Hamilton defeated Ross County 5-3 in a penalty shootout to win the battle of the worst teams and go to the fifth round of the Scottish Cup.
At New Douglas Park, extra time failed to separate the two teams, necessitating penalties, which were won by the Championship underdogs.
With 120 minutes dominated by sloppy possession and squandered opportunities, the game displayed many hallmarks of being played between two clubs at the bottom of their respective leagues.
One change was made by Hamilton manager John Rankin from the team that defeated Morton the previous Saturday, with Chrissy McGinn replacing Daniel O’Reilly.
Premiership basement boys Ross County made four changes following their draw at Motherwell. Out went Alex Iacovitti, David Cancola, Jordan Tillson and Jordan White, replaced by Keith Watson, Nohan Kenneh, Kazeem Olaigbe and Jordy Hiwula.
It was the visitors who started the better and had a flurry of early chances, most of them created by their brightest spark Yan Dhanda, who orchestrated some neat moves for Ross County from the base of midfield.
Hiwula – who was handed his first start since November – should have given the Premiership side the lead after latching onto Dhanda’s teasing low cross but could only smash his effort straight at Ryan Fulton.
Owura Edwards blasted the ball over from close range before Hiwula spurned another brilliant opportunity after 16 minutes when he was on the end of an inch-perfect Dhanda corner and his misguided header went over the crossbar.
Ross County boss Malky McKay shuffled the pack at the break as his side tried to assert their dominance, with Victor Loturi replacing Kenneh.
The visitors continued to peg back the home side and went agonisingly close to opening the scoring as Ross Callachan nearly found the corner with a looping header, but it was scrambled off the line by Dylan McGowan.
Jordan White did not do much different from Dhanda’s dangerous deliveries as he headed over the crossbar from close range with his first touch of the ball, while Andy Ryan drew a smart stop from Ross Laidlaw as extra-time loomed.
William Akio came close to winning it for County, but his shot was saved by Fulton, before – up the other end – Dario Zanatta’s effort came crashing back off the post.
Jordan White, who was subject to a bid from St Johnstone this week, missed his spot-kick from 12 yards and that proved decisive as Ryan’s effort sent the Championship side into the fifth round.