Ross County advanced to the quarter-finals of the Viaplay Cup with a 4-3 extra-time victory at Airdrieonians; Livingston made lighter work of lower-league opposition, seeing off Ayr United 2-0; St Mirren handed Motherwell a rare defeat with a 1-0 victory
Sunday 20 August 2023 11:06, UK
Ross County booked their place in the last-eight of the Viaplay Cup with a dramatic 4-3 extra-time victory over Airdrieonians.
The Staggies struck twice inside the opening 10 minutes to hold a commanding lead, although Callum Gallagher found the net to give the hosts hope.
Simon Murray was on target minutes later to restore the two-goal advantage for Malky Mackay's side but they would be stunned as their Championship opponents launched a dramatic fightback late in the second half.
Gallagher calmly dispatched a penalty with nine minutes remaining and the Diamonds would level matters in the final minute when Josh O'Connor seized on some poor defending to drill the ball home.
It would take extra-time to settle matters and substitute Eamonn Brophy was the hero for the Premiership side, heading home to secure their place in the quarter-final stage for the first time since 2020.
Livingston booked their place in the quarter-finals with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Ayr United.
The Scottish Premiership hosts avoided a potential banana skin, with goals in each half from Joel Nouble and Cristian Montano seeing off their Championship visitors.
Livingston, defeated 3-0 by Inverness in last season's Scottish Cup, looked in no mood to allow lightning to strike twice against second-tier opposition.
It took them just 12 minutes to take the lead, with a second goal of the season for Nouble.
It was just the start needed to settle any nerves as they dealt with the expectations of facing lower-league opponents.
The home side then doubled their advantage in the 64th minute when Montano powered forward on the left side of the area to latch onto a through ball and when his initial shot was saved by Robbie Mutch, it rebound back off him and into the unguarded net.
Caolan Boyd-Munce hit a spectacular first goal for St Mirren to send the Buddies past Motherwell and into the quarter-finals.
The former Northern Ireland U21 international replaced injured captain Mark O'Hara ahead of the previous weekend's win over Dundee, which sent St Mirren top of the Premiership overnight.
And the 23-year-old again helped alleviate the absence of O'Hara as he proved the difference in a 1-0 victory in Paisley.
Boyd-Munce lit up a scrappy start to the game in the ninth minute.
Ryan Strain made some progress as he cut in from the right before the ball broke for the former Middlesbrough and Birmingham midfielder, who fired a first-time effort into the top corner from 20 yards.
Motherwell improved after a poor first half but did not do enough to prevent only their third defeat in six months under manager Stuart Kettlewell.
