Dundee 3 - 1 Falkirk

Kane Hemmings continued his goalscoring spree to send Dundee into the fifth round of the William Hill Scottish Cup.

Hemmings took his recent tally to nine goals in six games with a double in a 3-1 victory over Falkirk to earn Paul Hartley's side a trip to Dumbarton on February 6.

Paul Watson levelled two minutes after Hemmings' controversial 39th-minute opener but the former Rangers striker netted from close range on the hour mark before setting up Gary Harkins for the third.

The tie went ahead at the third time of asking after a section of the Dens Park pitch was relaid but the wind was so strong that two Scott Bain kick-outs went straight into the arms of opposite number Danny Rogers, one forcing the Falkirk keeper to move quickly.

Falkirk passed the ball around well in the opening stages and created a decent chance midway through the half when Will Vaulks made space to shoot after a good run from Craig Sibbald, but Bain pushed the effort wide.

Willie Collum was getting abuse from both sets of fans for letting several fouls go but Dundee benefited from a dubious decision from his assistant to open the scoring.

Alasdair Ross had been the subject of the home fans' ire for making several offside calls, all of which looked correct, and he played on when Hemmings received a crossfield pass despite looking a yard off.

The striker still had plenty to do though and his powerful 25-yard effort took a deflection before flashing in off the underside of the bar.

Falkirk levelled instantly as Dundee were caught trying to play offside when defender Kostadin Gadzhalov was lying injured in their box after a half-cleared corner.

John Baird chested down the returned ball and brushed off the revived Gadzhalov before dinking the ball over Bain, and Watson got there first to force it over the line.

Baird set up Sibbald early in the second half but the auxiliary attacker dallied and failed to get a shot away. And Dundee soon made the visitors pay when right-back Paul McGinn fired a cross in for Hemmings to guide the ball into the roof of the net at the back post.

Falkirk pushed for an equaliser but were caught on the counter in the 74th minute. Hemmings broke down the right and played in Harkins, who swept home from 18 yards.

Greg Stewart hit the post with five minutes left but a fourth would have been harsh on the visitors.