No resting on laurels for Miller as Livi top group

BETFRED CUP ROUND-UP: Boyd hat-trick for Kilmarnock

Kenny Miller was pleased to see Livingston go top of their Betfred Cup group even if they can still play better.

Livi beat Annan 1-0 in Linlithgow on Saturday to move to the summit of Group F with a game to go, and Miller scored the only goal.

It was his first since being appointed player-manager of the club and puts them in pole position to qualify for the next stage.

“Do we want to get better? Absolutely,” Miller said.

“It was very similar, I think, to the game last week. We were dominant for spells in the first half but didn’t get the second goal and invited the pressure on in the last 15 minutes.

“But it was a win and we are top of the group and in a position going into the last game where if you win it, you win the group and progress to the next stage – which is what we wanted at the start – and we are still undefeated.”

The Lions had chances to put the game to bed in the second half, hitting the woodwork twice.

Former Motherwell trainee Max Currie earned Stranraer a Betfred Cup bonus point against the Steelmen after saving two penalties following a 1-1 draw at Stair Park.

Peter Hartley headed Motherwell in front in the 38th minute but Stranraer striker Isaac Layne caused the visitors problems all afternoon and levelled in the 59th minute.

In the shoot-out Motherwell goalkeeper Trevor Carson saved three penalties but Curtis Main hit the bar and Richard Tait missed the target before Currie pulled off saves from Elliott Frear and Andy Rose in sudden death to seal a 3-2 win.

Hat-trick hero Kris Boyd came to Kilmarnock’s rescue as they got their Betfred Cup campaign back on track with a 4-2 win over Dumbarton.

Having suffered a shoot-out defeat to St Mirren in their tournament opener last week, things appeared ominous at the C & G Sytems Stadium when Sons namesakes Craig and Bobby Barr put the hosts 2-1 up midway through the second half.

New signing Mikael Ndjoli had briefly put Killie level at the start of the second period but Boyd was called off the bench by boss Steve Clarke to spearhead the fightback.

The Ladbrokes Premiership record scorer’s 22-minute treble sealed victory as his side moved to within a point of Stevie Aitken’s Group H leaders.

Stephen Dobbie took his season tally to seven goals with a double in a 4-0 win over Edinburgh City as Queen of the South moved on to nine points in Group G ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Motherwell. Lyndon Dykes and Josh Todd were also on target as Queens hit four in 14 first-half minutes.

Ayr kept pace with Partick Thistle at the top of Group E with a 2-0 win over Albion Rovers at Cliftonhill.

Morton claimed their first win after three attempts after seeing off Stenhousemuir 2-0 at Cappielow, with Ross MacLean and Bob McHugh scoring.

First-half goals from Sean Crighton and Darryl Duffy set Airdrie on their way to a first win of the season against Berwick before Leighton McIntosh secured a 3-0 win.

Stirling beat Peterhead 2-0 thanks to goals from former Dundee strikers Peter MacDonald and Mark Stewart while .

Queen’s Park came from behind to beat Spartans 2-1 in Group H.