Airdrie blasted into the fourth round of the Scottish Gas Men’s Scottish Cup with a four-goal second-half blitz against Lanarkshire rivals Hamilton Academical.

The Diamonds put a scrappy first-half performance behind them to come out all guns blazing after the break, with goals from Chris Mochrie and Euan Henderson, and a Lewis McGrattan double, making it a cup tie to remember.

Caretaker boss Aaron Taylor-Sinclair went with the same starting XI which lost to Ayr United last weekend, with Aaron Reid and Jake Hastie returning to the substitutes bench.

Ex-Diamonds Lee Kilday and Kyle MacDonald were named in what would turn out to be John Rankin’s final Hamilton team.

Airdrie were quick out the traps with Gavin Gallagher drawing a block inside the first minute, but the visitors hit back through Connor Smith, who saw his third-minute strike saved by Cade Melrose.

Smith was in a dangerous area again on 11 minutes, his shot deflected wide after Scott Robinson had carried the ball into the box. MacDonald’s shot from the resultant corner ended up on the 5-a-side pitches behind the stand.

Kevin O’Hara sent a curling effort beyond the top corner a minute later, with former Accie Jamie Barjonas responding with a strong run down the left, his cutback hoofed clear.

Melrose saved a tame Steven Bradley effort before Xander Hutton was booked for a foul on Lewis Strapp which resulted in the defender being taken off. Although the tackle wasn’t pretty, it seemed to be the landing which injured Strapp as he withdrew clutching his shoulder.

Jamie Smith was almost caught out by a 31st-minute Dean McMaster corner, but managed to claw the ball away as it curled toward the net. The keeper then denied former team-mate Sean McGinty with a smart stop.

With 38 minutes played, Cole McKinnon had a stinging effort blocked by the back of a defender.

Three minutes later it was Mochrie who came close to opening the scoring with a spinning effort which just went the wrong side of the post.

Substitute Dylan MacDonald went even closer, poking goalward from the penalty spot with the ball once again going just wide.

The second half was only two minutes old when McGrattan broke the deadlock, dispossessing MacDonald and skipping along the 18-yard line before smashing home left-footed.

Barjonas almost added a second on 54 minutes, but was denied by the fingertips of Smith.

The keeper was helpless a minute later as McGrattan turned provider. An excellent pass from deep in his own half sent Mochrie haring in on goal having beaten the offside trap. As Smith advanced the Airdrie man lifted the ball over the keeper and into the net.

Shell-shocked Accies conceded again on 58 minutes as Henderson slotted home from the spot after Mochrie had been tripped by Hutton, who was perhaps lucky not to be shown a second yellow.

Henderson was beaten by the angle as he almost grabbed a quick double on the hour mark, and McGinty sent a first-time shot over the bar three minutes later following a nice passing move by the Diamonds.

Accies hit back through Connor Smith, but there was no way past substitute Craig Ross on 64 minutes.

Henderson came close to another memorable free-kick goal on 70 minutes, Smith making another fine save to tip the ball onto the crossbar.

The net was bulging again two minutes later, however – Smith denying McGrattan a goal-of-the-season contender as he volleyed MacDonald’s cross goalward, but as the keeper palmed the ball out McGrattan was quickest to react, and he tucked the loose ball home from a tight angle.

Oli Shaw and McMaster exchanged long range efforts, Melrose saving from the Hamilton man before Airdrie’s effort flew just wide.

Melrose saved bravely at Shaw’s feet with five minutes remaining, and Airdrie subs Aaron Reid and Liam McStravick almost combined to great effect, the Northern Irishman denied by another good Smith save.

A last-minute effort from MacDonald wasn’t far away, and the final whistle signalled the end of the scoring – and the end of the line for Hamilton boss Rankin, who resigned after the match.

The Diamonds now enter the hat for Sunday’s fourth round draw, with the possibility of Premiership opposition up for grabs.