First Division leaders St Mirren saw off Motherwell in surprisingly easy fashion to move into the fourth round of the Scottish Cup.
Charlie Adam put the home side ahead with a low shot from about eight yards.
Motherwell rarely threatened and they fell two behind when John Potter rose to meet Simon Lappin's free kick and head past Graeme Smith.
The victory was complete when Adam swept in his second after taking the ball off the toes of John Sutton.
Motherwell manager Terry Butcher watched on furiously as his side were over-run in the early stages by the First Division side.
Mark Corcoran was tormentor-in-chief and he was unfortunate to see a shot from a tight angle come back off the post after he had rounded the keeper.
Stewart Kean was denied by Smith but the Motherwell keeper will feel he should have done better when the home side finally took the lead.
Again Corcoran was involved, beating Martyn Corrigan to the ball out on the touchline and his cutback was met by the onrushing Adam, whose low shot beat Smith.
Motherwell got a rare sight of goal when Scott McDonald found space in the St Mirren box, but the Australian's header was straight at the keeper.
The visitors picked up the tempo after the break, presumably after a few words of advice from Butcher but try as they might, they failed to threaten the St Mirren goal.
Worse was to come for the SPL side when Lappin swung in a free kick and Potter rose highest to head firmly past Smith.
If the result was in any doubt, Adam added a third in injury time, sweeping the ball into the net from the edge of the box.
St Mirren 3-0 Motherwell
St Mirren: Smith, van Zanten, Millen, McGowne, Maxwell, Reid, Potter, Lappin, Corcoran (Anderson 86), Kean (Sutton 70), Adam. Subs Not Used: McKenna, Reilly, Bullock.
Goals: Adam 22, Potter 74, Adam 90.
Motherwell: Graeme Smith, Corrigan, Kerr (Clarkson 75), McCormack, Hammell, Steve McDonald, McBride, O'Donnell, McLean, Hamilton, Foran (Kinniburgh 45).
Subs Not Used: Fitzpatrick, Darren Lee Smith, Meldrum.
Booked: Foran.
Att: 6,507
Ref: M McCurry
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