Raith Rovers to begin defence of KDM Evolution Trophy away to Hamilton Accies
Raith Rovers will begin their defence of last football season’s KDM Evolution Trophy away to Hamilton Academical next month.
Manager Dougie Imrie’s Fifers have been drawn away to opposite number Darian MacKinnon’s South Lanarkshire side in the first knockout round of the trophy, alias the Scottish Professional Football League Challenge Cup, and their opening tie will be played at New Douglas Park on Tuesday, November 3, or Wednesday, November 4.
Raith, winners of this year’s trophy by 4-1 against Inverness Caledonian Thistle at Glasgow’s Firhill Stadium in April’s final, are currently second in the William Hill Championship, on 20 points from ten fixtures, and their opponents occupy the same position in the division below, on 25 from nine.
Next month’s round of 32 also sees fellow Fifers Dunfermline Athletic drawn away to Midlothian’s Bonnyrigg Rose and championship table-toppers Stenhousemuir at home to Berwick Rangers.
Raith’s forthcoming trip to Hamilton will be their second in the space of four months after drawing 1-1 there and losing the ensuing penalty shootout 5-4 in July on their way to a group-stage exit from this season’s Premier Sports Cup.
Lewis Vaughan scored Rovers’ goal from the penalty spot on 26 minutes, with Cameron Blues levelling for the hosts six minutes later.
Their last meeting prior to that was a 5-2 win for Raith at home at Kirkcaldy’s Stark’s Park in December.
Their scorers that night were Darragh O’Connor on five minutes, Scott Brown on 51 and Jai Rowe with a hat-trick on 58, 81 and 87, with Finlay Cameron getting two goals back for the visitors on 40 and 79.
That was one of four meetings for Raith and Accies last year, with the Fifers winning the other three as well, all in the championship prior to Accies’ relegation to William Hill League One last summer – by 3-0 away a year ago in March and in January 2025 and by 2-0 at home last February.