A lacklustre first half brought Airdrie’s Scottish Cup involvement to an end as the Diamonds went down to Dundee.

Although Rhys McCabe’s side went into the match after a run of three successive wins, the hosts looked like a team with a point to prove after losing by six goals to nil twice in a week.

Cammy Bruce replaced the injured Lewis Strapp for Airdrie, while Chris Mochrie returned from illness to replace Ricco Diack, who was cup-tied after featuring for Partick Thistle in an earlier round.

After suffering a training-ground knock, Flynn Duffy was deemed fit enough for a place on the bench alongside new loan signing Alex Bannon.

Tony Docherty’s side started brightly with the lively Oluwaseun Adewumi creating space on the right only for Craig Watson to head out his second-minute cross.

Airdrie responded through Mochrie, who saw his shot blocked after a brilliant Adam Frizzell pass had sent Ben Wilson through to set up the chance.

The resultant Diamonds corner broke down and Dundee broke at pace, but Bruce was there to tackle Adewumi on the touchline.

Dylan MacDonald broke up attacks from Adewumi and Ziyad Larkeche as the hosts tried to press their advantage, with Scott Tiffoney firing wide on 12 minutes after a good run through the middle.

A minute later the Dark Blues were in front, Kieran Wright doing well to palm over Jordan McGhee’s strike, but left helpless as the corner was nodded home by defender Clark Robertson.

Tiffoney was twice denied by Wright and MacDonald as Dundee looked for a quick second before a 21st-minute Airdrie attack ended with Jon McCracken holding Lewis McGrattan’s effort.

The home side got their second on 25 minutes, Tiffoney showing great awareness and pace to dash across the box and intercept MacDonald’s pass before squaring to Lyall Cameron, who sent the ball into the net via a deflection.

McCracken was alert to Gavin Gallagher’s 29th-minute free-kick, clutching the ball at the near post, and Josh Mulligan cleared the bar two minutes later as Dundee countered.

A strong 37th-minute McGrattan run led to the midfielder picking out Dean McMaster on the edge of the box, with McCracken diving full length to push the midfielder’s sting first-time effort around the post.

Dundee ended the contest in the final five minutes of the first half, Adewumi collecting a Tiffoney pass and applying a smart finish on 40 minutes before Cameron made it 4-0 four minutes later, Simon Murray nicking possession from McMaster and unselfishly squaring for his Rangers-bound team-mate.

A stoppage time McGrattan strike was touched wide, and the Diamonds went in at the break with a four-goal deficit.

With the damage done in the first half, Airdrie produced a brighter display after the restart.

An initial push by the hosts saw Wright saving Murray’s effort at point-blank range before racing out to head clear on 50 minutes, but Airdrie retaliated through Wilson, whose persistence won possession on the edge of the Dundee box with McGrattan’s cross just evading Mochrie.

McCracken did well to claim a dangerous Frizzell cross on the hour-mark, and the Diamonds skipper was desperately unlucky with a free-kick five minutes later, the ball coming back off the crossbar after beating the Dundee keeper.

Liam McStravick had barely taken the field when his swinging boot failed to connect with fellow sub Lewis McGregor’s 67th-minute cross. Frizzell was on hand to attack the ball at the back post, but McCracken somehow got across to block the midfielder’s low strike.

As the hosts retaliated Murray lifted his shot over Wright and clipped the crossbar.

Rhys Armstrong saw a strike blocked after some deft footwork from McStravick, and the Northern Irish midfielder saw his 70th-minute effort blocked by the boot of McCracken.

Tiffoney and Frizzell exchanged late efforts to no avail, and as play entered the final minute Cammy Cooper was denied by McCracken before Gallagher saw an ambitious strike slice past the top corner.

The final whistle brought an end to another Diamonds cup run, with full focus returning to the battle for Championship survival as the squad prepare to face Greenock Morton next weekend.