Raith Rovers draw Aberdeen in the Premier Sports Cup

Ethon Varian scores against Aberdeen last season (Pic: Fife Photo Agency)

Raith Rovers will meet Premiership Aberdeen in the Premier Sports Cup for the second year in a row.

The Stark’s Park side knocked the Dons out of the competition in the second round last season, having topped their table in the group stage, winning 2-1 in Kirkcaldy with goals from Ethon Varian and Dario Zanatta.

Rovers then met Celtic in the quarter-finals at Parkhead where they Hoops won 3-0.

This year Raith and Aberdeen will meet in the first round having been drawn together in Group A along with Peterhead, Dumbarton and Stirling Albion.

The other groups are; Group B: Kilmarnock, Partick Thistle, Montrose, Stenhousemuir, Fraserburgh; Group C: Ross County, Dunfermline Athletic, Alloa Athletic, East Fife, Buckie Thistle; Group D: Hibernian, Morton, Falkirk, Clyde, Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic; Group E: St Mirren, Arbroath, Airdrieonians, Edinburgh City, Cowdenbeath; Group F: St Johnstone, Ayr United, Queen of the South, Annan Athletic, Elgin City; Group G: Livingston, Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Cove Rangers, Kelty Hearts, Albion Rovers; Group H: Dundee, Hamilton Academical, Queen's Park, Forfar Athletic, Stranraer.

The eight group winners and three best runners-up will join European qualifiers Celtic, Rangers, Hearts, Dundee United and Motherwell in the last 16.

The first round of games are scheduled to take place on the weekend of July 9 and 10.

The final will take place on Sunday, February 26.