Dundee United blasted Stranraer with three goals in 10 minutes to ease past them in the fifth round of the WIlliam Hill Scottish Cup.
An upset never looked on the cards as Jackie McNamara's side keep their hopes of a cup double alive.
The hosts battled hard but were left stunned by a ruthless display of attacking football from their Premiership opponents who ran out 3-0 winners.
Chris Erskine set the ball rolling after 21 minutes after picking up a loose ball and Ryan Dow secured United's quarter-final place with two goals in quick succession.
Dundee United began life without Gary Mackay-Steven and Stuart Armstrong by replacing them with Henri Anier and Erskine, while Stranraer were looking to maintain their form that sees them top League One and eyeing up a place in the Championship.
Neither side created much in the opening exchanges with only a Frank McKeown header coming close.
United hustled and harried Stranraer to cut their time on the ball and after 21 minutes forced a mistake.
A pass from Sean Winter caught Craig Petitgrew short and allowed Erskine space to run onto the ball and slide it under the on-rushing goalkeeper.
Stranraer tried to rally and Callum Morris had to be alert to cut out a cross with Craig Malcolm lurking unmarked at the back post. From the corner Scott Rumsby's header was beaten away by Radoslaw Cierzniak.
Within five minutes the cup tie was effectively over as a contest.
First, Dow hauled a long ball down near the corner flag. The winger jinked inside and after Rumsby slipped, he had time to pick his shot and chipped it into the top corner.
Three minutes Dow doubled his tally. Nadir Ciftci threaded a pass through the defence, which the winger latched on to and rounded David Mitchell to leave an easy finish.
Dundee United were rampant by this point and could have done further damage from a Ciftci free kick but it was easily saved.
Stranraer kept pushing for a lifeline and were only kept out from a corner by a Ryan McGowan header off the line.
Sean Winter threatened too but blasted well wide from inside the box.
The Blues kept scrapping in the second half.
Malcolm almost bundled the ball past Cierzniak but the keeper blocked with his legs.
He was in action again before long but Chris Aitken's free kick was straight at him.
Dundee United were well in control and although they did not inflict further damage restricted Stranraer to long-range strikes.
Ciftci had their first sight of goal in the second half 15 minutes from time, but the striker's shot went well over after Dow's dummy.
Stranraer never gave up pushing for a goal but could not unlock the defence for a consolation.
Substitute Charlie Telfer came close to adding a fourth for United but his free kick was superbly tipped round the post on its way to the top corner.
The stopper Mitchell did well to claw it away to stop any chance of a tap-in from a rebound.
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