Scottish Cup
2025-07-19 - Dumbarton vs Dunfermline Athletic
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: Scottish League Cup Group Stage
Saturday 19th July 2025 - Kick Off 3pm
Preview
After finishing 4th in League Two and earning promotion through the Play Offs with back to back upsets, Dumbarton fans may have expected a difficult campaign at a higher level. That is exactly how things turned out for the team and they have made an immediate return to the fourth tier of Scottish Football.
Having to go into administration did not help, but Dumbarton would have been relegated even if they had not suffered the 15 Point Penalty that meant finishing the campaign with just 20 points. The hope will be that a return to League Two means a much more competitive season for Dumbarton as they bid for a top half finish at the least.
A 1-0 home win over Stirling Albion in the League Cup will have offered encouragement to Dumbarton who will have become accustomed to losing matches at the higher level.
Backing up that success will be tough in this Group considering some of the teams that Dumbarton have yet to face, but they are hosting this second fixture and they have more points than Dunfermline Athletic when they meet.
Dumbarton have already secured more points in this campaign compared with last season's Group Stage, but adding to that is the goal having earned 5 points two seasons ago. They earned a home win over a team they would have expected to beat, while you can make an excuse for Dunfermline Athletic being on zero points considering the one and only fixture has been played at the home of Hearts.
It is clear that Hearts are the team to beat in the section and they are expected to ease through to the Second Round, but this is a much more manageable fixture for Dunfermline Athletic and they will still believe there is a chance to finish as one of the best Runners Up. That will mean winning out, beginning with this game at Marbill Coaches Stadium before Dunfermline Athletic close out with two home fixtures.
They remain a Championship club, but the ambition for The Pars may be to get a little closer to the Play Off spots and especially with Neil Lennon being in charge. The former Celtic manager was influential in keeping Dunfermline Athletic in the second tier last season and he will be looking for his team to bounce back from the defeat at Hearts by building some momentum.
Dunfermline Athletic have lost 6 of their last 7 away games in all competitions, which is problematic, but this is a team that have won away games at lower League clubs in each of the last two seasons in the League Cup Group Stage.
These clubs met in July 2021 in the League Cup Group Stage and it was Dunfermline Athletic who won 5-1 at home.
In the season prior, Dumbarton hosted a League Cup tie and it ended in a narrow 0-1 defeat.
Prediction
This is expected to be a much better year for Dumbarton now they are back at a level where they can be more competitive, but the League Cup Group Stage is where the players will be given an early test of their mettle.
Beating Stirling Albion will have given the players confidence, but a well rested Dunfermline Athletic will be rocking up this weekend.
After being crushed at Hearts, expectedly, Neil Lennon will be looking for a big reaction and his team can provide that, even if the away form has been disappointing overall for some time.
The Pick :
Dumbarton 0-2 Dunfermline Athletic
FIXED ODDS BETTING TIP :
I'll back Dunfermline Athletic - 1 Asian Handicap at 1.87 with Bet365
