ST MIRREN swept into the Co-operative Insurance Cup semi-finals as they struck three goals against Motherwell for the second time in four days.
Michael Higdon headed home his first goal at St Mirren Park midway through the first half and Jack Ross added a deflected second just after the hour. Motherwell had come from two down to draw in Paisley on Saturday but their comeback attempts ended
when Stephen Craigan netted an 80th-minute own goal.
Jim Gannon switched his Motherwell side into a 3-4-3 formation with central defender Shaun Hutchinson in for midfielder Ross Forbes and they started in a more positive manner than they had done on Saturday. Winger Jim O'Brien was quickly to the fore and his 25-yard strike was parried wide by Paul Gallacher in the eighth minute.
However, St Mirren gradually took control
and Higdon gave them the lead after 23 minutes. The striker's header spun over the line off the hand of a diving John Ruddy after an inswinging free-kick from Andy Dorman, who had been brought down by Yassin Moutaouakil.
A frustrated Gannon moved to a 4-4-2 at half-time with Bob McHugh and Chris Humphrey replacing Moutaouakil and Murphy – and it almost paid off early when Jutkiewicz was sent clear after 54 minutes but Gallacher came off his line to divert the effort wide with his body.
But St Mirren were not be denied and Allan Johnston soon set up St Mirren's second after 61 minutes. The veteran laid the ball off for the overlapping Ross, whose drive took a deflection to fly inside Ruddy's near post.
Motherwell's last throw off the dice was to throw on Forbes for O'Brien but Craigan's own goal just a minute later killed off any hopes of a repeat comeback.
St Mirren: Gallacher, Ross, Potter, Mair, Barron, Murray, Dorman, McGinn, Johnston (O'Donnell 76), Mehmet, Higdon (Brady 87). Subs not used: Howard, Innes, Ramsey.
Motherwell: Ruddy, Hutchinson, Craigan, Saunders, Moutaouakil (Humphrey 46), Coke, Hateley, Reynolds, Murphy (McHugh 46), Jutkiewicz, O'Brien (Forbes 79). Subs not used: Kosiorowski, Jennings.
