Two through to League Cup Semi Finals

Aberdeen and Motherwell made it through to Friday's League cup semi final draw with wins over Falkirk and Dundee Utd.

Motherwell beat United for the second time in four days thanks to a late goal from Alan Gow. The game looked to be heading to extra time before the former Falkirk man struck his first goal for Motherwell to win the tie.

The game was no where near as good as the League game on Saturday, but it was still Motherwell who made the better chances throughout the game. Gow forced Pernis to make fine save in the first half and Blackman tested the keeper twice in the second half.

The goal came from a needless corner given away by the hapless Garry Kenneth, Hateley's kick was sliced onto his own post by Prince Buaben and the rebound smashed home by Alan Gow.

Craig Brown said after the game, “When you play each other in the space of two or three days the teams tend to cancel each other out. Tonight’s game was a bit of a stalemate and was a very even game.”

While his United counterpart said, “I don’t think Motherwell deserved to win tonight, I honestly thought the game was heading to extra time. I am a bit frustrated and disappointed. I don’t think we deserved to go out as for spells in the second half we were the better side, after an even first half.”

The other tie was also close to heading into extra time until Paul Hartely sealed the tie for the Dons with a last minute penalty, this added to his earlier goal which cancelled out Mehdi Khalis's first half strike for the Bairns.

Khalis scored after 33 minutes when he headed home a corner from Higginbotham, after missing an earlier chance.

The Dons had been outplayed in the first half but responded well in the second period, and they equalised on 64 minutes when Hartley headed home a cross from Darren Mackie.

The veteran midfielder was win the tie in stoppage when scored from the spot after Maguire had been fouled by Khalis.

Skipper Hartely was delighted after the game, "We are just delighted to be in the semi-finals. We maybe didn't play the best but cup games are like that. We just wanted to be in the next round. The semi-final in February is something for us to focus on. We will be looking forward to the draw on Friday."

Falkirk Boss Pressley wasn't too impressed with the type of game and was left counting the cost of the tie on two levels, "It was a costly defeat in a financial sense and because of the injuries but I was very proud of how my players performed and disappointed for them with the way it ended."