Scottish Cup
2025-07-26 - St Johnstone vs Elgin City
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: Scottish League Cup Group Stage
Saturday 26th July 2025 - Kick Off 3pm
Preview
They won the domestic Cup double in 2021, but St Johnstone have struggled in each of the last four seasons since those successes and failed to finish above 9th in the Scottish Premiership. Something had to change, but that change is Relegation and meaning a sixteen year stay in the top flight came to a conclusion in May 2025.
Over the next several months, the only ambition for St Johnstone is to make an immediate return as they try and work their way through the difficult challenges set out in the Scottish Championship. There are plenty of teams in that Division who will have ambitions of reaching the Premiership and so a positive start to the campaign is needed for the team that finished bottom of the top flight pile.
Winning all of the League Cup ties played in July have helped turn the confidence around and St Johnstone just need a single point to win the Group and progress into the Second Round. That should be something they can earn without too much fuss, but the management would love to see a clean sweep of the League Cup ties in order to take real momentum into the Championship, which begins next week.
St Johnstone have scored 7 goals and conceded 2 in the League Cup Group and they are big favourites to beat League Two Elgin City, who have conceded 11 goals in losing all of their matches in July.
They did finish in the Play Off positions in League Two last season, but Elgin City have not really been competitive in the Group Stage of the League Cup. Heavy home defeats to Raith Rovers and especially East Kilbride will have stung, although Elgin City have nothing to lose here and were 'only' beaten 2-0 in the one away game at Inverness CT.
Elgin City have lost 3 of their last 4 away games in all competitions and they were beaten 2-4 at home when last facing St Johnstone in this Stage of the League Cup in July 2022.
All 3 previous matches between the clubs have been won by St Johnstone.
Prediction
Playing for a draw that would take them through to the next Round seems unlikely for St Johnstone and instead the motivation for the team may be to put a strong win on the board and sweep through this Group.
It would just get some of the attention from the rivals in the Scottish Championship and St Johnstone are facing an opponent that may struggle to contain them if the home team are at their best.
Elgin City have already conceded 11 goals in the three League Cup games played and now face the toughest of the opponents within the Group.
An early goal could set St Johnstone on their way to a comfortable win and passage into the Second Round.
The Pick :
St Johnstone 3-0 Elgin City
FIXED ODDS BETTING TIP :
I'll back St Johnstone - 2 Asian Handicap at 1.77 with SportBet.One
