Many may have one eye firmly planted on the World Cup, but for those ready for the return of Scottish football, look no further than this weekend, where a goal-fest lit up the Premier Sports Cup.

Scottish football returned this weekend as teams from across the SPFL and the lower leagues battled it out for their first three points of the Premier Sports Cup group stage.

Who doesn’t love a competition where a draw simply doesn’t cut it, with a penalty shootout deciding a bonus point?

Cup competitions rarely disappoint, and this weekend was no exception, with over 50 goals scored — not including penalty shootouts — as well as a number of upsets along the way.

Queen’s Park bagged themselves a decisive victory against Bora Rangers, with Connolly, Ruth and Todorov netting their three goals, while Nixon scored the visitors’ only goal of the afternoon.

Newly promoted Championship side Stenhousemuir were searching for their first three points under new manager Marvin Bartley, and the former Livingston head coach delivered with a convincing 2-0 victory in front of the home crowd. New midfielder Lewis Hodgkiss bagged himself a goal, whilst reliable striker Aitken also got on the scoresheet.

Travelling much further north, Inverness hosted East Fife, and this match wasn’t as straightforward as the others, with penalties required to separate the sides. Adam Mackinnon scored for the hosts, while Gaffney netted for the visitors. Inverness eventually edged the bonus point in the shootout.

At the opposite end of the country, Stranraer were defeated by Gary Naysmith’s Ayr United. Traynor gave the hosts hope by bagging a brace; however, doubles from Ross Taylor and Ben Summers proved decisive as Ayr claimed all three points.

Partick Thistle flew out of the traps as they breezed past Brechin City with a 6-0 victory at Firhill. Goals from Henderson, Drozd, Fitzpatrick, Smyth and a brace from McKay- Steven ensured they comfortably claimed all three points.

Much like Partick Thistle, Premiership side Dundee showcased their goalscoring threat as they ran out 4-2 winners over John Rankin’s Airdrie. Reilly, Hamilton, Bevan and Hay made all the difference for the Dark Blues, while a Sharp own goal and a Fisher finish proved to be mere consolation for Airdrie.

The first of two shock results came in Greenock, where Morton were defeated by Linlithgow Rose. A strike from Calum Rae sent the Lowland League side back to Linlithgow with plenty to celebrate.

The second unbelievable result came in East Kilbride as they defeated Neil Lennon’s Dunfermline 3-0. The newly promoted side gave the Championship outfit the runaround, with McGrattan, Gray and Elliott all finding the back of the net — not the result Scottish Cup runners-up Dunfermline would have expected.

Restoring some normality was Falkirk, who continued their fine form from last season with a commanding 5-0 victory over Edinburgh City. The returning MacIver scored a brace as well as Parkinson and Allan also got on the scoresheet.

Two teams who have faced each other on many occasions, Queen of the South and Kelty Hearts, produced what was perhaps one of the least exciting contests of the afternoon. After 90 minutes, the sides were level, with goals from Clark and Cunningham cancelling each other out. Ultimately, Kelty claimed the bonus point on penalties.

Another cagey affair came between Peterhead and Hamilton Accies, who both remain in League One for the upcoming season. The only goal separating the sides came courtesy of a looping header from Newbury handing Hamilton three points.

Spartans against Arbroath proved to be a much tighter contest, with Arbroath scraping all three points thanks to goals from Winter and Flynn. Spartans continued to push forward, though, and were rewarded when Whyte registered his first goal of the season.

Championship side Raith Rovers gave Elgin very little to feed off. The visitors managed just one goal through Colloty, but it was no match for Raith, who ran away with the game thanks to goals from Neill, Montagu and Millin.

On the topic of running away with fixtures, St Mirren travelled to Dumbarton and took no prisoners as they proved a formidable attacking force. McLeish’s side put four past Dumbarton, with Mochrie and Falconer both finding the scoresheet, while Ramos walked away with a brace.

Ross County followed suit, ensuring there was no way back for Annan Athletic as the match finished 4-1. Despite home advantage, Annan simply couldn’t find their groove against the League 1 opposition. Natural goalscorer Brian Graham made no mistake in finding the net twice, while Randall also scored alongside a Muirhead own goal. Annan did manage a consolation through Smith in the 86th minute, but by then any hopes of a comeback had long disappeared.

The final game of the afternoon saw Stirling Albion host Premiership outfit Dundee United, and the Tangerines were left hanging on until stoppage time before a penalty spared their blushes. Stirling held firm until the 93rd minute, when a spot-kick was awarded, and Sapsford made no mistake in firing it home.

This weekend delivered plenty of highs and lows and, of course, goals galore. That’s the beauty of Scottish football. It’s what supporters live for — the defiant victories, the unexpected defeats and the drama that unfolds every week. More action from The Premier Sports Cup returns on Tuesday night.