IT WOULD be fair to say Ross County were glad to see the back of Dunfermline Athletic last night as the Fifers' team bus headed for the A9.
The team from two leagues below again provided the sternest of tests for the SPFL Premiership Highlanders before Raffaele De Vita's second half strike secured passage.
With League One strugglers Forfar Athletic or juniors Linlithgow Rose awaiting as visitors in the fifth round, there is now a great opportunity now for the victors.
But this proved another occasion of grit, sweat and tension as the 1961 and 1968 Scottish Cup winners again performed impressively.
Three days earlier, against waves of adventurous football from Dunfermline, the Highland team had been lucky to escape Fife with Scottish Cup ambitions intact.
The energy and movement of French-Moroccan Faissal El Bakhtaoui within the Pars fluent attacking four had rattled County in the 2-2 draw.
Last night, forewarned and fortified by a boisterous home crowd, manager Jim McIntyre was demanding a whole lot better. It came in the end.
The Staggies were still unable to call on the first choice strike partnership of Liam Boyce and Craig Curran, offering replacements Alex Schalk and Brian Graham a chance to build on Saturday's goalscoring performances.
A measure of Dunfermline's confidence came in manager Allan Johnston's selection of a team unchanged and the League One leaders didn't disappoint in early attacking intent.
In an action-packed first 15 minutes, El Bakhtaoui immediately broke on the right and swept in a terrific cross. Joe Cardle raced in to connect but saw his attempt strike off Marcus Fraser's back-side.
County warmed up with pressure of their own. Michael Gardyne dispossessed Josh Falkingham just inside the Pars' penalty area and found Stewart Murdoch striking against goalkeeping namesake Sean.
As Graham closed in, Dunfermline defender Ben Richards-Everton beat beat him in the air to clear the immediate danger.
County threatened again after 12 minutes with Schalk releasing Jonathan Franks in space to the right of the box, but keeper Murdoch had the measure of the winger's fierce, low strike at goal.
The best chance saw a weak Franks free-kick eventually break to Graham in front of goal, only for the big frontman to prod over the bar.
El Bakhtaoui drew a parry from Scott Fox after 35 minutes, while County's menace came to nothing.
County removed right winger Franks at the break and threw on Raffaele De Vita, in what was to prove a pivotal move.
Marcus Fraser fluffed a glorious chance as play resumed, knocking the ball well over from inside the six yard box from Schalk's supply.
It grew increasingly ragged and messy and the first goal was clearly going to be massive and Dunfermline had a decent chance after 69 minutes.
Michael Moffat's sharp pass eased El Bakhtaoui into space just inside the penalty area but home keeper Fox showed good strength to parry the attempt.
Just a minute later, the Pars were ruing that missed opportunity.
Gardyne's cross from the left took a deflection as it flew to the back of the penalty area where substitute De Vita had time to smash a volley past keeper Murdoch.
There was high tension as the home side held against steady late pressure.
ROSS COUNTY (4-4-2): Fox 7; Fraser 7, Robertson 7, Davies 7, Foster 7; Franks 5 (De Vita 46 7), Murdoch 6, Irvine 6 (McShane 68 5), Gardyne 7; Schalk 6 (Quinn 75 5), Graham 7. Subs: Woods, Reckord, Boyd, Morrison.
Booked: Fraser 71, De Vita 79
DUNFERMLINE (4-2-3-1): Murdoch 6; Rooney 7, McKay 6, Richards-Everton 6 (McCabe 76 4), Talbot 7; Falkingham 7, Geggan 6; Paton 7, El Bakhtaoui 7, Cardle 6 (Hopkirk 66 5); Moffat 7 (Wallace 79 4). Subs: Gill, Hopkirk, Byrne, Potter, Antoine-Curier.
Booked: Rooney 36, Richards-Everton 45, Moffat 53
Referee: Alan Muir 7
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