Challenge Cup: Chanka Zimba hits hat-trick for Caley Thistle against Aberdeen B as Cove Rangers and Elgin City chalk up wins

Striker Chanka Zimba’s hat-trick helped Caley Thistle hit back from a goal down to defeat visitors Aberdeen B 4-1 in the KDM Evolution Trophy.

Tristan Stephen fired the young Dons ahead inside 10 minutes, but Zimba soon squared the contest.

Aberdeen had to show defensive qualities to keep their League One opponents out, but Zimba hit two goals in the final 13 minutes then Billy Mckay sealed it with a fourth ICT goal.

In this tournament, after six fixtures between now and mid-November, 22 of the 30 teams will reach the second round, joined by the 10 Championship sides.

ICT are top on goal difference after their opening two matches.

Inverness kicked off with a 4-1 win at Elgin City earlier this month, while Aberdeen B lost 4-2 at Peterhead.

Caley Thistle made two changes from their Borough Briggs victory, with midfielder Adam Mackinnon, not long back from a foot injury, and on-loan Livingston winger Liam Sole handed starts.

For Aberdeen, winger Ryan Duncan and midfielder Aaron Cummings, who is on loan at Buckie Thistle, stepped into the Dons line-up.

Alfie Stewart and Alfie Bavidge, who are on loan with the Highlanders from Aberdeen, didn’t play for either side, as per loan agreement.

An early drive by Zimba for the hosts was held by Rodrigo Vitols, but Aberdeen were ahead on nine minutes.

Cooper Masson won possession and play was fed out to Duncan and his cross from the left was slammed home by Stephen.

The forward, who is on loan at Lossiemouth, showed a lethal touch in a packed box to make it 1-0.

Adam Mackinnon went close with a shot over the top moments later, but home fans didn’t have long to wait for the equaliser as Zimba hammered the ball home from close range on 12 minutes.

It was a first goal in Inverness colours for the 23-yeat-old summer signing from National League North side Marine, whose career began at Blackburn Rovers.

ICT were on the front foot, lifted by the goal and Mitchell Robertson’s header was gathered by Vitols when he connected with a corner.

Caley Jags were almost in front on 33 minutes when a Sole cut-back was about to be tapped into the net by Zimba, but a perfectly timed Lewis Carrol challenge blocked him and the attack was cleared.

Inverness made a fast start to the second half and Sole lashed a drive off the post, getting fans off their seats, thinking it was in.

A long-range free-kick from ICT’s Jordan Alonge was high and not far off the mark before Dons interval substitute Jack Searle flashed a drive wide of the right post.

Alonge was in the thick of the action and was denied by sheer numbers in the Aberdeen penalty area as the former Forres Mechanics attacker turned and shot.

The young Dons were mainly on the defensive, with the hosts looking a threat and knocking the ball around with confidence.

Aberdeen were defensively alert though, limiting space, while also looking for a way to spark their own moves forward.

However, the Caley Jags took the lead when Zimba lashed a low drive beyond Vitols into the net after being cleverly picked him out from the right side of the park.

And just five minutes on, the big striker supplied a left-foot finish to steer home an assist from 16-year-old Archie Kerr to make it 3-1.

In the dying embers, assistant boss Billy Mckay netted from 10 yards out after Longstaff’s pass to take it to 4-1.

The next ties for these teams in the competition are, for Inverness, on Friday, September 5 when they host Stirling Albion, with the young Dons travelling to Montrose the following day.

Elgin City 3-1 Dundee United B

Elgin City finally got their first win of the season after comfortably seeing off a young Dundee United B team in the KDM Evolution Trophy.

The home side created an early opening when on-loan Arbroath midfielder Ally Spalding broke down the left and his cross was volleyed inches past by Kane Hester.

Olly McDonald then skied a great opportunity wide of a gaping target after keeper Lewis Haldane parried Hester’s strike on goal.

Elgin were well on top and deservedly edged in front on 26 minutes, Josh Walker making it three goals in three games for the Black and Whites with a weaving run and 20 yard strike low inside the near post.

Walker was at the centre of Elgin’s good play and sent a raking drive just wide on 38 minutes.

United hesitated on a shooting chance in first half stoppage time and City broke away with Dylan Gavin’s cross missed by the visiting defence to give Hester the chance to smash home a second for the homesters.

United, with fresh legs on at the break, pulled one back six minutes into the second half through Jamie Forrest’s fine finish on the stretch from the left side of the box.

Harry Welsh then had a clear shooting chance in the home box but put it wide of Tom Ritchie’s goal.

Walker worked his way into a good position on the edge of United’s box on 75 minutes but swerved his shot wide of goal.

Sub Ryan Sargent forced a fine save out of Haldane but victory was secured for the home side seven minutes from time.

Hester fired home his second of the night after a United clearance fell to him on the volley on the edge of the box and he swept it home.

Cove Rangers 1-0 Dundee B

David Eguaibor scored the only goal of the game as Cove Rangers defeated Dundee B 1-0 at Balmoral Stadium in the Challenge Cup.

Cove, who drew 1-1 with The Spartans in their opening Challenge Cup league phase game, made five changes from the team that lost 3-1 at Peterhead at the weekend with 18-year-old midfielder Mikey Milnes handed his debut.

Cole Donaldson went for a spectacular opener when he spotted the goalkeeper off his line but his long-range attempt sailed wide.

Jackson Mylchreest nodded over from a Milosz Ochmanski cross as the first half ended goal-less.

Ryan Harrington’s low cross created a chance for Cole Donaldson in the 57th minute but the Cove youngster fired over the crossbar.

The Cove winner arrived in the 70th minute when David Eguaibor fired a long-range shot beyond Harrison Sharp for his seventh goal in nine games.

Thr result leaves Cove in 10th position in the 30-team league with four points.

The Spartans 1-1 Peterhead

Peterhead left it late to earn a 1-1 draw with The Spartans at Ainslie Park in the Challenge Cup.

The Blue Toon were 4-2 winners at home to Aberdeen B in their opening game of the league phase.

Peterhead, who made seven changes for the match, started on the front foot with Niall McGinn curling a long-range effort over the crossbar before an Oliver Colloty effort was saved by Blair Carswell.

Blue Toon goalkeeper Blessing Oluyemi made a superb stop early in the second half to deny Brogan Walls.

A Colloty header was well saved by Carswell before Oluyemi kept the scores level by saving from Cameron Russell at the other end.

The Spartans made the breakthrough in the 77th minute when Blair Henderson turned the ball home from close range from a James Craigen assist.

But the Blue Toon fought back to level the match with only two minutes remaining when Craig McGuffie netted with a left-footed shot from outside the area.

Peterhead are ninth in the table with four points from their two games.

[Source: Press and Journal]