Scottish Cup
2025-07-19 - Stenhousemuir vs Motherwell
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: Scottish League Cup Group Stage
Saturday 19th July 2025 - Kick Off 3pm
Preview
After struggling at Clyde and eventually coming through on Penalties, Motherwell had to fight back from behind to beat Peterhead at Fir Park. That does mean they are topping this Group, but Motherwell have been far from convincing and that means some early pressure on new manager Jens Berthel Askou.
It has been a disappointing three years for Motherwell and the expectations from the fans is to see improvement and challenge for a place in the Championship Group later in the campaign. They have made routine work of the League Cup Group Stage in recent years, but the early struggles are concerning and they have made much harder work of the section than many, including myself, would have expected.
There is still time to make things more comfortable with two games under the belt and Motherwell will be expecting to improve match after match. It is what made the performance against Peterhead a little underwhelming, but this is a chance for Motherwell to move past Morton before hosting them next.
Motherwell have won 1 of their last 6 away games in all competitions and were held to that draw by Clyde last week, but this time they are facing a club from League One who were well beaten by the aforementioned Morton in the only Group fixture played.
That defeat was away from home and Stenhousemuir have been a club on the up having won the League Two title two seasons ago and finished in the Play Off places in League One last time around. They were beaten in both Legs by Airdrieonians and this is another step upwards for the team, but Stenhousemuir will want to make things as difficult as possible for the top flight club when hosting.
In each of the last two seasons, Stenhousemuir have finished with just 3 points in the League Cup Group Stage and they have had difficulties against the better teams faced. Two years ago they upset St Johnstone early in the Group Stage, but Stenhousemuir have suffered comfortable home losses to Alloa Athletic and Ayr United since then and it may be tough facing a Scottish Premiership team three games into the Group, rather than in the first fixture.
Stenhousemuir and Motherwell met four times in the 1980/81 season and all in Cup settings with the former winning once. They were unbeaten in the two home games played against Motherwell in that campaign.
Prediction
It has not been an easy Group Stage for Motherwell, but they should be all the better with two games under the legs.
Stenhousemuir have found the stronger teams hard to contain at this stage of the League Cup and that may be the case again on Saturday.
The Pick :
Stenhousemuir 0-2 Motherwell
