Hibs discover KDM Evolution Trophy opponents as draw throws up revenge mission and new venues
The Easter Road side’s B-team face another tough schedule in their bid to avoid another early exit from the competition
Hibs have discovered their six opponents for this season’s KDM Evolution Trophy after narrowly missing out on league phase progression last year as part of a revamped format.
The Easter Road club’s B-team lost to Forfar Athletic before suffering further defeats by Stirling Albion and Spartans, but a draw against Cove Rangers and an impressive 4-0 win at Peterhead meant they had a live chance of advancing to the second round.
However, two late goals by Montrose in a 4-4 draw at Links Park in their final league match consigned Darren McGregor’s young side to an early exit.
The format remains the same this year, ensuring all Scottish Premiership B teams will continue to play matches away from home, but with a greater number of clubs now involved in the competition.
A total of 40 teams spanning the entire country will take part, with the ten clubs from SPFL League One and ten teams from League Two being joined by ten under-21 sides from the Premiership (barring Livingston and St Johnstone), four from the Highland League (Banks O’ Dee, Clachnacuddin, Formartine United and Fraserburgh) and six from the Lowland League (Berwick Rangers, Bonnyrigg Rose, Clydebank, Cowdenbeath, Cumbernauld Colts and Gala Fairydean Rovers).
Each team will play six league matches, with the top 32 advancing to the knockout stage and the remaining eight being eliminated. A round of 16 will follow that, before eight teams progress to the quarter-finals, four in the semi-finals, and two for the final, which is scheduled to take place in late March or early April next year.
Who will Hibs face in the KDM Evolution Trophy?
Hibs begin their campaign with a trip to Holm Park to face Clydebank on August 11, before travelling south to Dumfries to take on Queen of the South at Palmerston on August 25.
They then face a further venture south to play Berwick Rangers at Shielfield Park on September 8, and head to Alloa’s Indodrill Stadium on September 22.
Their penultimate game takes them to Galabank to face Annan on September 26, before finishing up with a visit to Forthbank against Stirling Albion, who ran out 3-1 winners against Hibs last year, on October 13.