Airdrie made a flying start in their quest for Scottish Championship survival by brushing aside play-off opponents Stenhousemuir 3-1.
With the return leg to come on home soil, Airdrie claimed pole position to face Queen of the South or Cove Rangers in the final.
Any hopes League One Stenhousemuir had of taking charge at Ochilview Park were dashed by Lewis McGrattan’s first-half double as he struck twice in eight minutes.
And a comfortable night’s work continued when Chris Mochrie added a third goal six minutes into the second half, ending any chance of a Stenhousemuir revival, with Matthew Aitken’s 89th-minute penalty merely a consolation.
Queen of the South and Cove Rangers drew 0-0, with the hosts left to rue a spate of missed late chances that saw Reece Lyon, Benjamin Luissint and Jack Hannah all go close.
League One strugglers Annan Athletic bossed their first leg at League Two Elgin City, winning 4-2 after all their goals came during a 19-minute spell in the first half.
Tommy Goss’ close-range header opened the scoring, and after Ryan Sargent equalised for Elgin, Annan struck twice in three minutes when Max Kilsby and Tommy Muir found the target.
Muir’s header then made it 4-1, before Jack Murray reduced the deficit on the stroke of half-time.
It was a much closer contest at Meadowbank Stadium between Edinburgh City and East Fife, with Malik Zaid’s 76th-minute strike shading the first leg for the hosts as they claimed a 1-0 win.
