALSCORERS:

ST MIRREN: CHAPMAN; FRASER (RICHARDSON, 76′), KING, GOGIC, JOHN (FIELDSON, 34′); MCEVOY, RAMOS (TAYLOR, 61′), PHILLIPS (TRIALIST, 61′); CALVIN, MOCHRIE (DOUGLAS, 76′), IDOWU

SUBS: URMINSKY, CARR, SULE, YOUNG

GOALSCORERS: IDOWU (31′), RAMOS (42′) DOUGLAS (81′), CALVIN (85′)

ATTENDANCE: 812

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