In a surprising turn of events, Championship leaders St Johnstone faced an unexpected defeat in the Scottish Cup at home against Cove Rangers. Non-league teams Auchinleck Talbot and Camelon also pulled off impressive upsets, while Jon Rankin stepped down as the manager of Hamilton Academical following an eventful third round.
Auchinleck delivered a stunning 4-0 victory against Dumbarton, and fellow sixth-tier side Camelon triumphed 2-1 over League 2’s Edinburgh City, securing their places in the fourth-round draw, which will be broadcast live on BBC Scotland’s Sportscene on Sunday at 19:15 GMT.
In a statement, Hamilton confirmed that Rankin resigned after his side suffered a 4-0 defeat in the Lanarkshire derby against Championship rivals Airdrieonians. The club expressed their sorrow over his resignation, highlighting his significant contributions during a challenging period marked by points deductions, a transfer embargo, and a relocation due to financial issues.
Airdrieonians secured their victory with a brace from Lewis McGrattan in the first Scottish Cup match between the two Lanarkshire teams since 1970.
St Johnstone was eliminated after Cove Rangers’ Adam Emslie scored in extra time, following an equalizer from Mitch Megginson that had canceled out Uche Ikpeazu’s opening goal.
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Two second-half goals from Connor Boyd and Kyle McAvoy led Auchinleck to their decisive win over Dumbarton. Meanwhile, Camelon initially took the lead through Ross Kavanagh, but after a late header from Edinburgh’s Lewis McArthur equalized, Dean Watson netted the winner in stoppage time.
In his first game as interim boss, Billy Davies guided Greenock Morton to a penalty shootout victory over Peterhead after a thrilling 5-3 finish. Although Niall McGinn scored first for the League 1 hosts, a brace from Tomi Adeloye, including a penalty, turned the game around for the Championship side. However, after Adeloye’s dismissal, Kieran Shanks managed to equalize in stoppage time, pushing the match into extra time.
Jordan Doherty’s first-half goal marked a successful debut for Dougie Imrie as the new manager of Raith Rovers, who defeated Alloa Athletic. League 2’s Stranraer also needed extra time to overcome 10-man Clydebank, with Ryan Edgar scoring the decisive goal.
Jack Murray played a key role for Elgin City, scoring deep in stoppage time and then again in extra time to ensure a 4-2 victory over fellow League 2 club Stirling Albion. However, Highland League leaders Brechin City faced a setback as veteran striker Cillian Sheridan was sent off in their 2-0 loss to Kelty Hearts.
In other matches, Dunfermline Athletic overcame Queen of the South thanks to two goals from striker Chris Kane, while Championship contenders Partick Thistle, Arbroath, and Ayr United all secured convincing victories against their respective opponents.
Highland League teams Clachnacuddin, Banks O’Dee, and Buckie Thistle were eliminated by Stenhousemuir, Ross County, and Montrose, respectively. Additionally, West of Scotland League outfit Benburb fell to Annan Athletic, while Spartans bested Bonnyrigg Rose from the Lowland League.