Holders St Mirren started their defence of the Premier Sports Cup with a comfortable 4-0 win over Dumbarton as second-tier Greenock Morton suffered a shock defeat at home to Lowland League champions Linlithgow Rose.
Scottish Cup finalists Dunfermline Athletic were also humbled by third-tier East Kilbride.
Dundee came from behind against Airdrieonians to avoid a shock home defeat by the League One side, while Premiership rivals Falkirk thumped Edinburgh City.
Dundee United needed a stoppage-time penalty to defeat fourth-tier Stirling Albion, while there were also wins for Arbroath, Ayr United, Hamilton Academical, Partick Thistle, Queen’s Park, Raith Rovers, Ross County and Stenhousemuir.
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Group A
Queen’s Park had to come from behind to defeat Highland League champions Brora Rangers after Sam Nixon headed the visitors into a 16th-minute lead.
Aidan Connolly fired the equaliser before the half hour, Michael Ruth slotted the Championship side ahead just after the hour and Nikolay Todorov’s header secured a comfortable win in Aberdeen’s group.
Relegated Kelty Hearts took the bonus point after a draw with last season’s League One opponents, Queen of the South.
Ross Cunningham fired Kelty ahead after 28 minutes and, although new player-manager Nicky Clark slotted the equaliser three minutes later, it was the visitors who won the penalty shoot-out.
Group B
It looked like Stirling and new manager Steven Whittaker would force a penalty shoot-out against United, but Zac Sapsford was brought down when meeting a cross from 16-year-old debutant midfielder Cohen Leiper and the striker slotted the winner from the spot.
Arbroath needed a Ryan Flynn strike five minutes from time to secure their victory over League 2 hosts Spartans.
Andy Winter’s long-range drive gave Arbroath the lead six minutes from the break, but Bradley Whyte shot the Edinburgh side level 10 minutes after the break.
Group C
Samuel Ramos gave holders St Mirren the lead with a near-post finish before fellow midfield debutant Chris Mochrie robbed Dumbarton’s trialist goalkeeper to double the lead.
Ramos slotted his own second and Thomas Falconer chipped the goalkeeper from close range to complete the scoring.
East Kilbride were forced into an early change against Dunfermline, but substitute Lewis McGrattan made an impact as the former Airdrieonians midfielder marked his debut with a curled drive from just inside the penalty box after 24 minutes.
Two long clearances from goalkeeper Shay Kelly set up fellow debutant Finlay Gray and Cameron Elliott to secure a deserved win for the League 2 champions over Neil Lennon’s side.
Group D
Dundee avoided a repeat of last season’s group-stage defeat by Airdrieonians but had to come from behind twice to do so against the side now managed by John Rankin.
Trialist Kian Taylor’s effort came off the post and off home goalkeeper Harry Sharp for the 11th-minute opener, but Charlie Reilly’s superb strike levelled after half an hour.
Sharp was beaten by a Sam Fisher free-kick from near the half-way line, but Ethan Hamilton powered another superb equaliser before Joe Bevan slotted Dundee into the lead and Ashley Hay headed their fourth.
Ross County eased to a 4-1 win away to Annan Athletic that suggests they will be among the favourites for the League 1 title after relegation.
New signing Brian Graham fired the opener from the penalty spot and slotted the second just after the break before an Aaron Muirhead own goal settled the game.
Connor Randall fired a fourth before Aidan Smith slotted a late reply.
Group E
Gary Mackay-Steven scored twice as Partick Thistle thumped Highland League runners-up Brechin City 6-0.
The winger opened the scoring after seven minutes, former St Mirren midfielder Oisin Smyth added the second from the penalty spot then Mackay-Steven fired his second within the half-hour mark from a corner.
After the break, an Aidan Fitzpatrick and drives from Seb Drozd and Euan Henderson completed the scoring.
It took Stenhousemuir 66 minutes to make the breakthrough against League 2 visitors Forfar Athletic.
However, Lewis Hodgkiss’ close-range finish was followed two minutes later by Matthew Aitken, both on the break as the side promoted to the Championship and now under Marvin Bartley took the three points.
Group F
Linlithgow Rose had been denied the opportunity to enter the play-offs for promotion to League Two as they did not obtain the required SFA bronze licence which covers areas such as stadium infrastructure. However, they showed they could compete in the SPFL on the pitch with their victory over Championship side Morton.
Calum Rae fired the visitors’ winner after 58 minutes on the break at Cappielow.
League One champions Inverness Caledonian Thistle took the bonus point after equalising in stoppage time against last season’s opponents, East Fife.
Myles Gaffney fired East Fife ahead just after the half-hour mark, only for Adam Mackinnon’s drive to send the game into spot kicks, which Caley Thistle won 5-3.
Group G
Ross MacIver grabbed a hat-trick, including the first goal of the new Scottish season, as Falkirk hammered fourth-tier hosts Edinburgh.
Ben Parkinson and Connor Allan were the other scorers for the Premiership side.
Meanwhile, Ayr had to come from behind twice to beat local rivals Stranraer.
James Dolan gave the League Two side the first-half lead from the penalty spot, but Ben Summers fired the equaliser after the break only for Archie Traynor to shoot the hosts back in front.
However, two Ross Taylor strikes secured victory in Gary Naysmith’s debut as Ayr manager.
Group H
Cian Newbury’s header after 33 minutes was enough to give Hamilton victory away to League One rivals Peterhead in Kilmarnock’s group.
Raith Rovers also took three points, the Championship side being 2-0 ahead by the break thanks to a Morgyn Neill own goal and a Kai Montagu drive.
Oliver Colloty fired League Two visitors Elgin City back into the game, but Ross Millen scored from close range to end thoughts of a fightback.
