Date	Saturday, 11 July 2026
Competition	Scottish League Cup
Fixture/Score	Annan Athletic 1:4 Ross County
Venue	Galabank
Referee	Mark Daly
Ross County
Manager	Stuart (Ketts) Kettlewell
Starting 11	1: Bradley Foster, 3: Lewis Strapp, 4: Akil Wright, 5: Lewis Reid, 7: Richard Chin, 9: Brian Graham 2 (1 pen), 10: Jamie Lindsay, 15: Dylan Smith, 20: Jack Turner, 22: Adam Emslie, 23: Ross Docherty
Bench	31: Bradley Wade, 6: Connor Randall 1, 8: Dean Cornelius, 18: Andrew MacLeod, 19: Luke McCarvel, 28: Jamie Williamson, 34: Lewis MacKay, 43: Josh Reid, 45: Calum Brown
Annan Athletic
Manager	Willie Gibson
Starting 11	Charlie Albinson, Aaron Muirhead 1 1, Cammy Clark, Scott Hooper, Keith Watson 1, Josh Dixon, Paul Smith, Tommy Muir, Aidan Smith 1, Kirk McKnight, Cammy Cooper
Bench	Cammy Bryson, Daniel Martins, Charlie Maxwell, Brannan McDermott, Trialist
Attendance	402
Match Report	Ross County Goal Scorers: Brian Graham (31' Pen. 48') Aaron Muirhead (73'og) Connor Randall (75') Ross County Substitutions Luck McCarvel for Dylon Smith (69') Connor Randall for Richard Chin (69') Dean Cornilius for Jack Turner (69') Callum Brown for Ross Docherty (78') Andrew MacLeod for Brian Graham (78') Annan Athletic Goal Scorer: Aidan Smith (85') Annan Athletic Substitutions: Charlie Maxwell for Kirk McKnight (63') Brannan McDermott for Cammy Cooper (63') Annan Athletic Cautions: Keith Watson (50') Aaron Muirhead (67') Report from the Press & Journal. Annan Athletic 1 Ross County 4 Ross County boss Stuart Kettlewell expressed his satisfaction after his team opened their Premier Sports Cup campaign with a convincing 4-1 win against Annan Athletic at Galabank. The Staggies, relegated to League One last season, were on a hiding to nothing against a side from the division below. However, they produced a clinical display with a Brian Graham double, an Aaron Muirhead own goal and a strike from substitute Connor Randall answered by a late consolation from the Aiden Smith. Kettlewell was particularly pleased the way his side improved throughout the match, saying: “There was a lot to like from us today. “We were possibly a bit slow in the early stages on a sticky artificial pitch, and with the heat out there the way it was we were just a little bit slow and played with not enough risk in our football in the early stages. “But as soon as we started to see some movement and passes we started to create opportunities that we should have done better with, no doubt about it. “I think that was indicative where Jack Turner’s run and the pass from Ross Docherty led to a goal from the penalty. “From there I probably felt the shackles came off a little bit and we started to play some nice football and some entertaining football but we were a bit slack once or twice and not least the goal at the end which disappoints me a wee bit and took the shine off a little.” The long trip south to meet lower league opponents could have been a potential banana skin in County’s bid to gain momentum going into a season where promotion back to the Championship is a must, and the Staggies boss added: “These games can be so difficult but I Iove this competition and the format too. “If you look around the country you see there are a few upsets today and a few eyebrows raised at some of the results. “This could have been a very difficult game but the way the players approached it I think we deserved to win it with a clean sheet and probably a couple more goals. “However, the task today was to come down here and win the match and show the travelling support who made the six-hour journey that we look and probably feel like a different side and that we are energetic and we are going to make sure we entertain our supporters.” County’s front line looked sharp with Brian Graham and Adam Emslie posing a lot of questions to the Annan defence and although Kettlewell was reluctant to single out players for praise when pushed he admitted Emslie had caught his attention, saying: “I thought Adam was our stand-out player today. “He can cause you so many problems as he can go both ways and use both feet and he has an eye for goal.”