2015–16 Scottish League Cup

2015–16 Scottish League Cup
Tournament details
CountryScotland
Dates30 July 2015 – 13 March 2016
Teams42
Final positions
ChampionsRoss County
Runner-upHibernian
Tournament statistics
Matches played41
Goals scored141 (3.44 per match)
Top goal scorer(s)Liam Boyce
Faissal El Bakhtaoui
Jason Cummings
(4 goals each)[1]

The 2015–16 Scottish League Cup was the 70th season of Scotland's second-most prestigious football knockout competition. It is also known as The Scottish League Cup presented by Utilita for sponsorship reasons.[2]

Ross County defeated Hibernian 2–1 in the final on 13 March.[3]

Format

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The competition is a single elimination knock-out competition. In each round, fixtures are determined by random draw, with the first to third rounds seeded according to last season's league positions (higher 50% of finishers drawn v lower 50% of finishers, alternating which is at home with each tie drawn).

Fixtures are played to a finish, with extra time and then penalties used in the event of draws. The competition is open to all clubs in the Scottish Professional Football League. Clubs involved in European competitions are given a bye to the third round to avoid congestion of fixtures.

Qualified teams

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The following teams qualified and competed in the 2015–16 Scottish League Cup.

Scottish Premiership teams

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There are 12 teams from the 2014–15 Scottish Premiership.

Scottish Championship teams

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There are 10 teams from the 2014–15 Scottish Championship.

Scottish League One teams

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There are 10 teams from the 2014–15 Scottish League One.

Scottish League Two teams

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There are 10 teams from the 2014–15 Scottish League Two.

First round

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The first round draw took place on Monday 6 July 2015 at 2:30pm BST at the Hampden Park Stadium. The 30 clubs that participated in the Championship, League One and League Two in the 2014–15 season entered the competition at this stage. The 12 clubs that participated in the 2014–15 Scottish Premiership received a bye.[4]

Draw and Seeding

[edit]
Pot 1 Pot 2

Scottish Championship:
01. Heart of Midlothian
02. Hibernian
03. Rangers
04. Queen of the South
05. Falkirk
06. Raith Rovers
07. Dumbarton
08. Livingston
09. Alloa Athletic
10. Cowdenbeath

Scottish League One:
11. Greenock Morton
12. Stranraer
13. Forfar Athletic
14. Brechin City
15. Airdrieonians

Scottish League One:
16. Peterhead
17. Dunfermline Athletic
18. Ayr United
19. Stenhousemuir
20. Stirling Albion

Scottish League Two:
21. Albion Rovers
22. Queen's Park
23. Arbroath
24. East Fife
25. Annan Athletic
26. Clyde
27. Elgin City
28. Berwick Rangers
29. East Stirlingshire
30. Montrose

Matches

[edit]
30 July 2015 Heart of Midlothian 4–2ArbroathEdinburgh
19:45 McGhee 57'
Sow 60', 61' (pen.)
Wilson 90' (o.g.)
BBC Sport Report Gold 40'
Grehan 85'
Stadium: Tynecastle Stadium
Attendance: 6,240
Referee: Alan Muir
31 July 2015 Falkirk 5–0East StirlingshireCumbernauld
19:45 Muirhead 17'
Baird 57'
Vidler 68' (o.g.)
McHugh 70'
Alston 78'
BBC Sport Report Stadium: Broadwood Stadium
Attendance: 881
Referee: Salmond
1 August 2015 Berwick Rangers 3–2 (a.e.t.)Alloa AthleticBerwick-upon-Tweed
15:00 Lavery 56'
Morris 77'
Banjo 97'
BBC Sport Report Flannigan 6', 21' Stadium: Shielfield Park
Attendance: 405
Referee: Charleston
1 August 2015 Raith Rovers 3–0Albion RoversKirkcaldy
15:00 Vaughan 16' (pen.)
Benedictus 38'
McKeown 54'
BBC Sport Report Stadium: Stark's Park
Attendance: 1,163
Referee: Walsh
1 August 2015 Annan Athletic3–4 (a.e.t.) Queen of the South Annan
15:00 Osadolor 59'
Weatherson 63', 72'
Black Yellow card 93' Red card
Omar Red card 118'
BBC Sport Report Conroy 42'
Lyle 65', 100'
Hilson 90'
Stadium: Galabank
Attendance: 1,359
Referee: Graham
1 August 2015 Livingston 1–0 (a.e.t.)ClydeLivingston
15:00 White 110' BBC Sport Report Stadium: Almondvale Stadium
Attendance: 664
Referee: John McKendrick
1 August 2015 Dunfermline Athletic 5–1CowdenbeathDunfermline
15:00 El Bakhtaoui 49', 90'
Byrne 56', 78'
Wallace 74' (pen.)
BBC Sport Report Hughes 58'
Andrews Red card 72'
Stadium: East End Park
Attendance: 2,756
Referee: Salmond
1 August 2015 Hibernian 3–0MontroseEdinburgh
15:00 Martin 33'
Allan 71'
Cummings 82'
BBC Sport Report Stadium: Easter Road
Attendance: 5,933
Referee: Beaton
1 August 2015 East Fife 1–1 (a.e.t.)
(4–3 p)
DumbartonMethil
15:00 Austin 48' BBC Sport Report Cawley 65' Stadium: Bayview Stadium
Attendance: 461
Referee: Kirkland
Penalties
1 August 2015 Greenock Morton 5–0Elgin CityGreenock
15:00 McCluskey 48'
Johnstone 68'
Scullion 70', 83'
Forbes 74' (pen.)
BBC Sport Report Stadium: Cappielow
Attendance: 1,052
Referee: Cook
1 August 2015 Queen's Park0–2 Forfar Athletic Glasgow
15:00 BBC Sport Report Young 16'
Denholm 29'
Stadium: Hampden Park
Attendance: 441
Referee: Duncan
1 August 2015 Stranraer 2–0StenhousemuirStranraer
15:00 Malcolm 15', 90' BBC Sport Report Stadium: Stair Park
Attendance: 345
Referee: Robertson
1 August 2015 Ayr United 2–0Brechin CityAyr
15:00 McLauchlan 12'
Boyle 64'
BBC Sport Report Stadium: Somerset Park
Attendance: 976
Referee: Anderson
2 August 2015 Rangers 3–0PeterheadGlasgow
15:00 Templeton 41'
Miller 76'
Tavernier 82'
BBC Sport Report Stadium: Ibrox Stadium
Attendance: 25,608
Referee: Aitken

Second round

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The second round draw took place on Monday 3 August 2015 at 2:30pm BST at the Hampden Park Stadium. The clubs that finished in the bottom 7 places of last season's Premiership entered at this stage joining the 15 first round winners.[5]

Draw and Seeding

[edit]
Pot 1 Pot 2

Scottish Premiership:
01. Dundee
02. Hamilton Academical
03. Partick Thistle
04. Ross County
05. Kilmarnock
06. Motherwell
07. St Mirren

Scottish Championship:
08. Heart of Midlothian
09. Hibernian
10. Rangers
11. Queen of the South

Scottish Championship:
12. Falkirk
13. Raith Rovers
14. Livingston

Scottish League One:
15. Greenock Morton
16. Stranraer
17. Forfar Athletic
18. Airdrieonians
19. Dunfermline Athletic
20. Ayr United

Scottish League Two:
21. East Fife
22. Berwick Rangers

Matches

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25 August 2015 Ross County 2–0Ayr UnitedDingwall
19:45 Boyce 3'
Gardyne 50'
BBC Sport Report Stadium: Global Energy Stadium
Attendance: 1,743
Referee: Charleston
25 August 2015 Forfar Athletic1–2 (a.e.t.) Heart of Midlothian Forfar
19:45 Dunlop 84'
Denholm Yellow card 90+1' Red card
Nichol Red card 120+1'
BBC Sport Report McHattie 74'
Paterson 107'
Stadium: Station Park
Attendance: 1,844
Referee: Aitken
25 August 2015 Kilmarnock 4–1Berwick RangersKilmarnock
19:45 Boyd 16' (pen.)
McKenzie 70'
Slater 77'
Higginbotham 90'
BBC Sport Report Lavery 55' Stadium: Rugby Park
Attendance: McKendrick
Referee: 1,484
25 August 2015 Dunfermline Athletic 3–1DundeeDunfermline
19:45 El Bakhtaoui 11', 90+4'
Cardle 86'
BBC Sport Rerport Hemmings 48' Stadium: East End Park
Attendance: 3,806
Referee: Finnie
25 August 2015 Partick Thistle0–1 Falkirk Glasgow
19:45 BBC Sport Report Grant 32' Stadium: Firhill Stadium
Attendance: 2,221
Referee: Thomson
25 August 2015 East Fife1–3 (a.e.t.) Motherwell Methil
19:45 Austin 60' BBC Sport Report Moult 80'
McDonald 103'
Ainsworth 107'
Stadium: Bayview Stadium
Attendance: 1,158
Referee: Cook
25 August 2015 St Mirren2–3 Livingston Paisley
19:45 Gallagher 16'
Mallan 45'
BBC Sport Report Buchanan 41'
Mullen 45' Yellow card 90+1' Red card
Gallagher 84'
Stadium: St Mirren Park
Attendance: 1,568
Referee: Colvin
26 August 2015 Hibernian 1–0StranraerEdinburgh
19:45 Rumsby 54' (o.g.) BBC Sport Report Stadium: Easter Road
Attendance: 5,224
Referee: Clancy
26 August 2015 Airdrieonians0–5 Rangers Airdrie
19:45 BBC Sport Report Clark 5'
Halliday 14'
Waghorn 15'
Shiels 84'
Tavernier 88'
Stadium: Excelsior Stadium
Attendance: 7,006
Referee: Anderson

Third round

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The third round draw took place on Thursday 27 August 2015 at 2:30pm BST at the Hampden Park Stadium. The 4 clubs that participated in the 2014–15 Scottish Premiership season and qualified for European competition entered the competition at this stage along with Dundee United, the highest placed non-Europe qualifying side.[6]

Draw and Seeding

[edit]
Pot 1 Pot 2

Scottish Premiership:
01. Celtic
02. Aberdeen
03. Inverness Caledonian Thistle
04. St Johnstone
05. Dundee United
06. Ross County
07. Kilmarnock
08. Motherwell

Scottish Championship:
09. Heart of Midlothian
10. Hibernian
11. Rangers
12. Falkirk
13. Raith Rovers
14. Livingston

Scottish League One:
15. Greenock Morton
16. Dunfermline Athletic

Matches

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22 September 2015 Greenock Morton 3–2 (a.e.t.)MotherwellGreenock
19:45 Samuel 11', 100'
Tidser 112'
BBC Sport Report McDonald 90+1'
Moult 116'
Stadium: Cappielow
Attendance: 2,539
Referee: Aitken
22 September 2015 Rangers1–3 St Johnstone Glasgow
19:15 Tavernier 62' BBC Sport Report Davidson 19'
Lappin 29'
O'Halloran 46'
Stadium: Ibrox Stadium
Attendance: 27,094
Referee: Clancy
22 September 2015 Ross County 7–0FalkirkDingwall
19:45 Boyce 30', 35', 40'
De Vita 46'
Franks 54'
Graham 58'
Holden 81'
BBC Sport Report Stadium: Global Energy Stadium
Attendance: 1,341
Referee: Finnie
23 September 2015 Celtic 2–0Raith RoversGlasgow
19:45 Commons 32'
Johansen 87'
BBC Sport Report Stadium: Celtic Park
Attendance: 13,591
Referee: McKendrick
23 September 2015 Hibernian 2–0AberdeenEdinburgh
19:45 Cummings 82'
Malonga 88'
BBC Sport Report Stadium: Easter Road
Attendance: 11,092
Referee: McLean
23 September 2015 Kilmarnock2–3 Heart of Midlothian Kilmarnock
19:45 Magennis 13', 80' BBC Sport Report Ozturk 74'
Juanma Delgado 90'
Nicholson 90'
Stadium: Rugby Park
Attendance: 3,249
Referee: Thomson

Quarter-finals

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Draw and Seeding

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The quarter-final draw took place on Monday 28 September 2015 at 2:30pm at Hampden Park, all teams were placed in the same pot.[7]

Pot 1

Scottish Premiership:
01. Celtic
02. Inverness Caledonian Thistle
03. St Johnstone
04. Dundee United
05. Ross County
06. Heart of Midlothian

Scottish Championship:
07. Hibernian

Scottish League One:
08. Greenock Morton

Matches

[edit]
27 October 2015 Inverness Caledonian Thistle (1)1–2 Ross County (1) Inverness
19:05 Tansey 78' BBC Sport Report Irvine 41'
Gardyne 48'
Stadium: Caledonian Stadium
Attendance: 3,004
Referee: McLean
27 October 2015 Greenock Morton (3)1–3 St Johnstone (1) Greenock
19:45 Johnstone 52' BBC Sport Report MacLean 61' (pen.)
O'Halloran 63'
Kane 83'
Stadium: Cappielow
Attendance: 2,433
Referee: Thomson
28 October 2015 Heart of Midlothian (1)1–2 Celtic (1) Edinburgh
19:45 Djoum 90' BBC Sport Report Griffiths 71'
Rogić 82'
Stadium: Tynecastle Stadium
Attendance: 11,598
Referee: John Beaton
4 November 2015 Hibernian (2) 3–0Dundee United (1)Edinburgh
19:45 Gray 20'
Cummings 61' (pen.)
Stevenson 90'
BBC Sport Report Stadium: Easter Road
Attendance: 11,891
Referee: Willie Collum

Semi-finals

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Draw and seeding

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The semi-final draw took place on Monday 9 November 2015 at 2:00pm at Hampden Park, all teams were placed in the same pot.[8]

Pot 1

Scottish Premiership:
01. Celtic
02. St Johnstone
03. Ross County

Scottish Championship:
04. Hibernian

Matches

[edit]
30 January 2016 Hibernian (2) 2–1St Johnstone (1)Edinburgh
15:00 Cummings 29' (pen.)
McGinn 74'
BBC Sport Report Shaughnessy 33' Stadium: Tynecastle Stadium
Attendance: 16,971
Referee: McLean
31 January 2016 Ross County (1) 3–1Celtic (1)Glasgow
15:00 M. Woods 15' (pen.)
Quinn 48'
Schalk 63'
BBC Sport Report Mackay-Steven 1'
Ambrose Red card 13'
Stadium: Hampden Park
Attendance: 22,130
Referee: Thomson

Final

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Hibernian1–2Ross County
Fontaine 45' BBC Sport Report Gardyne 25'
Schalk 90'
Attendance: 38,296
Referee: Kevin Clancy

Statistics

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Top goalscorers

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As of matches played on 13 March 2016[1]
Rank Player Club Goals
1 Northern Ireland Liam Boyce Ross County 4
Australia Jason Cummings Hibernian
Morocco Faissal El Bakhtaoui Dunfermline Athletic
4 Scotland Michael Gardyne Ross County 3
England James Tavernier Rangers
5 18 players 2

References

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  1. ^ a b "2015–16 Scottish League Cup scorers". ESPN. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  2. ^ "Scottish League Cup: Energy firm Utilita agree sponsorship deal". BBC Sport. 14 October 2015. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  3. ^ "Alex Schalk hands Ross County fairytale finish over Hibernian". The Guardian. 13 March 2016. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  4. ^ "League Cup R1 Draw details - Scottish Professional Football League". spfl.co.uk. Archived from the original on 4 July 2015.
  5. ^ "League Cup second-round draw - Scottish Professional Football League". Archived from the original on 23 October 2015. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  6. ^ "League Cup third-round draw details". Scottish Professional Football League. 24 August 2015. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  7. ^ "League Cup quarter-final draw". Scottish Professional Football League. 28 September 2015. Archived from the original on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  8. ^ "League Cup semi-final draw". Scottish Professional Football League. 9 November 2015. Archived from the original on 10 November 2015. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
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