Dundee United were dumped out of the Scottish Cup after a disastrous first half in the fog at Ross County.
The game was in doubt because of the conditions and, 4-2 down by the break at the Global Energy Stadium, the Tangerines must have wished there had been a call off.
United were behind in just six minutes and while it was to a great strike, their defending was poor.
From a corner, Martin Woods picked out the unmarked Chris Routis on the edge of the area. After controlling the ball he hit an unstoppable dipping shot into the back of the net.
It was a superb effort, but questions were being asked over who should have been picking him up.
United were back level in the 14th minute when Tony Andreu netted with a stunning first time effort as a Tope Obadeyi cross came from the gloom of the far left corner of the pitch.
Within two minutes County were back ahead. Charlie Telfer was booked for a foul on old team-mate Ryan Dow and although Cammy Bell blocked Alex Shalk’s free kick, Paul Quinn was there to head home.
Arabs behind Bell’s goal were singing they couldn’t see because of the fog. It had a lot to do with the score, but they did have a point.
They could see County’s third goal. It came right in front of them in the 28th minute.
Bell could only parry a Routis cut back from the left and Tim Chow was there to hammer a low shot home from ten yards.
Just two minutes later Liam Boyce cut in from the right to drill home number four and United looked dead and buried.
United grabbed some hope with almost the last kick of the half. Andreu pounced on slack defending and took the ball into the box before calmly slotting home.
Willo Flood and Thomas Mikkelsen came on for Stewart Murdoch and Obadeyi for the second half and Ray McKinnon’s men went on the front foot. They forced a string of corners, but couldn’t work a clear opening.
Another corner came when a Mikkelsen header from a van der Struijk cross hit off a defender and went high. Next the big striker just failed to connect properly as a Flood shot was deflected into his path.
There was no question United were much better in the second half, but the performance before the break left them with too much to do.
And as they pressed for a third, they were caught on the break and Boyce set up Routis for the home team’s fifth of the afternoon.
In injury a miserable day was completed as Jim O’Brien made it 6-2.
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