Peterhead are out of the Viaplay Cup following their 2-1 defeat to The Spartans at Balmoor Stadium.
Spartans went 1-0 up in the ninth minute through Blair Henderson before Kieran Shanks equalised for the Blue Toon five minutes into the second half.
However, the Edinburgh side netted the winner in the 55th minute when Cammy Russell restored their advantage, which secured Spartans the three points in Group B.
The defeat leaves Peterhead bottom of their group with one point from three games, meaning they cannot progress to the knock-out stages even with a win over Falkirk in their final match on Saturday.
Spartans make fast start at Balmoor
The Blue Toon made seven changes from Saturday’s 3-0 defeat to Dundee United, as Bless Oluyemi, Jordan Armstrong, Caleb Goldie, Hamish Ritchie, David Wilson, Aaron Reid, and Conor O’Keefe came into the starting XI.
Stuart McKenzie, Robert Ward, Jack Brown, Scott Ross and Conner Duthie dropped to the bench, while player/co-boss Ryan Strachan and Andy McCarthy were suspended.
It was 1-0 to Spartans inside the opening 10 minutes when Bradley Whyte took the ball to the byline and squared it across the face of goal for a sliding Henderson to turn home from a couple yards out to give his side the lead.
Co-manager Jordon Brown registered Peterhead’s first chance on target from a Ritchie free-kick, but his header was easily collected by Blair Carswell.
There was a sigh of relief from the Balmoor crowd when Whyte failed to take advantage following a stray pass inside the box from goalkeeper Oluyemi, who was making his competitive Blue Toon debut.
At the other end, O’Keefe burst down the left flank and found Shanks, but he couldn’t find his balance and sent his header well wide of the post.
It should have been two when Russell unleashed a powerful drive inside the box, which beat Oluyemi, but it remained 1-0 thanks to a last-ditch block from Wilson.
Jason Brown won the Blue Toon a free-kick in a dangerous position just before half-time. Ritchie sent the ball into the box for Shanks to win a corner, before Jordon Brown saw another header saved by Carswell.
In the second half, Peterhead started on the front foot with several crosses sent into the box, and Reid made a connection with one delivery but his header was well cleared.
The home side were rewarded after a positive start, and pulled themselves level in the 50th minute when Shanks scored his first goal of the season with a low drive from inside the box.
Russell made it 2-1 only five minutes later as he tapped the ball home from close-range after Peterhead’s defence switched off.
There were shouts for a penalty from the Balmoor crowd when Caleb Goldie went down in the box, but referee Colin Whyte instead gave a foul against the Blue Toon defender.
Other than Spartans’ goal, it was an uneventful second half with the visitors not looking likely to add to their advantage, while the Blue Toon created little to give themselves a chance of equalising again.
Player ratings
PETERHEAD (4-4-2): Oluyemi 6, Wilson 6, Jason Brown 6, Goldie 6, Armstrong 5 (Ross 71), Ritchie 6 (Duthie 62), Strachan 6, Jordon Brown 6 (Jack Brown 62), O’Keefe 6, Shanks 7, Reid 5 (Ward 71)
Subs not used: McKenzie, Smith
THE SPARTANS (4-4-1-1): Carswell 6, Allan 6 (Sonkur 84), Waugh 6, Tapping 6, Watson 6 (Jones 84), Armstrong 6 (Newman 84), Craigen 6, Whyte 6, Dishington 6 (Denholm 67), Russell 7, Henderson 7 (Morrison 84)
Subs not used: Meek, Brown
Man of the match: Cammy Russell
Attendance: 678
