Four goals in the last 15 minutes saw Cove Rangers advance to the quarter-finals of the SPFL Trust Trophy past Albion Rovers.
Mitch Megginson’s first goal in five games finally broke the deadlock with 12 minutes to go and Rory McAllister headed in shortly after to stretch their advantage.
Jamie Masson added a third to seal their progress and McAllister’s second was the icing on the cake, prior to Max Wright scoring a late consolation.
Cove will now advance to the last eight, where they will play either Rangers B or Alloa Athletic at the end of next month.
Paul Hartley opted to rest Shay Logan and Iain Vigurs, while midfielder Finlay Robertson was cup-tied having played for Dundee B earlier in the competition. Kyle Gourlay replaced Stuart McKenzie in goal.
Cove, who knocked out Stenhousemuir on penalties in the last round, started brightly and had an early penalty shout turned down, when Aron Lynas appeared to handle Harry Milne’s cross.
Robbie Leitch also worked a shooting angle for himself just outside the box but his effort went over Cameron Binnie’s crossbar.
Rovers, third-bottom of League Two, came close through Callum Wilson, as he was allowed to break into the Cove half and send a shot wide of goal.
Cove were struggling to discover any sense of rhythm. Passes were going astray, either out of play or to opponents, and Binnie was enjoying a relatively quiet afternoon.
Hartley’s frustrations on the sidelines grew and had Michael Mullen’s shot crept inside the far post, it would not have been an injustice.
After a fairly subdued start to the second period, Hartley made changes. Ola Adeyemo was brought on for his debut and Masson was also readied from the bench, replacing Leighton McIntosh and Leitch.
The changes nearly bore fruit immediately, with Adeyemo teeing up Blair Yule to cross and Megginson glanced a header narrowly wide.
Adeyemo had a sight of goal himself, getting right behind his 25-yard attempt which Binnie was able to cling on to.
Binnie delivered an even better save minutes late after Morgyn Neill climbed well at the back post to meet Masson’s cross. The Rovers stopper got down quickly to palm the ball away as it looked to be creeping in.
After another near miss from a Yule across, Cove finally got the breakthrough with 11 minutes to go. Milne played in McAllister down the left and his cross was touched in at the near post by Megginson.
One became two three minutes later, with McAllister heading in his 10th of the season from Masson’s corner. Adeyemo capped an impressive cameo by winning possession deep in the Rovers half and standing it up for Masson, who rose high to head beyond Binnie.
There was harsher still to come for the visitors as Megginson released McAllister to slot home, before Wright grabbed a consolation in the final minute.