2021 Scottish League Cup final (February)

The 2020–21 Scottish League Cup final was an association football match that took place at Hampden Park, Glasgow on 28 February 2021.^[1] It was the final match of the 2020–21 Scottish League Cup, the 75th season of the Scottish League Cup (known as the Betfred Cup for sponsorship reasons), a competition for the 42 teams in the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL).

2021 Scottish League Cup final

Event	2020–21 Scottish League Cup
St Johnstone Livingston 1 0
Date	28 February 2021 (2021-02-28)
Venue	Hampden Park, Glasgow
Man of the Match	Shaun Rooney
Referee	Don Robertson
← 2019 December 2021 →

Originally due to take place in December 2020, the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on scheduling meant that the match was pushed back to February 2021.

Route to the final

Main article: 2020–21 Scottish League Cup

St Johnstone

Round	Opposition	Score
Group stage	Kelty Hearts	2–1 (a)
Group stage	Brechin City	7–0 (h)
Group stage	Dundee United	0–0 (h)
Group stage	Peterhead	3–1 (a)
Second round	Motherwell	2–1 (a)
Quarter-final	Dunfermline Athletic	1–1 (a) (a.e.t.)
Semi-final	Hibernian	3–0 (n)

St Johnstone won Group C to qualify for the second round, winning 10 points from a possible 12. They won 2–1 at Lowland League side Kelty Hearts,^[2] 7–0 against League Two club Brechin City^[3] and 3–1 at League One team Peterhead.^[4] In their other match, Saints drew 0–0 with fellow Premiership club Dundee United, but lost the penalty shootout.^[5]

Saints were unseeded for the second round draw and were drawn to face Motherwell at Fir Park on 28 November. Motherwell scored first through Tony Watt, but late goals from Callum Hendry and David Wotherspoon turned the tie around and sent Saints into the quarter-finals.^[6]

Saints were again drawn away for the quarter-final, against Championship club Dunfermline Athletic.^[7] After a goalless draw in normal time, Shaun Rooney scored the opening goal in the first period of extra time.^[7] Dunfermline equalised to force a penalty shootout, which Saints won 4–3.^[7]

Hibernian provided the opposition in the semi-final, played at Hampden Park on 23 January. Hibs started strongly but goals from Jason Kerr Shaun Rooney and Craig Conway saw Saints run out comfortable 3–0 winners.^[8]

Livingston

Round	Opposition	Score
Group stage	Edinburgh City	5–1 (a)
Group stage	Alloa Athletic	2–1 (h)
Group stage	Stenhousemuir	4–0 (a)
Group stage	Airdrieonians	4–1 (h)
Second round	Ayr United	4–0 (h)
Quarter-final	Ross County	2–0 (h)
Semi-final	St Mirren	1–0 (n)

Livingston won Group H to qualify for the second round, winning the maximum 12 points en route. They won easily in away games against League Two clubs Edinburgh City and Stenhousemuir,^[9] 2–1 at home against Championship side Alloa Athletic,^[10] and 4–1 against League One team Airdrieonians.^[11]

Livingston were seeded for the second round draw and were drawn to face Championship club Ayr United at home on 28 November.^[12] Despite their progress in the League Cup, Livingston had been struggling in the Premiership and manager Gary Holt left the club before the second round tie was played.^[12] David Martindale took charge of the team for the first time in the match with Ayr, which Livingston won easily after scoring three early goals through an own goal and two efforts by Jack Fitzwater.^[12]

Martindale was still in interim charge for the quarter-final, in which Livi were again drawn at home.^[13] They were paired with Ross County, who had knocked out cup holders Celtic in the previous round.^[13] Two early goals gave Livi a 2–0 victory.^[13]

St Mirren provided the opposition in the semi-final, played at Hampden Park on 24 January. Martindale had been appointed manager on a permanent basis after the quarter-final, and his unbeaten start as a manager continued as an early Scott Robinson goal was enough to give Livingston a 1–0 win.^[14] Two days after the semi-final, a Scottish Football Association hearing approved Martindale as a "fit and proper person" to hold a management position.^[15] He had previously been imprisoned for involvement with organised crime.^[15]

Match

Summary

In the 32nd minute Craig Conway hit an out swinging corner from the right which Shaun Rooney headed down to the right corner from seven yards out, Livingston goalkeeper Robby McCrorie got a hand to the ball to push it against the post and into the net.^[16]

Details

St Johnstone	1–0	Livingston
Rooney 32'	[17]

28 February 2021

14:00

Hampden Park, Glasgow

Referee: Don Robertson

St Johnstone

Livingston

GK 1 Zander Clark CB 5 Jason Kerr (c) CB 6 Liam Gordon  82' CB 4 Jamie McCart RM 19 Shaun Rooney CM 18 Ali McCann CM 26 Liam Craig LM 24 Callum Booth AM 7 Craig Conway  77' AM 10 David Wotherspoon FW 9 Chris Kane  89' Substitutes: DF 2 James Brown DF 3 Scott Tanser FW 11 Michael O'Halloran GK 12 Elliot Parish MF 13 Craig Bryson FW 14 Stevie May  77' MF 15 Charlie Gilmour FW 17 Guy Melamed Manager: Callum Davidson

GK 1 Robby McCrorie RB 2 Nicky Devlin CB 25 Efe Ambrose CB 27 Jon Guthrie LB 12 Julien Serrano  90' CM 33 Steve Lawson  60' CM 18 Jason Holt  71' AM 14 Josh Mullin  65' AM 8 Scott Pittman  65' AM 6 Marvin Bartley (c)  80' FW 17 Scott Robinson Substitutes: DF 5 Jack Fitzwater FW 9 Jay Emmanuel-Thomas  71' MF 10 Craig Sibbald  60' MF 11 Alan Forrest  65' FW 20 Gavin Reilly  65' DF 21 Jack McMillan DF 29 Aaron Taylor-Sinclair GK 32 Max Stryjek FW 37 Jaze Kabia Manager: David Martindale

Match officials Referee: Don Robertson

Match rules 90 minutes 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary Penalty shoot-out if scores still level Maximum of five substitutions (1 additional in any extra-time)

References

1. "Betfred Cup dates confirmed". SPFL. 20 July 2020. Archived from the original on 29 November 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
2. "Kelty Hearts v St Johnstone". BBC Sport. 7 October 2020. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
3. "St Johnstone v Brechin City". BBC Sport. 10 October 2020. Archived from the original on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
4. "Peterhead v St Johnstone". BBC Sport. 14 November 2020. Archived from the original on 21 November 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
5. "St Johnstone v Dundee United". BBC Sport. 10 November 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
6. Mullen, Scott (28 November 2020). "Motherwell 1-2 St Johnstone: Perth side come from behind to reach last eight". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 7 December 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
7. McLauchlin, Brian (15 December 2020). "Dunfermline Athletic 1-1 St Johnstone (AET - 3-4 on penalties)". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 16 January 2021. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
8. Duncan, Thomas (23 January 2021). "St Johnstone 3-0 Hibernian: Perth side stun favourites to reach Scottish League Cup final". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
9. "Stenhousemuir v Livingston". BBC Sport. 10 November 2020. Archived from the original on 22 November 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
10. "Livingston v Alloa Athletic". BBC Sport. 10 October 2020. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
11. "Livingston v Airdrieonians". BBC Sport. 14 November 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
12. Barnes, John (28 November 2020). "Livingston thrash Ayr United 4-0 in first game since Gary Holt exit". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 11 December 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
13. McLauchlin, Brian (14 December 2020). "Livingston ease past Ross County to reach Scottish League Cup semi-finals". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 16 January 2021. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
14. Watt, Martin (24 January 2021). "Livingston 1-0 St Mirren: David Martindale's side edge through to final". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
15. Idessane, Kheredine (26 January 2021). "Livingston: David Martindale deemed fit and proper by SFA". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 26 January 2021. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
16. "St Johnstone sink Livingston to claim their first Scottish League Cup". Guardian. 28 February 2021. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
17. Lindsay, Clive (28 February 2021). "Livingston 0-1 St Johnstone: St Johnstone edge Livingston to lift cup". bbc.co.uk/sport. BBC Sport. Retrieved 28 February 2021.