Leigh Griffiths underlined his importance to Celtic again with a double in their 3-0 Scottish Cup fourth-round win over League One side Stranraer at Stair Park yesterday.

The 25-year-old striker came off the bench to score a late Premiership winner against Partick Thistle last week after his recovery from a calf injury and, in returning to the starting line-up, he opened the scoring in the 18th minute for a 21st goal of the season.

Fellow striker Carlton Cole, who started for the first time since signing in October, headed in his first Hoops goal in the 42nd minute to give the visitors a comfortable interval lead and Griffiths added a third in the 84th minute.

Martyn Waghorn fired home a hat-trick as Rangers cruised into the last 16 with a 5-1 thrashing of Cowdenbeath at Ibrox.

Mark Warburton’s team raced into a two-goal lead after Lee Wallace and Barry McKay both netted inside the opening 33 minutes.

Cowdenbeath pulled one back with an exquisite Dean Brett free-kick just before the break but Waghorn claimed the match ball with three second-half goals – including two penalties – as Rangers booked their place in today’s fifth-round draw.

The former Wigan forward has now overtaken Peterhead’s Rory McAllister to become Britain’s top scorer in all competitions this season with 25 goals from 27 games.

Warburton disappointed those in the 20,000-strong Ibrox crowd eager to see new signings Harry Forrester and Maciej Gostomski by naming the pair as substitutes.