RUDI CAN'T FAIL ... Skacel hits late second

The Jambos might not be able to pay their players on time but they proved they don't half cash in when the chips are down with another display that belied their wages woes.

Hamill had seen his former Kilmarnock teammates stun Celtic to lift the League Cup on Sunday.

Now the Hoops stand between Hearts and a final spot after he capped an outstanding midfield display by netting the 31st-minute piledriver that sent them on their way.

Rudi Skacel's tenth goal in his last six games against the Buddies with five minutes left confirmed a Hampden last four clash.

The last time they reached that stage they went all the way and won it against Gretna in 2006. Boss Paulo Sergio, whose only visits to the national stadium were for two disciplinary cases, will hope the money generated can help meet the payroll for the rest of the season.

But for St Mirren rival Danny Lennon it was another night of huge frustration as he saw his men lose their third quarter-final of his two-season reign.

Pre-match he had vowed to make the Jambos pay for promising big wages then failing to stump up after he'd lost out to them in the race for Craig Beattie.

But last night he was cursing ref Stevie O'Reilly who blew too soon to award a penalty. If he'd delayed just a second or two the Buddies would've netted. To make matters worse Graham Carey then missed from the spot.

Saints had bossed the first match for the opening half hour then paid for not taking their chances. It was spooky the way last night's action-packed first half panned out the same.

Before the break there was great play, missed chances, super saves, a raft of bookings and major refereeing blunders. Apart from that there was nothing to talk about.

Newly installed Dunfermline boss Jim Jefferies had barely taken his seat in the stands when his former side went close to opening the scoring.

Skacel has been the Buddies tormentor over the past two seasons and he should have been celebrating 45 seconds in. But after being threaded in by Beattie he flashedwide from a narrow angle.

After that the Buddies turned on the style just as they had in the first game.

Gary Teale looked set to hare in on goal after being picked out by Stevie Thompson but assistant Gordon Middleton wrongly halted play.

Carey then whipped in a cross which Nigel Hasselbaink stretched at but couldn't reach, with Jamie MacDonald doing well to push the looping ball out for a corner.

Jim Goodwin was next to test MacDonald, who saved his effort before O'Reilly's haste played a major part in the game with 17 minutes gone.

Thompson went to head Carey's high ball, which struck Marius Zaliukas' hand. O'Reilly blew immediately just as Hasselbaink headed the loose ball in. O'Reilly couldn't change his mind and the goal couldn't stand.

As Zaliukas was booked Carey won the battle with Hasselbaink to take the spotkick, only for MacDonald to brilliantly fling himself to his left and keep it out.

Still they kept pushing and Teale flashed wide.

Hearts briefly broke free but when Ian Black found Andy Driver he was denied by the legs of Craig Samson.

Samson went one better moments later when Darren Barr found Hamill who saw his first-time rocket from 25 yards tipped on to the post.

As the Jambos rightly claimed for a corner O'Reilly gave a goal-kick.

The Buddies raced up the other end with Hasselbaink threading through to Thompson whose shot hit Zaliukas and went out for a corner.

Ref O'Reilly was in action again when Andy Webster seemed to hold Thompson in the box but he waved play on. Moments later he blew for the same challenge outside the 18-yard area.

Despite their dominance the Buddies had again failed to hit the net — and they were punished again on 31 minutes.

The Jambos had watched Lee Croft catch Samson early from distance in St Johnstone's weekend win and had clearly been told to try the same.

It worked wonders after Danny Grainger seized on Steven Thomson's sloppy pass and when his cross was half cleared by Marc McAusland Hamill let fly from distance to give the keeper no chance.

The goalscorer then headed to the dugout partly to celebrate and partly to get a rub on his left calf.

There was more dugout action six minutes before the break when Thompson's challenge on Grainger had Sergio racing for the touchline, with fourth official George Salmond holding him back.

This time O'Reilly waited before a chat with Salmond saw Thompson booked.

As the half closed there were more shots on sight from the Jambos as first Samson pawed away an effort from Beattie then Black saw a blast swerve just wide.

The chances took longer to arrive after the break and it was the hour mark before David Van Zanten fired wide.

Samson clawed away a deflected Skacel effort.But the Czech killed off any hopes of a fightback late on after another poor McAusland ball.