The Hamilton fans that dumped their team in favour of some Valentine’s night romance, and judging by the sparse crowd there must have been a few, were finally rewarded for their loyalty to the cause by goalkeeper Remi Matthews.

The Hamilton keeper saved three penalties in a dramatic shootout after a 1-1 draw at the Superseal Stadium, eventually earning the home side a crack at Rangers in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals.

Fewer than 700 home fans turned out in a crowd of 1222 at the Superseal Stadium, but the performance put on by Accies for the most part didn’t seem as if it would be worth a few nights on the sofa.

Callum Morris prodded home the opening goal for the visitors midway through the first half, and that looked to be enough before the same player carelessly conceded a penalty late on which Rakish Bingham coolly converted, just as he did against Kilmarnock in the previous round.

Matthews then saved Martin Canning from being in the doghouse with the Accies faithful again with his penalty heroics.

Hamilton had started the brighter, but a low effort from Danny Redmond that flashed wide was the closest they came to making an early breakthrough.

The visitors took a while to find their feet, but the strength of Nat Wedderburn in midfield allowed them to win the ball high up the park with Paul McMullan picking up and forcing Remi Matthews to tip a fizzing shot past the post.

They went one better 24 minutes in as a Kallum Higginbotham corner found Lee Ashcroft all alone at the back post. His looping header back across goal was headed off the line by Grant Gillespie, but he had another go, and this time the ball fell for Morris a couple off yards out to bundle home.

The increasingly frustrated home support were screaming for a penalty just before the break as Lewis Martin made contact with Redmond as he tried to clear, but referee Craig Thomson was having none of it.

Dougie Imrie should have had them level in first-half stoppage time after Martin made a mess of a headed clearance, but his volley bounced just past the post.

The Pars could have doubled their lead just after the restart as Moffat’s flick-on put Nicky Clark in the clear, but a heavy touch saw the ball carry safely through to the grateful arms of Matthews.

A stinging half-volley from Rakish Bingham that had to be beaten to safety by Murdoch was the Hamilton response, but Dunfermline should have then buried the hosts with a lightning break.

McMullan fed Clark on the left-hand side of the box, who in turn teed up strike partner Moffat, but he took too long and Matthews blocked his attempted finish. The keeper remained out of position, but John Herron’s chip nestled on top of the empty net.

There was another penalty appeal for Accies as Scott McMann went down in the area, but their claim was again waved away by Thomson.

Michael Devlin’s hooked effort was then blocked on the line by Ashcroft, before Hamilton were indeed awarded a spot-kick with four minutes remaining as Morris went from hero to villain.

There was no denying that McMann was tripped this time, giving Bingham the chance to force extra-time from the spot. He duly delivered.

A quick free-kick presented Darian MacKinnon with a great chance just after the re-start that Murdoch did well to block with his feet, and Bingham tested the Pars keeper too before a wicked cross from Jason Talbot at the other end just eluded Gavin Reilly and slipped past.

Neither side could find a winner though, and onto penalties we went.

Danny Redmond put his horribly over the bar for Hamilton, but it counted for nothing in the end with Dunfermline unable to find the net from 12 yards at all.

Substitutes Rhys McCabe, Michael Paton and Gavin Reilly were all denied by Matthews, allowing captain Devlin to stride up and despatch the winning spot-kick for a 3-0 triumph in the shootout.