Inverness's giantkilling run ended at Pittodrie when a 75th minute Arild Stavrum header guided Aberdeen into the last eight.

After accounting for Celtic - and Hoops coach John Barnes - in the previous round, the Highlanders fancied their chances of causing another upset in this fourth round replay.

But despite another brave display, the First Division side were unable to fight back once Stavrum had grabbed his sixth goal of the month and it was the Dons who advanced to a televised quarter-final against Dundee United at Tannadice on March 12.

Inverness were enjoying their best spell of the match when Aberdeen broke forward on an increasingly rare foray.

Andy Dow picked up the ball on the Aberdeen left and floated in a cross which was met perfectly by Stavrum.

The header wasn't the most powerful but it was angled towards the far corner.

And with visiting keeper Jim Calder unable to get across his goal in time it crept into the net to keep the CIS Insurance Cup finalists on course for a remarkable knock-out double.

The Highlanders started brightly, Barry Wilson volleying wide within 38 seconds, but it took them almost half an hour to halt the Aberdeen advances.

Hicham Zerouali, back after missing three games while on international duty, caused the visitors huge problems with his intelligent running across the forward line.

Unfortunately, he was unable to find his range with the two chances which came his way and Inverness keeper Jim Calder saved with ease.

Aberdeen were missing Derek Whyte, Robbie Winters and Cato Guntveit from the side which defeated Hibs at the weekend but Jim Leighton did make it despite having 12 stitches inserted into a head wound.

The visitors had Richard Hastings and Davide Xausa back after their victorious Gold Cup campaign with Canada.

Xausa looked the most menacing visiting forward but Thomas Solberg kept him on a tight rein for much of a disappointing opening period.

Solberg came close to breaking the deadlock when he caught Calder by surprise with a long range effort midway through the half which rebounded off Calder's chest.

The Norwegian defender then got a near-post flick to Rachid Belabed's corner but top scorer Arild Stavrum was unable to steer the ball home as it fizzed across the six-yard box.

While the initial signs weren't promising, the action improved dramatically after the interval.

Rachid Belabed fired in a shot which was saved in slow motion by Calder, then Mark Perry hammered in a speculative long range strike which deflected marginally wide.

Leighton then produced his wonder save to deny Tokely as the Inverness man tried to flick the ball into the left-hand corner. It was good enough to beat most keepers but at 41, Leighton produced the agility of a man half his age and tipped the ball round the post.

The home side scampered upfield and Stavrum set up Zerouali who could only smash into the side-netting from an acute angle.

At this stage, Inverness looked the more composed outfit and seemed likely to take the game into extra-time.

That was until Stavrum's 75th minute intervention however and Zerouali could have doubled the lead a minute later when substitute Derek Young played the ball across the Inverness area with Calder laying on the ground injured.

The pass went marginally behind Zerouali who skidded on the floor as he attempted to stop.

From an almost prone position the Moroccan put his right foot over his left and flicked the ball towards the net and only the outstretched leg of Michael Teasdale saved Inverness.

The visitors piled upfield looking for an equaliser and substitute Martin Bavidge seemed to be well on the way to finding one as he advanced to the edge of the Aberdeen box only to be hauled down by Perry.

It was a lunge which earned the full-back a yellow card but the punishment was worth the crime as Robert Mann's free-kick flicked off the wall and harmlessly wide.

With barely a minute remaining Bavidge crept to the by-line and crossed invitingly for Denis Wyness but the former Aberdeen man missed his kick.

There was one more chance for Inverness and Paul Sheerin blasted it from the edge of the area towards the top corner.

Aberdeen's biggest crowd of the season held its breath and Leighton flew to his left to end the Inverness Cup dream.

Teams

Aberdeen: Leighton, Perry, Anderson, Solberg, McAllister, Bernard, Belabed (Rutkiewicz 90), Mayer (D. Young 68), Dow, Stavrum, Zerouali.

Subs Not Used: Preece.

Booked: Mayer, Perry.

Goals: Stavrum 75.

Inverness CT: Calder, Teasdale, Golabek, Mann, Tokely, Hastings, Sheerin, McCulloch (Byers 83), Christie, Wilson (Bavidge 83), Xausa (Wyness 79).

Att: 18,451.

Ref: Kenny Clark (Scotland).