Kyle Wilkie and Darryl Duffy bagged the goals that saw Airdrie advance to the fourth round of the William Hill Scottish Cup - and the Diamonds were rewarded with a trip to face holders Celtic.

 

Ian Murray’s side recorded their third win in succession after seeing off Dumbarton  and can now look forward to their first Scottish Cup meeting with the Hoops since 1999.

 

The Diamonds last won three in a row in April/May 2017 with Andy Ryan scoring in each of those three games.

 

This time, it was Wilkie who scored in each of the side’s latest victories, deservedly winning man of the match with two goals.

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Dumbarton arrived at the Penny Cars Stadium with an injury-ravaged squad, and their three listed substitutes included a goalkeeper.

 

Jim Duffy’s side enjoyed early possession and reasonable control of the opening twenty minutes, without bringing any real penetration to their play. 

 

After eight minutes Stuart Carswell picked out Bobby Barr and his cut back found Michael Paton whose attempt on goal was off target.

 

A minute later Leighton McIntosh’s cross from the right was met by Darryl Duffy with his headed effort deflected for a corner although a by-kick was awarded.

 

It was Hutton to Hutton after 12 minutes when former Airdrie midfielder Kyle clipped a free kick over the wall with the ball comfortably taken by keeper David.

 

Airdrie started to move the ball better and with 21 minutes gone McIntosh went down under defender Ross Perry’s challenge, through referee Kirkland waved any penalty claim aside.

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Wilkie fired Airdrieonians ahead in 27 minutes after showing great control with Grant Gallagher’s cross from the right, managing to gain some room in the box before sending an angled shot into the far corner of the net past keeper Chris Smith.

 

The Diamonds took confidence from getting the first goal and barely nine minutes later they had a second, once more with Gallagher’s involvement. His cross into the penalty box was met by Jonathan Page, who directed the ball towards goal and as Duffy raced in, he wasted little time in sending it into the back of the net.

 

On 38 minutes Smith made a decent save as he gathered the ball from Carrick’s shot from 12 yards out after the striker got on the end of Chris O’Neil’s cross.

 

McIntosh threatened four minutes from the break as his shot from the edge of the box was deflected for a corner which came to nothing.

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After the interval Dumbarton started as they had done in the first and on 46 minutes Barr’s run and pass to Paton was followed with a shot well over the goal.

 

Three minutes later Hutton was down quickly to gather Carsewell’s low driven shot, who followed up on the headed clearance from Kyle Hutton’s free kick.

 

Calum Gallagher was next to miss a chance after 56 minutes after seeing the ball deflected into his path, but skewing his shot wide of goal.

 

As the game swung to the other end Wilkie was unable to finish off a promising piece of play curling the ball just wide after good build up play by McIntosh on 61 minutes, then immediately afterwards Carrick forced Smith into another good stop.

 

Airdrie thought they had weathered the visitors threat of a comeback when a hopeful cross into the box was sent into the middle of the goal in 66 minutes and Calum Gallagher’s header from close range hit the crossbar.

 

Sons substitute keeper Jamie McGowan replaced Smith with quarter of an hour remaining and his first involvement was to pick the ball out of the net after Wilkie made no mistake from the 18-yard line after receiving a pass from McIntosh in 77 minutes to clip the ball in off the post in similar fashion to his goal a week earlier. 

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The third goal left Dumbarton with pride to play for and in the closing ten minutes they worked David Hutton into making a couple of good saves, while Wilkie had a look at goal in 86 minutes, seeing the possibility of a hat trick but sub keeper McGowan saved well.

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A cup visit to face the holders Celtic in January will see a brief return to the big stage.