● Aberdeen keeper Lewis makes a pair of gaffes as Mcinnes’s side exit Betfred Cup with a whimper

Motherwell upset the odds at Fir Park last night to claim a place in the semi-finals of the Betfred Cup.

As the scoreline might suggest, this was no fluke. Steven Robinson’s side did not just defeat their opponents, they humiliated them.

Derek Mcinnes’s side were outplayed from start to finish and could have no complaints about the outcome; they were simply awful and, following their sub-standard displays against Hearts and Kilmarnock immediately before this capitulation, the manager has been left with plenty of food for thought for his return here on league duty on Sunday.

Aberdeen have won silverware just twice in the last 28 seasons, both in this competition. However, any notion that it may prove to be lucky for them was soon dispelled.

The visitors could, and probably should, have deflated the boisterous home support by taking the lead in the ninth minute. Ryan Christie unlocked the Steelmen’s rearguard with a characteristic mazy run and fired a shot which Trevor Carson might have seen late. Either way, it fell perfectly for Gary Mackaysteven, who had plenty of the goal to aim at. Unfortunately his finish lacked composure and accuracy and he sliced his attempt high and wide.

As so often happens, Motherwell were galvanised by that escape and they broke the deadlock in their next attack.

Ryan Bowman deserves credit for chasing down an