Scottish Cups

By Kenny MacDonald

GLASGOW, Oct 31 (Reuters) - A late double by Hearts striker Andrius Velicka earned a 2-0 win to knock Celtic out of the League Cup on Wednesday while Glasgow rivals Rangers eased into the semi-finals with a 2-1 victory over Motherwell.

Lithuanian Velicka fired a low, angled drive from the edge of the box to controversially open the scoring after 78 minutes following a pounding run and low pass from Andy Driver.

Video replays showed the ball had gone out for what should have been a throw-in before Driver crossed.

Velicka wrapped up the victory with a second goal when he whipped a 20-metre shot into the top corner after 87 minutes.

Spanish striker Nacho Novo put Rangers ahead in the 22nd minute with a hooked shot from 10 metres after captain Barry Ferguson had thudded a fourth minute freekick against the post.

Kris Boyd put Rangers firmly in control when he ran on to a Novo pass after 54 minutes to crack a low 15-metre shot under advancing goalkeeper Graeme Smith to make it 2-0.

Motherwell's Paul Quinn forced in a late consolation goal from six metres in the 89th but it was too late for a comeback.

"It was a proper cup tie as we expected and we are obviously delighted to win," Rangers manager Walter Smith told the BBC.

Aberdeen's Barry Nicholson clinched a semi-final spot with a hat-trick in their 4-1 win over Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

They led 3-0 at the interval with two penalties from Nicholson and a goal from Lee Miller just before the break.

Thistle pulled a goal back through Graham Bayne after 67 minutes following a good run and cut back by Dennis Wyness befoer Nicholson grabbed his hat-trick with 12 minutes left.

Dundee United beat second divison Hamilton Academicals 3-1 with a Noel Hunt hat-trick in the other quarter-final tie.

The semi-final draw will be made on Thursday by Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond at the Scottish Parliament.