St Mirren 3-0 Dumbarton

Jan 13 2008 Chris Gallagher At Love Street

SAINTS went marching into round four with an easy victory over struggling Sons.

It was a professional display by the SPL side, who cruised through with goals from Mark Corcoran, David Barron and Billy Mehmet.

Dumbarton have now gone 24 years without going past round three.

Despite being the lowest scorers in senior Scottish football, Buddies began as huge favourites and Craig Dargo boosted their attack as they looked to improve on last year's third round exit.

Sons began with only one away victory in this campaign - but were unbeaten in four previous Scottish Cup clashes with Buds at Love Street.

And the memory of exiting the League Cup to East Fife in August was still fresh in the memory of the Paisley side.

Buddies began brightly and in two minutes Mark Corcoran's cross was swept just wide by Billy Mehmet.

Dargo almost opened the scoring in six minutes but his shot was parried away by David Crawford.

Dumbarton's first chance came in nine minutes when Brian McPhee lobbed a spectacular effort over from 35 yards.

In 16 minutes David Barron's cross evaded Mark Canning and Corcoran lashed the ball home from 15 yards.

Dargo almost doubled the lead in 21 minutes with a glancing header which Crawford dived smartly to hold.

Then Dargo passed up a gift, firing straight at Crawford after Canning had lost possession.

Saints were dominant but poor finishing meant gaffer Gus MacPherson couldn't relax.

Barron grabbed a delightful second in 38 minutes, curling the ball home from 20 yards after Canning had headed clear Corcoran's corner.

It was a bitter blow for the visitors who, despite creating little, had been hanging on in there.

Lively Corcoran teed up Alex Burke in 40 minutes only for the veteran to blaze the ball over from close range.

Dumbarton made two changes just after the interval, replacing Jonathan Yule and Kenny Haswell with Ryan Russell and Andrew Geggan. And Russell almost pulled one back in 58 minutes when his long-range strike deflected off Burke and flew just over.

On the hour Saints introduced new signing from New England Revolution Andy Dorman (below) for the tiring Burke.

And Dorman almost grabbed a goal right away, slicing wide a 20-yard volley after capitalising on Grant Evans's loose header.

Mehmet made sure of victory for Saints in 70 minutes when his 20-yard strike was too hot for Crawford, who fumbled the ball into his own net.

It was the last act for the keeper, who was carrying a groin injury.

Anton Nugent replaced him.

Corcoran almost created a fourth in 74 minutes but his inch-perfect cross was headed over by the luckless Dargo.

Barron also threatened a fourth in 77 minutes but with time and space, he drove narrowly over from 20 yards.

Fergus Tiernan should have nicked a consolation for Sons in 82 minutes, only to head McPhee's cross straight at Chris Smith.