5 things we learned from the Scottish Cup fourth round

Highland League side Brora Rangers delivered the biggest surprise of the William Hill Scottish Cup fourth round with victory over East Fife but no Premiership teams succumbed to lower-league opposition so far.

Here are five things we learned from the weekend’s action.

Championship strugglers Brechin did not even touch the ball before finding themselves one down against the holders at Parkhead when James Forrest converted a cutback by Scott Sinclair in the second minute. Sinclair’s pass was Celtic’s 48th from kick-off and it ultimately set them up for a 5-0 victory.

The Jambos’ marked improvement under Craig Levein moved up a notch with their first win over Hibernian in 10 Edinburgh derbies. Hearts kept a seventh successive clean sheet and Don Cowie scrambled a late winner at Tynecastle.

The Kilmarnock striker netted only his second goal for the club to send the Ayrshire side past Ross County. Manager Steve Clarke hailed the former Motherwell and Leeds player for seizing the ball after a penalty award with Kris Boyd off the park, and netting a late winner, before revealing he had looked a transformed player in training since the winter break.

After taking more than four months to net his first Partick Thistle goal, Conor Sammon has now scored four goals in his last five starts and his double saw the Jags past Queen of the South. The on-loan Hearts player thrives on confidence and he could be a key player in the second half of the season.

Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes labelled the Championship leaders a Premiership team in waiting on Friday but his side brought the Buddies back down a peg 24 hours later by handing out a bit of a lesson with a 4-1 victory. But promotion is the priority for Jack Ross’s team.