LOWLAND league outfit East Kilbride are within touching distance of a William Hill Scottish Cup tie with Celtic.

Darts champion Gary Anderson and former Rangers hero Brian Laudrup conducted the fifth round draw at Hampden Park with the minnows in the hat for the first time this year.

After their fourth round match with Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale was postponed due to adverse weather at their K Park ground, a venue with a seating capacity of just 358, the pair will meet next Wednesday in an attempt to advance to the last 16.

And there is plenty of incentive to come out on top in the clash, with the winners having the privilege of hosting Premiership champions Celtic on the first weekend of February.

The Herald:

East Kilbride's K Park can only hold a few hundred spectators

 

Glasgow rivals Rangers have been given a tough task to make it into the quarter-finals as they must get by top-flight Kilmarnock.

Elsewhere in the draw, Mark McGhee’s Motherwell were first out as the Steelmen landed a home draw, facing the winners of Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Stirling Albion following Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Forthbank.

Well defeated Cove Rangers 5-0 to progress in the competition, 25 years on since they last famously won it by defeating Dundee United 4-3 in extra-time.

Fresh from putting out St Mirren 2-1 in Paisley, Partick Thistle will go to Tannadice to face struggling Dundee United, who just squeezed by Airdrieonians 1-0 on Saturday.

The Herald: Mark McGhee, who helped make the William Hill Scottish Cup draw, remains positive about Scotland's chances

Motherwell manager Mark McGhee's side will face either Stirling Albion or Inverness.

 

Jim Duffy’s Morton have a real chance of making it into the last eight with an away trip to Hamilton-defeating Annan, while Dumbarton will host Dundee or Falkirk, who meet on Tuesday night at Dens Park.

Sons boss Stevie Aitken told the Dumbarton website: "It's a home tie and perhaps it's not a stand out game, I have to be pleased that we are at home.

"We know what we could face if Falkirk come through and in Dundee we'll have a Premiership team at our place with a possibility of a big crowd.”

Out with the above ties, the pick of the round comes in Edinburgh as rivals Hearts will host Hibernian.

 

FULL DRAW

Motherwell v Striling Albion/Inverness Caley Thistle

East Kilbride/Lothian Thistle v Celtic

Dundee United v Partick Thistle

Dunfermline/Ross County v Linlithgow Rose/Forfar Athletic

Rangers v Kilmarnock

Annan Athletic v Greenock Morton

Dumbarton v Dundee/Falkirk

Hearts v Hibernian