Two goals, a clean sheet and progression from Group A made for a good Hearts night in Stirling.
Liam Boyce's opener and Finlay Pollock's first senior goal were enough to see off a spirited Stirling Albion side at Forthbank.
The win allows Robbie Neilson to potentially make some changes for the visit of Inverness CT on Sunday with the league opener against Celtic the following weekend in mind.
Here's three takeaways from a productive evening for the men in maroon.
Finlay Pollock's first goal
The youngster was perhaps unlucky not to start after recent midfield performances, but he repaid Neilson's faith in him with his first senior goal and made it a comfortable end to the game for Hearts. His willingness to get into the box has been evident until now and he got his reward tonight, looking more and more like he belongs in the first team squad.
Ten-in-a-row
He had a quiet night but Craig Gordon now has ten consecutive clean sheets in a row for Hearts. He'll be tested far more in future games this season, but he can only keep out what's in front of him and he's done it flawlessly over the last few months, as have the defenders in front of him
Gary Mackay-Steven's box of tricks
The winger's creativity looks like being key this season. A lovely back heel to set up the first broke down what had been until then, a stubborn Stirling defence. After hitting form towards the end of last season, GMS is starting to look like the player he was at Dundee United, Celtic and Aberdeen, which can only bode well for Hearts..
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