Nine-man Dundee reach quarter-final

Dundee set up a Scottish Cup quarter-final against Queen of the South with a shock 2-1 win over Motherwell at Fir Park despite the Taysiders ending the game with nine men.

After a dour first 45 minutes, the second half exploded as Paul McHale and Scott Robertson shot the Irn-Bru First Division side in to a two-goal lead.

Well substitute Darren Smith pulled a goal back just after the hour mark but Dundee - who then had Kevin McDonald and Gary McKenzie sent off for picking up two yellow cards each - held on through five tense minutes of added time for a remarkable result against a team sitting fourth in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League.

It was a classic game of two halves - a first 45 minutes of dullness followed by endless second-half excitement but in the end the Dens Park side deserved their cup glory.

Dundee opened the scoring four minutes into the second half. A Robert Davidson cross from the left was spilled by the unconvincing Well keeper Graeme Smith to Dundee midfielder McHale 12 yards from goal.

The former Clyde captain took a touch to steady himself then lashed the ball in off the underside of the bar.

There was more trouble for the Steelmen after 55 minutes when the visitors doubled their lead. Dundee midfielder McDonald fired in a dangerous cross from the left-hand side of the box which evaded Smith.

The on-rushing Derek Lyle failed to make contact but the ball fell to Robertson at the back post who had the easiest of tasks bundling the ball in to the empty net.

After 61 minutes the home side grabbed a goal back in simple fashion when Steven Hammell's corner was bulleted home by the head of substitute Smith.