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• Barry Robson frustrated as Aberdeen make life difficult in win at Ross County

  Barry Robson’s only frustration after sealing a place in the Viaplay Cup semi-finals was that his side allowed Ross County a route back into the match.

  Aberdeen were two goals to the good in Dingwall before County scored a late penalty, setting up a tense finale as each side battled to get back to Hampden.

  The Dons had been in control of the match, helped along by an early red card for Staggies skipper Jack Baldwin and Robson felt his side could have been out of sight long before County pulled a goal back.

  “When you come up against 10 men it’s not the easiest, so we changed shape,” Robson reasoned.

  “I thought we were comfortable in the game, because Kelle (Roos) never had a save to make.

  “That one ball over the top when we were 2-0 up for their penalty, it was always going to be a tough last five or 10 minutes.

  “For me, we probably shouldn’t have had to go through the last five or 10 minutes, because we were in real control at 2-0 up.

  “We should have had a couple of penalties too, so I thought the game could have been done.”

  Malky Mackay, meanwhile, was left frustrated by injuries to his players that he felt should have been more strongly punished.

  However, he was proud of the effort his players put in to remain competitive, even with playing over 75 minutes with 10 men.

  “I’m really disappointed. We lose to a really fantastic goal, he couldn’t hit it any sweeter, so I have no qualms about that,” Mackay explained.

  “I think VAR would have looked at the sending off, but you’re thinking it could have become a long night and we turned it into a real cup tie.

  “There were balls flashing across the box with 10 minutes to go, so I’m disappointed for our players but really proud of them.

  “There seemed to be an awful lot of bookings for a period and then a few bizarre ones that don’t become bookings.

  “Josh Sims is away to hospital. His leg is split wide open like a banana and when you look at it again it’s really not good by Ryan Duncan, so I really don’t understand why that wasn’t a booking.

  “Then at the end Josh Reid gets wiped out and the foul is given but no booking, so it’s a bit of consistency that’s needed and a bit of dialogue I suppose.”

• Late Martin Boyle brace fires Hibs into cup semi-finals after beating St Mirren

  Martin Boyle’s late double settled a thriller against St Mirren and sent Hibs into the Viaplay Cup semi-finals following a 4-2 victory.

  The visitors had gone in at half-time ahead thanks to Scott Tanser’s fine effort.

  Goals from Elie Youan and Dylan Vente then gave Hibs the advantage, only for Keanu Baccus to level things at 2-2.

  With 10 minutes left to play, Boyle smashed home what proved to be the winner before adding a late fourth to extend Nick Montgomery’s undefeated start as Hibs manager.

  Montgomery made two changes to the side that defeated St Johnstone at the weekend as in came Christian Doidge and Youan, with Adam Le Fondre and Jair Tavares dropping out.

  St Mirren also made two alterations after their win over Hearts. There were places for Caolan Boyd-Munce and Mikael Mandron, who replaced Baccus and Connor McMenamin.

  It was the visitors who had the first chance but Greg Kiltie’s goalbound header lacked the power to trouble David Marshall.

  Former Hibs midfielder Alex Gogic then had a stab goalwards from Boyd-Munce’s deep free-kick that was also saved.

  Saints were on top at this point and Ryan Strain’s searching ball picked out Toyosi Olusanya but his lobbed effort over Marshall drifted off target.

  Boyle then came within inches of getting onto the end of Joe Newell’s enticing ball from the Hibs right flank.

  St Mirren moved in front two minutes before half-time when Strain’s back-post cross was headed backwards by Mandron and Tanser thrashed in a half-volley from the edge of the box.

  Hibs had a good chance from a similar position early in the second half but this time Rocky Bushiri dragged his effort well wide.

  The home side, though, did draw level after 52 minutes when Boyle’s corner was nodded towards goal by Will Fish for Youan to touch in from close range.

  Two minutes later, Hibs were in front. Lewis Miller’s cross picked out Vente in space and the striker was able to turn before firing his shot beyond Zach Hemming.

  Saints nearly fell further behind when Boyle was allowed to dribble in on goal before forcing Hemming into a smart stop.

  But they worked their way level after 76 minutes. Mark O’Hara picked out Baccus and the Australia international was allowed to run in on goal before finishing well in the far corner.

  Hibs, though, went back in front four minutes later. Gogic stretched to try to cut out a cross but could only divert it to Boyle, who scored via the underside of the bar.

  The forward missed a sitter to extend Hibs’ lead but made no mistake in time added on to seal the win.

• Alexander Isak grabs winner as Newcastle beat Manchester City in Carabao Cup

  Alexander Isak fired Newcastle into the Carabao Cup fourth round at the expense of Manchester City.

  The Sweden international struck eight minutes after the break to seal a 1-0 victory for the Magpies – their first over City in any competition in 11 attempts – in front of a crowd of 51,692 at St James Park.

  Their place in the draw was reward for a dogged display by a team featuring 10 changes to the one which started Sunday’s 8-0 Premier League victory Sheffield United, but one which was particularly hard-earned after they were given the run-around before the break by Pep Guardiola’s under-studies.

  Guardiola made eight changes, three of them to include Mateo Kovacic, Kalvin Phillips and Jack Grealish, and – while having indicated in advance that the competition was the least of his priorities – saw his side dominate for long periods but ultimately fail to turn the pressure they exerted into goals.

  With Phillips and Kovacic controlling the midfield battle, the Magpies were absent as an attacking force for much of the first half.

  By contrast the link between Rico Lewis, Oscar Bobb – making his first senior start – and Sergio Gomez down the City right proved profitable repeatedly.

  Goalkeeper Nick Pope was called upon for the first time with 18 minutes gone when Bobb turned smartly on Phillips’ ball to feet and raced towards goal before feeding Julian Alvarez, whose low shot was blocked by the keeper’s boot.

  Paul Dummett had to make a perfectly-timed challenge to deny Grealish a clear run at goal and Sandro Tonali threw himself into the path of Kovacic’s goal-bound strike with Newcastle’s inability to retain the ball causing them all kinds of problems.

  Alvarez blazed a 28th-minute shot across goal after running on to Bobb’s clever flick from Kovacic’s square ball as the home side chased shadows, although they might have changed the narrative of the first half four minutes before the break.

  Joelinton’s interception on halfway allowed Isak to feed Jacob Murphy, who surged forward before firing across keeper Stefan Ortega, who blocked with a leg.

  Eddie Howe made a double change before the restart, replacing Lewis Hall and 17-year-old midfielder Lewis Miley, who was also starting for the first time, with Bruno Guimaraes and Anthony Gordon and the Magpies instantly had a better balance.

  Tonali saw a 48th-minute shot blocked after he, Murphy and Tino Livramento had combined down the right and Newcastle were ahead five minutes later.

  Murphy cut inside and found Joelinton, who powered his way into the penalty area before smashing the ball across goal from a tight angle to find the unmarked Isak, who finished with ease at the far post.

  In an instant, the atmosphere inside St James’ Park changed with the visitors finding themselves under sustained pressure for the first time.

  Grealish curled a 75th-minute shot into Pope’s arms as City responded, but their efforts were tepid and Guardiola was booked by referee Chris Kavanagh as he vented his frustration on the sideline.

  His mood did not improve as City’s weak efforts to redeem themselves came to nothing despite Phil Foden’s introduction.