Championship double for the Scottish Cup?

SPFL Championship has provided three quarters of the participants of Scotland’s prized cup competition over the past two seasons – including Falkirk’s trip to Hampden in 2015.

And on the back of that, Houston sees no reason another team from outwith the Ladbrokes SPFL Premiership could feature in May’s showpiece.

Ahead of his own Championship head to head with Morton, which pits the league’s third and fourth placed teams together at Cappielow, Houston said: “In one off games anything can happen.

“Even in 2010 Ross County and Raith Rovers were in the semi-finals. Anything can happen.

“Morton were close in the League Cup semi-final against Aberdeen and then you had a great all-championship final last season.

“If an SPL team rests on their laurels there are good enough Championship teams like Rangers and Hibs showed last year to beat them.

“Look at Raith and Hearts at Kirkcaldy. Hearts will be favourites but Raith on their day are capable.

“That’s the beauty of the cup. Switch off and David can beat Goliath.”

Houston heads to Cappielow with Fraser Aird poised to make his Falkirk debut, though Tom Taiwo and Nathan Austin are certain to miss out.

Houston added: “We’re going to face the form team in the division and you never get it easy at Cappielow - but we’ve got to make it a tough one for them.

“I’ve got great respect for Jim Duffy and he’s done a great job there with the budget he’s got there, and you can’t take anything away from him reaching the [League Cup] semi last year and just missing the playoffs last season. This season they’ve taken it forward.

“We’ve not been beaten there and Morton haven’t beaten us since I’ve come here to this club.

“It’ll be tough but on our day we can do well, we have to make it our day.”