Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin was delighted to finally celebrate with the club’s supporters after ending a damaging winless run.
The Dons overcame 10-man Elgin City at Borough Briggs to progress to the fifth round draw.
Despite going into the cup clash on the back of a 12-game winless run the Aberdeen’s fans snapped up their entire 1,7000 allocation.
Thelin was relieved he and his players could finally give the supporters a win after a collapse in form with just four points from the last 36 in the Premiership.
Aberdeen may have ended their wait for a victory but they were made to work for it by the League Two side who put up a fight.
A goal from Shayden Morris in the first half and a double from Duk after the break was the difference.
It is the first time Duk has scored since going AWOL during the summer.
Thelin said: “We are through to the next round and could finally celebrate with our supporters again.
“It was a nice feeling.
“It was a tough game but I’m happy with the chances we created.
“I like the cups, because here or in Sweden, it’s always the same.
“You come to this stadium, you feel the passion of football.
“There’s almost a special atmosphere in these games and there’s so much passion about football, emotions.”
Potential banana skin negotiated
Aberdeen’s history is strewn with humiliating cup defeats to Darvel (2023), Stenhousemuir (1995), East Fife (2011) and Queen’s Park (2006).
This tie had the potential for another cup banana skin due to Aberdeen’s collapse in form and Elgin’s strong League Two standing.
However the Dons progressed with a professional, composed victory in a tie where they also twice hit the woodwork.
Thelin said: “Cup ties like this are always tricky, so that’s why if you don’t go 100% the gap is not so big.
“So you have to be there all the time and that’s a mentality you always have to keep working on.
“You can’t give anything away in these cup games.
“It was a good test for us and they did well.
“We are so happy that we are through and we can celebrate.”
Thelin asked about Duk’s future
Duk’s double was the first time the Cape Verde international had scored for Aberdeen in almost a year.
His previous goal was a brace in a 3-3 draw with Motherwell on February 14.
Duk is out of contract at the end of the season and has been free to agree a pre-contract with another club since the winter transfer window opened on January 1.
Asked if there was any developments in talks to determine Duk’s future, Thelin said: “I don’t focus on that right now.
“But we have discussions with everyone and that’s the way the process is.”
Pape Gueye ends injury nightmare
Attacker Pape Gueye ended a four month injury nightmare when returning to the match-day squad when named on the bench.
Gueye was introduced as a substitute in the 58th minute.
The cup tie also marked the first start for new signing Alexander Jensen who was secured from Swedish Allsvenskan club Brommapojkarna for £545,000 (€650,000).
Jensen came off the bench for his debut in the 3-0 loss at Rangers but was pitched in from the start in one of six changes to the starting XI that lost at Ibrox.
Prior to kick-off there was a minute’s applause in honour of Aberdeen born and raised Manchester United and Scotland legend Denis Law who passed away at the age of 84.
Morris and Duk on the scoresheet
Elgin City made the brighter start and were fired up to deliver a cup upset.
When Aberdeen went ahead through Morris in the 23rd minute it was against the run of play.
Morris collected a pass inside from Duk before firing a 12-yard drive home.
A minute earlier Peter Ambrose had clipped the bar with a header.
The woodwork again denied the Dons in the 53rd minute when Morris cracked a shot off the near post.
Midway through the second half Elgin came close to levelling when a clearance from Ross Doohan ricocheted off Golding and rolled wide of an open goal.
Aberdeen made it 2-0 when Duk rose to meet a Leighton Clarkson corner in the 72nd minute.
Duk’s header was held by keeper Aidan Glavin but the referee ruled it had crossed the line to the frustration of Elgin players.
It got worse for Elgin as Lloyd Robert Booth was sent off soon after for a second yellow.
Duk made it 3-0 with when curling in a shot from the edge of the penalty box two minutes into time added on.
Thelin said: “Elgin had a really good start to the game.
“In the first half they pushed us a lot and they were dangerous in the situations around our box.
“Elgin were almost through our backline and we were a little bit in trouble there.
“The second half we got more rhythm and created more chances.
“But still they were dangerous in the transitions and I like the spirit of the Elgin team because they never give up.
“They fight until the end.
“We had to be 100% fully concentrated and give everything we had.”
ABERDEEN (4-2-3-1): Doohan 6; Devlin 6, Rubezic 6, Tobers 7, Jensen 7; Heltne Nilsen 6 (Shinnie 62), Palaversa 7 (Clarkson 62); Morris 7, Polvara 6 (Gueye 58), Duk 6; Ambrose 6 (Nisbet 62).
Subs not used: Ritchie, McGarry, Okkels, Dorrington.
ELGIN CITY (4-2-3-1): Glavin 7; Cairns 7, Girvan 7 (MacDonld 85),Cameron 7, Booth 7; Hyde 7, Gallagher 7; Leslie 7 (Gavin 63), Dingwall 7, Golding 7; Sargent 7 (McDonald 73).
Subs not used: McHale, Parton, \McDonald, Fraser.
Referee: Calum Scott
Attendance: 4,410 (1,700 Aberdeen)
Man-of-the-match: Shayden Morris (Aberdeen).
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