Irn Bru Cup: Dundee Utd & St Mirren reach last 16 after extra time
- Published
Lawrence Shankland headed in an extra-time winner for St Mirren
Dundee United and St Mirren found extra-time winners to reach the last 16 of the Irn Bru Cup.
United debutant Tony Andreu made it 3-2 against Peterhead, while the Buddies recovered from 2-0 down to prevail 4-3 at Albion Rovers.
League Two leaders Forfar came from behind at Station Park to beat Raith Rovers 3-2.
Morton and Dumbarton were other Championship casualties, losing out at Queen's Park and Stranraer.
Queen of the South, Falkirk and Dunfermline had no trouble, knocking seven, six and five past Stenhousemuir, Elgin and Brechin, respectively.
Celtic were the only Premiership colt team left in the revamped Challenge Cup tournament but their under-20 side was hammered 5-1 at Livingston.
Alloa Athletic made it 10 consecutive wins this season with a 3-0 success against League One rivals East Fife.
Jack Ross's in-form side took the lead through a Jordan Kirkpatrick header from a Greig Spence cross, with Calum Waters then curling a wonderful strike into the top corner.
Some calamitous defending allowed Spence to complete the scoring before the interval.
Dundee United made hard work of their tie, hitting the crossbar three times in the second half, before on-loan midfielder Andreu settled it with a cool header from a Blair Spittal delivery.
Charlie Telfer gave the hosts the perfect start with a thunderous opener inside the first minute but Rory McAllister replied with a great curling strike.
Nick Van Der Velden restored United's lead but the prolific McAllister hit back again with a powerful header.
Telfer crashed in a wonderful opening goal at Tannadice
Lawrence Shankland's close range header gave St Mirren a much needed win in a topsy-turvy encounter at Cliftonhill.
Brothers Ross and Michael Dunlop had given the hosts a two-goal lead before being pegged back by a couple of excellent strikes by Saints' pair Lewis Morgan and Stevie Mallan.
John Sutton headed the Buddies in front but that lead was short-lived as Ross Dunlop netted another to equalise.
There were no second half goals and Shankland's header after Sutton's deflected effort sank the hosts, who had Mark Ferry sent off for a second yellow card.
A Lee Ashcroft header opened the scoring for Dunfermline at Glebe Park before an unfortunate own goal by defender Willie Dyer made it two for the visitors.
Ally Love reduced the deficit with a neat volley from the edge of the box but further goals from Paul McMullen and Gavin Reilly put the Fifers on easy street, with Ashcroft getting his second of the day from the last move of the match.
Falkirk scored early goals in each half to make it a second cup win over Elgin City this season.
Bob McHugh got a double to make it three against the League Two side this term, John Baird also got two, a cross cum shot from Myles Hippolyte flew in and David McCracken added header from a corner.
Mark Nicholson's 39th-minute strike was easily the best of the match, but little consolation for the visitors.
A Josh Peters double proved decisive as Forfar upset the odds against Championship challengers Raith Rovers.
Mark Stewart gave the Kirkcaldy club the lead against the run of play in 19 minutes but Lewis Milne levelled with a stunning 30-yard strike.
Shambolic defending at a free-kick gave Peters the chance to shoot his side in to an interval lead which he added to with a neat volley on 57 minutes.
That was the Forfar striker's eighth goal of the season and his fourth in the Irn Bru Cup and, although Declan McManus pulled one back for Raith, Gary Bollan's side saw out a deserved win.
Queen of the South were the biggest scorers of the day, with Dale Hilson and Grant Anderson beginning the rout with great strikes inside the first 10 minutes.
Stephen Dobbie smashed in the first of his double soon after, with Derek Lyle adding a penalty before the break.
After Dobbie's second, Steven Rigg followed suit with a brace of his own, with Alan Cook replying for beleaguered Stenhousemuir.
Part-time Queen's Park upset Morton, with Adam Cummins knocking in a header and David Galt adding a long-range screamer at Hampden, while Mark McGuigan made sure Stranraer were rewarded for their late pressure with the only goal on 83rd minute.
In Saturday's late kick-off, Liam Buchanan netted a hat-trick as League One Livi overwhelmed Celtic's youngsters, with Sean Crighton and Dan Mullen also on target.
Challenge Cup results:
Alloa Athletic 3-0 East Fife
Brechin City 1-5 Dunfermline
Dundee Utd 3-2 Peterhead
Falkirk 6-1 Elgin City
Forfar Athletic 3-2 Raith Rovers
Albion Rovers 3-4 St Mirren
Queen of the South 7-1 Stenhousemuir
Queen's Park 2-0 Morton
Stranraer 1-0 Dumbarton
Livingston 5-1 Celtic U20
Sunday fixtures
Ayr United v Airdrieonians
Turriff United v Hibernian
The draw for the last 16 takes place on Tuesday, with Crusaders and Linfield from Northern Ireland joining along with Welsh clubs The New Saints and Bala Town.