Scottish Cup
2025-07-15 - Partick Thistle vs Stranraer
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: Scottish League Cup Group Stage
Tuesday 15th July 2025 - Kick Off 7:45pm
Preview
Opening the season on a Friday has given Partick Thistle a bit more time to prepare for the first home game of the 2025/26 season. The solid performance in beating Edinburgh City away from home will have helped the confidence ahead of the start of the Scottish Championship as Partick Thistle try once again to earn promotion back into the top flight.
This is going to be the eighth season in a row that Partick Thistle have been playing outside of the top flight, and it has been multiple Play Off defeats in the last few years that would have added to the frustration. In each of the last four years, Partick Thistle have finished in the top four of the Scottish Championship, but the last two campaigns have concluded with Play Off Semi Final defeats.
Finishing above Ross County in this League Cup Group may allow Partick Thistle to make an early statement of their intent over the coming months. With Ross County dropping out of the Premiership, they are going to be considered amongst the favourites for promotion back into the top flight and so Partick Thistle can put an early mark on the board.
Results this past weekend have given Partick Thistle the advantage over what will feel like their main rivals in the section. They can keep the pressure on the other teams in the Group by beating Stranraer, the team that held Ross County to a draw on Saturday.
The League Two club ended last season by losing their last 3 away games as they struggled in that Division, but Stranraer will feel pretty good about themselves following the draw with Ross County. They even picked up the bonus point by winning the Penalty Shoot Out, although it is going to be tough for the players to put in the same kind of effort just days later at the home of another Championship club.
Stranraer's 2 points have already surpassed the total earned last season, but there will be motivation to pick up an outright win in the Group having done that a couple of years ago. The next fixture against Edinburgh City may represent that opportunity and this could be a tough scheduling spot for the Stranraer squad.
These two clubs have not met here since January 2019 in the Scottish FA Cup and Partick Thistle won that fixture 4-1. The most recent fixture was hosted by Stranraer in the Scottish Challenge Cup and it was Partick Thistle who left with a 0-2 win in September 2021.
Prediction
After the efforts of Saturday, it could be tough for Stranraer to do the same away from home against another difficult opponent.
Partick Thistle have had an extra day to prepare for this Group game and they can make that count with a solid victory to keep control of this section of the League Cup.
The Pick :
Partick Thistle 3-0 Stranraer
FIXED ODDS BETTING TIP :
I'll back Partick Thistle - 1.5 Asian Handicap at 1.62 with Bet365
