The luck, or bad luck, of the fourth-round draw means not too many lower league sides have home ties that immediately suggest a Scottish Cup shock could be on the cards, but Saturday’s game between Queen of the South and St Mirren is one of them.

Stephen Robinson’s side have slipped to eighth in the Premiership after four straight defeats.

And, although they knocked Queens out at the same stage last season, it was only by a single Alex Gogic goal at home.

This time, the side sitting sixth in League 1, and now managed by Peter Murphy, have home advantage and have not lost at Palmerston in five games, albeit their last defeat was a particularly sore one – 5-1 by Kelty Hearts.

However, the Buddies have won on their latest nine meetings, winning five in Dumfries since their last defeat there in February 2016, and will be favourites to prevent Queens reaching the last 16 for the first time since 2019.

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