In the build-up to last night’s Betfred Cup quarter-final showdown between Motherwell and Aberdeen, ‘Well boss Stephen Robinson predicted that Louis Moult would show the visitors what they had missed out on after failing to sign him in the summer.

Oh boy, and how.

When Motherwell started out their season at Hampden against Queen’s Park in this competition, perhaps even they doubted that they would navigate the road back there for the semi-finals.

But what a job Stephen Robinson has done since then to mould virtually an entire new team into the unit that was able to harass, bully and ultimately outplay Aberdeen at Fir Park last night to storm back to the national stadium.

Sure, they were given a hand along the way be the usually reliable Joe Lewis in the visiting goal, but they fully deserved their win and their reward of a first semi-final since 2011, where they will face Rangers.

And the outstanding Moult was front and centre, playing his part in the first goal and bagging the clincher either side of a Peter Hartley header.

“‘Louis Moult did what we asked of him,” said ‘Well boss Robinson. “His second goal epitomised everything about us.

“There was a ball hit down the channel by Liam Grimshaw and he never gave up on it. The class was shown in his finishing when he got there.

“I thought we deserved to get there with this display. Ryan Bowman set the tone in the first minute when he chased down the kick-off and we didn’t stop chasing all night. The players worked ever so hard and they deserved this result.”

It was Aberdeen who were first to threaten on the night as Ryan Christie burst forward, drawing a save from Trevor Carson that Gary Mackay-Steven followed in, but Chris Cadden got back brilliantly to deflect his effort over.

But that was about as good as it got for the visitors, and Motherwell soon asserted their dominance to hit the front.

Bowman made a run down the right and knocked the ball inside Mark Reynolds, showing a decent turn of pace to prod the ball towards strike partner Moult, but with his back to goal and a narrowing angle, there looked to be little danger.

That was until the man of the moment improvised to hook an effort over his shoulder that looked to be heading wide, until Lewis intervened to fumble over his own line, almost blowing the roof off the John Hunter Stand in the process.

The very foundations of the old place were shaking soon after as Motherwell doubled their advantage.

Kenny McLean conceded a cheap free-kick on the Motherwell right, with Stevie Hammell coming across to curl in an inswinging ball that ‘Well centre-back Hartley rose to head towards goal.

Again, it looked as though Lewis should have dealt with it, but it squirmed over his outstretched arm and into the net to put the home side two up within 20 minutes.

Motherwell’s greater physicality was allowing them to dominate, and Derek McInnes tried to address that issue by hooking off Gary Mackay-Steven 10 minutes before the break and throwing on Adam Rooney.

But if teacups were flying in the visiting changing room at the break you wouldn’t have known it as Motherwell started the second half on the front foot again, harrying Aberdeen high up the pitch and creating chances.

Graeme Shinnie cleared off the line from Hartley and heads were in hands all around Fir Park as the excellent Allan Campbell got a half-volley away that hit both posts before rebounding into Lewis’s grateful grasp, but Motherwell arms were soon aloft again.

Moult latched onto a high ball wide on the right, and after advancing into the area, he thumped the ball home from a seemingly improbable angle to put the icing on the cake.

A tremendous finish, in every sense, for Motherwell. The fact that some remaining Aberdeen fans clapped Moult off, says it all.

MOTHERWELL: Carson; Kipre, Hartley, Hammell; Cadden, Campbell, McHugh, Rose (Grimshaw, 70’), Tait; Bowman (Fisher, 87’), Moult (Tanner, 90’).

Scorers: Lewis (O.G. 13’), Hartley (19’), Moult (86’)

Booked: Kipre (42’), Hammell (59’), Cadden (77’), Fisher (89’)

ABERDEEN: Lewis; Logan, O’Connor, Reynolds (Arnason, 52’), Considine; Ball (Tansey, 66’), Shinnie; Christie, McLean, Mackay-Steven (Rooney, 35’); May.

Booked: Christie (87’)

Referee: Kevin Clancy