Scottish Cup
2025-07-12 - The Spartans vs Queen's Park
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: Scottish League Cup Group Stage
Saturday 12th July 2025 - Kick Off 3pm
Preview
Last season The Spartans upset Livingston to become the only club outside of the top three pots that made it through to the Second Round by topping their League Cup Group. Matching that achievement may be asking too much, but the squad are not going to be concerned about the draw with Falkirk and Queen's Park the highest Seeds.
They will be hosting Queen's Park to begin the next run and The Spartans are coming into this season having just missed out on the Play Off spots in League Two last time around. That was only the second season in which The Spartans have been playing League Football and makes the success in the League Cup Group Stage all the more impressive.
The Spartans ended the season with 3 successive home wins and a couple of years ago they upset Dundee United 1-0 here in the League Cup Group Stage. No one should doubt the character of a team that finished top of their Group twelve months ago despite losing the opening fixture 0-3 at home against Dunfermline Athletic and this is going to be a decent test for the visiting team.
Back to back 8th place finishes in the Scottish Championship have been something of a disappointment as far as Queen's Park have been concerned. This is especially the case considering they finished 3rd and were involved in the promotion Play Offs at the end of the 2023 season, but the team did have successes in the Cup competitions.
Queen's Park reached the FA Cup Quarter Final and made it through the League Cup Group Stage for the first time.
They actually finished on level points with Hibernian, but Queen's Park moved through as one of the best Runners Up and that is largely down to scoring 15 goals in the three Group victories produced. All were against clubs from lower Divisions and that will offer some encouragement to the Scottish Championship club.
Furthering that belief will be the fact that Queen's Park have beaten The Spartans the last two times they have faced one another, although it has been six years since the last of those. That tie was hosted by The Spartans in the Scottish FA Cup and Queen's Park were 0-2 winners on that day.
Prediction
It has been a tough couple of seasons for Queen's Park after the raised expectations following a special 2022/23 season.
However, they were able to put some Cup successes on the board last season and they may have just enough to begin this campaign with an away victory.
The Spartans deserve respect having come through the Group Stage last season, but they did open with a heavy loss to Dunfermline Athletic and the superior quality of the visiting team can see them make odds against quotes pay out.
The Pick :
The Spartans 1-2 Queen's Park
