Round-up of Saturday's other FA Cup third-round matches as sixth-tier Maidstone stun League One Stevenage, Leicester edge past Millwall, Ipswich win at Wimbledon and Coventry thrash Oxford to progress
Sunday 7 January 2024 07:35, UK
Sixth-tier Maidstone United's fairy-tale FA Cup run continued with a 1-0 win over Stevenage to see the competition's lowest-ranked side into round four.
Midfielder Sam Corne kept his cool from the penalty spot in first-half added time to settle a tight encounter at the Gallagher Stadium in front of a sell-out crowd - and put Maidstone in the fourth round for the first time in their history.
The hosts could have already been ahead by that point when Lamar Reynolds nodded a close-range header wide, but they were handed a huge chance when Jacob Berkeley-Agyepong was fouled inside the Stevenage box and Corne made no mistake.
Home goalkeeper Lucas Colovan had to be alert after the break to deny Jamie Reid with a fine stop, before the goal frame provided its own assistance to deny both Reid and Kane Hemmings in quick succession.
After that, Maidstone held off any late Stevenage pressure to progress and swell their prize money tally to £231,375 for this season's competition.
Tom Cannon scored his third goal in a week as much-changed Leicester moved into round four following an entertaining 3-2 victory at fellow Championship side Millwall.
Cannon scored twice in his first start for the Foxes against Huddersfield on New Year's Day and was one of just four players retained from that game in their line-up as manager Enzo Maresca reminded everyone of the considerable strength of depth at his disposal.
Cesare Casadei and Ricardo Pereira put the Foxes 2-0 up and, after Duncan Watmore halved the deficit, Cannon struck with Zian Flemming setting up a nervy finish late on.
Ipswich booked their place in the fourth round after goals either side of half-time saw them defeat a spirited 10-player AFC Wimbledon 3-1.
An own goal from Josh Davison and further strikes from Axel Tuanzebe and Jack Taylor saw the Tractor Boys past their League Two opponents.
AFC Wimbledon captain Jake Reeves made it 1-1 from the penalty spot after 17 minutes but the Championship high-flyers were good value for their win, with Dons midfielder Harry Pell sent off just before the hour mark.
Matty Godden scored twice as Championship Coventry thrashed League One Oxford 6-2 at the CBS Arena.
The substitute followed up early strikes by Joel Latibeaudiere and Ben Sheaf, while Kasey Palmer's thunderbolt made it 3-1.
Callum O'Hare's second-half penalty made it 4-1 to the hosts who are through to the fourth round for just the second time in six seasons, with Mark Harris and Tyler Goodrham on the scoresheet for Des Buckingham's side.
Chris Maguire scored a late penalty to force a replay for 10-player Eastleigh at League Two club Newport County.
The National League side saw George Langston sent off in the 38th minute for a second yellow card and James Clarke put the hosts in front early in the second half.
But Maguire held his nerve to net from the spot with less than 10 minutes to play to keep the Spitfires' cup dream alive.
League One side Bristol Rovers forced a replay against the Championship's Norwich to pile the pressure on boss David Wagner.
Ashley Barnes tapped in a 12th-minute opener for the hosts but Grant ward equalised just five minutes later which proved to be enough.
Ian Foster began his Plymouth reign with victory over League Two strugglers Sutton United.
Luke Cundle gave the hosts a first-half lead but Lee Angol equalised for Sutton five minutes after the break.
However, Ryan Hardie restored Plymouth's lead and Morgan Whittaker secured their place in the fourth round with an injury-time third.
Sammie Szmodics scored a first-half hat-trick as Blackburn avoided an upset by overcoming League One Cambridge 5-2.
In the first meeting between the sides in 31 years, Blackburn found themselves behind through Jack Lankester's curling finish.
Szmodics then swept in an equaliser but parity was brief as Sullay Kaikai volleyed in his second of the season to put Cambridge ahead again.
Blackburn's superior firepower was the difference, though, typified by Szmodics - the Championship's leading scorer - who lashed in a second equaliser before completing his hat-trick in stoppage time, volleying in his 19th of the campaign.
Arnor Sigurdsson's seventh of the season midway through the second half and Harry Leonard's late header ensured welcome respite from Rovers' poor league form.
Hull required an 87th-minute equaliser to keep their FA Cup hopes alive and seal a 1-1 draw against managerless Birmingham at the MKM Stadium.
Matty Jacob bagged the equaliser, marking his first start for the Tigers with a memorable moment to set up a third-round replay at St Andrew's later this month.
Lukas Jutkiewicz put the Blues in front inside the opening 18 minutes of the contest with a glancing header and for much of the contest it looked as though the Blues, coached by interim boss Steve Spooner, would be able to get life after they sacked Wayne Rooney off to a winning start.
But they could not withstand the pressure from the home side, meaning this tie will have to be settled in the second city.
Mileta Rajovic and Tom Dele-Bashiru spared Watford blushes as the Hornets edged to a 2-1 FA Cup third-round victory over Chesterfield.
Defeat was a cruel blow for the non-league side, who deserved at least a replay against their higher-placed opponents.
Backed by 3,984 visiting supporters, Chesterfield were able to comfortably keep their EFL opponents at bay.
The National League side then stunned their hosts on 27 minutes. A cross from the byline by Sheckleford found the head of Quigley, who directed a simple header into the net.
It was one of the replacements in Rajovic that broke the Chesterfield resistance on 76 minutes, when he headed in a cross from Asprilla - to the clear relief of the majority of the Vicarage Road crowd.
Yet the non-League side could have won with seven minutes remaining, when sub Ryan Colclough headed over from less than six yards out following a header from Ash Palmer across the face of goal.
Boot was forced to palm away a fierce Dele-Bashiru effort with two minutes remaining. But the 'keeper was beaten by Dele-Bashiru in the fourth minute of stoppage time to break Chesterfield hearts.
Ryan Fraser had a hand in three goals as Southampton swatted aside League Two Walsall in the FA Cup with a professional 4-0 victory.
Winger Fraser produced two fine finishes and set up Sekou Mara as Saints eased to a 19th match unbeaten - one off a club record 20 games without a loss in all competitions.
Che Adams jumped off the bench to slide in a fourth to confirm Southampton's progress to the fourth round and avoid a copy of last year's exit to fourth-tier opposition.
Cameron Dawson saved two Cardiff penalties inside the opening seven minutes before Sheffield Wednesday took a three-goal lead into half-time.
Ryan Wintle and then Callum Robinson were kept out from the spot by Dawson after Josh Windass had fired the hosts into a second-minute lead.
Romaine Sayers then turned the ball into his own net at a corner in the 38th minute and Liam Palmer volleyed Wednesday three in front just two later. Mallik Wilks added the gloss, netting a fourth in added time of the second half.
Second-half goals from Charlie Patino and Jerry Yates gave Luke Williams victory in his first game as Swansea's head coach.
League Two side Morecambe held out until half-time despite having only 20 per cent of possession, but Patino netted just two minutes after the break before Jerry Yates scored a late second to wrap up the tie.
