NON-LEAGUE Chorley kept their heroic FA Cup dream alive by beating Wayne Rooney’s Covid-hit Derby 2-0.
The Rams were forced to field the kids as – similarly to Midlands rivals Aston Villa – the whole first-team set-up are in self-isolation with Manchester United legend Rooney watching on from home.
Connor Hall continued his goalscoring FA Cup exploits for ChorleyCredit: Reuters
Mike Calveley stabbed home to secure Chorley’s spot in the fourth roundCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Chorley celebrate their second goal against DerbyCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Eight groundsmen camped out overnight at Chorley to defy bitterly cold conditions and get the game on following a pitch inspection.
And they were rewarded when top scorer Connor Hall bundled in after ten minutes to become the first player to net in the first three rounds of the FA Cup in three years.
Rooney’s side struggled in his absence, failing to muster a single effort on goal in the first 45.
They came back into it after the break but struggled to create enough chances.
And Chorley finally put the result beyond doubt when Mike Calveley stabbed in the all-important second goal after 84 minutes.
National League North mid-table Chorley celebrated progressing in the last round by belting out Adele’s Someone Like You so perhaps the third-round victory over Rooney’s Derby calls for a special rendition of Set Fire to the Wayne.
Blackpool 2-2 West Brom (3-2 pens) AET
Sam Allardyce’s nightmare start to life in charge of West Brom continued with a poor defeat to Blackpool at Bloomfield Road.
The hosts went ahead through Jerry Yates’ unmarked finish at the far-post before a Semi Ajayi header put the Baggies level.
Blackpool pulled of a big upset against struggling West BromCredit: Reuters
Sam Allardyce remains winless in charge of the BaggiesCredit: AFP or licensors
Yates managed to fluff a huge opening after a cross from the right as the third-tier team pushed to lead once again.
Fortunately for the forward, his miss meant little as Gary Madine slotted home his seventh of the season soon after.
A clear handball allowed Matheus Pereira an 80th-minute chance from the spot, which he duly converted.
Extra-time came and went as the game headed to a shootout, with Yates being denied by David Button at the first penalty.
But Chris Maxwell denied Kyle Edwards and Darnell Furlong to put the Tangerines on the edge of an upset.
Sulley Kaikai had the chance to seal the win but agonisingly hit his attempt against the post.
And yet Maxwell stepped up once again to parry Pereira’s effort away, pulling off a huge victory for Neil Critchley’s men.
Burnley 1-1 MK Dons (4-3 pens) AET
Will Norris saved Burnley’s blushes on his Clarets debut with two saves in a penalty shootout win over MK Dons.
Cameron Jerome had earlier rolled back the years as the Dons came within seconds of one of the upsets of the day.
Cameron Jerome set MK Dons on the way to a potentially big winCredit: Reuters
Burnley made amends after Matej Vydra’s late lifelineCredit: Reuters
At 34, the ex-Norwich forward has been quietly putting together a fine season at MK Dons after two seasons in Turkey.
And he latched onto a fine Scott Fraser flick-on to head home a first-half opener at Turf Moor.
The League One side were handed a reprieve by VAR at the end of the half when Richard Keogh’s red card was overturned on review.
Burnley fought for a leveller to begin life under new owners ALK Capital and Matej Vydra slid in to make it 1-1 with the final kick of regular time.
Dons boss Russell Martin was sent off for remonstrating with officials ahead of the added half hour.
Unperturbed, the visitors whacked the post from Ben Gladwin’s fine strike and the tie was forced into a shootout following Dale Stephens’ effort being deflected inches wide.
Vydra could not replicate his injury-time heroics from the spot as Lee Nicholls save Burnley’s first penalty.
It was then Norris’ turn to become the hero as he palmed away Lasse Sorensen’s and Gladwin’s attempts, before Phil Bardsley slammed home the decisive kick.
Arsenal 2-0 Newcastle AET
It took until the 109th minute for Arsenal to make the breakthrough against Newcastle – read our full match report from the Emirates Stadium here.
Everton 2-1 Rotherham United AET
Carlo Ancelotti’s Everton needed an extra-time winner from Abdoulaye Doucoure to scrape past a spirited Rotherham United at Goodison Park.
The Toffees thought they had won the game in normal time when Cenk Tosun reacted fastest to poke home from James Rodriguez’s free-kick with five minutes to play.
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Cenk Tosun dinks over Chelsea loanee Jamal Blackman in the Rotherham goalCredit: Reuters
Matthew Olosunde slides the ball past Robin OlsenCredit: PA:Press Association
But the VAR graph lines proved that Tosun was millimetres offside and the goal was scrubbed off – some beginners luck for VAR newbies Rotherham, playing their first game with the controversial technology.
Tosun had ended a 14-month goal drought inside ten minutes at Goodison Park by dinking the ball past Chelsea loanee Jamal Blackman, after Anthony Gordon’s lovely turn-and-pass split the Rotherham defence open.
But Carlo Ancelotti’s side did not use the early lead to their advantage and let Rotherham back into the tie.
The Millers put a complacent Everton under huge pressure and finally were rewarded when Matthew Olosunde rolled the ball into the corner of the net 11 minutes into the second-half.
But they could not make the most of their VAR reprieve and Rodriguez eventually did turn provider for former Watford midfielder Doucoure, who smoothly stroked the ball home three minutes into extra-time to put Everton in the fourth round.
Manchester United 1-0 Watford
An early Scott McTominay goal did the trick for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side – read our full match report from Old Trafford here.
Stoke City 0-4 Leicester City
The Foxes clearly fancy themselves for a first-ever FA Cup crown and Brendan Rodgers picked a strong side for this trip to the Bet365 Stadium.
James Justin showed that Premier League quality with a stunning opener, cutting onto his right-foot and curling home from range.
Sam Vokes had just squandered a great opening from close-range for the hosts but Marc Albrighton popped up to make it 2-0 after 59 minutes.
Ayoze Perez took advantage of Stoke giving away the ball cheaply, allowing a counter-attack to be finished off by the Spaniard, before Harvey Barnes’ powerful effort rounded off a clinical performance.
Bristol Rovers 2-3 Sheffield United
Chris Wilder’s side battled to a much-needed victory at League One Bristol Rovers after a mad four minutes at the Memorial Stadium.
Lys Mousset and Joe Day competed for a cross in the Blades’ opener, which went down as an own-goal by the Rovers man.
But Alfie Kilgour put the hosts on the board with his own towering header, sending the sides into the break level.
An end-to-end tie was turned back towards the Premier League side on 59 minutes when Oli Burke raced through on the break to bury a one-on-one.
Max Ehmer popped up for a 62nd-minute strike from a set-piece and yet United were ahead again mere seconds later.
A smart move down the right saw Jayden Bogle race into the box for a near-post finish.
Chris Wilder watched his side claim a first win of the campaignCredit: Alamy Live News
Jayden Bogle rolled home the second-half winnerCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Queens Park Rangers 0-2 Fulham AET
Scott Parker’s men avoided their fourth third-round exit in five years despite making seven changes at their West London neighbours.
Aleksandar Mitrovic saw a second-half effort cleared off the line as a quiet affair headed into an extra half hour.
Bobby Decordova-Reid opened the scoring via some smart combination play with Mitrovic on 104 minutes, slotting home from 20 yards out.
The same players were involved in a patient move in stoppage-time that ended with Neeskens Kebano hammering home at the near-post.
Huddersfield Town 2-3 Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth beat Huddersfield in the FA Cup at the fifth time of asking in an exciting game at The John Smith’s Stadium.
Romoney Crichlow opened his Terriers account before Ryan Hardie struck a speedy leveller.
A mad first-half saw Aaron Rowe bury a fantastic effort from distance before Panutche Camara collected a cross and rolled Plymouth back into the game.
The visitors led for the first time after 70 minutes, through Joe Edwards’ finish from a fine Danny Mayor run and cross, and held on to see out another of the day’s upsets.
Blackburn Rovers 0-1 Doncaster Rovers
An upset at Ewood Park with Taylor Richards the Donny hero after being allowed all the time and space he could possibly need to race up the middle of the pitch.
The young midfielder then unleashed a fizzing effort that beat the outstretched palms of Aynsley Pears.
Blackburn knocked on the door and fired off 20 shots to five, but could not find an equaliser as their Carabao Cup win over Doncaster in August was avenged.
Boreham Wood 0-2 Millwall
Kenneth Zohore’s 31st-minute effort gave Millwall a half-time lead away at National League Boreham Wood.
Boreham Wood were playing in the first third-round FA Cup tie of their history.
But Shaun Hutchinson dashed their dreams of progression by heading in for the Lions after 74 minutes.
Scott Malone was a creative bright spark for the men from The Den, assisting both goals in the 2-0 win.
Bournemouth 4-1 Oldham Athletic
After the tie was swapped from a frozen Boundary Park to the South Coast, Bournemouth feasted on their lower-league opponents.
David Brooks opened the scoring via a deflection before Oldham went into the break level thanks to Dylan Bahamboula.
In the second-half, the Cherries made their superiority count with Rodrigo Riquelme scrambling home a winner.
West Ham target Josh King scored twice late on to seal Bournemouth’s spot in Monday’s draw.
Stevenage 0-2 Swansea City
Championship high-flyers Swansea carried their strong form into the FA Cup and led early on thanks to Wayne Routledge’s close-range finish.
Stevenage have become something of a cup specialist in recent years and gave a good showing at a misty Lamex Stadium.
But Viktor Gyokeres sealed the Swans’ passage to the fourth round with his first goal since joining on loan from Brighton.
Stevenage debutant Luke Norris had a low penalty saved by Freddie Woodman late on.
Exeter City 0-2 Sheffield Wednesday
The Owls secured their first-ever win at Exeter with goals in either half.
Adam Reach buried a powerful effort after 27 minutes and Tony Pulis’ men left it late to seal the victory.
Callum Paterson waited patiently for Liam Shaw’s cross to roll home the second in stoppage time.
Liam Shaw and Callum Paterson combined for Sheffield Wednesday’s second in DevonCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Norwich City 2-0 Coventry City
Norwich scored two goals in the first seven minutes of a barnstorming opening to their victory against Coventry.
Kenny McLean and Jordan Hugill scored within one minute of each other on six and seven minutes to give the Canaries a flying start at Carrow Road.
Daniel Farke’s 20-year-old shot-stopper Daniel Barden kept Norwich in front in the second-half denying Maxime Biamou on multiple occasions.
Brentford 2-1 Middlesbrough
An all-Championship affair rocked by coronavirus saw Brentford B boss Neil MacFarlane lead the Bees to the fourth round, after Thomas Franks tested positive for the illness.
With two debutants in a much-changed team, Brentford led through Halil Dervisoglu’s accurate finish in the first-half.
An outbreak in the Middlesbrough team meant they travelled to the capital with a team of kids, and Sam Folarin came off the bench to level the score.
The winger had replaced Marcus Browne after a nasty injury to the 23-year-old, who was stretchered off and required oxygen in a seven-minute stoppage.
Halil turned provider for Saman Ghoddos to score his first Brentford goal, and the winner, in the second-half.
Wycombe Wanderers 4-1 Preston North End
Wycombe put away Championship rivals Preston early on at Adams Park, Fred Onyedinma notching a third-minute header.
Joe Jacobson and Josh Knight then scored to kill the tie in the first-half, sending the Wanderers through to the fourth round for only the third time.
Preston had nicked a point late on in their league meeting last month but there were no such heroics this time around, Emil Riis Jakobsen scoring a consolation from the spot.
Alex Samuel buried a quick move to confirm the win on 82 minutes.
Nottingham Forest 1-0 Cardiff City
Lyle Taylor’s thumping volley gave Nottingham Forest the lead against Cardiff.
A side-footed slammer after just three minutes from Gaetan Bong’s cross into the box, caught Neil Harris’ Bluebirds off guard.
And they never recovered with Michael Dawson’s side taking a spot in the fourth-round draw.
Nottingham Forest striker Lyle Taylor smashed home a rocket after just three minutesCredit: Alamy Live News
Luton Town 1-0 Reading
Luton had the better of the all-Championship clash at Kenilworth Road.
George Moncur’s effort after 30 minutes gave Nathan Jones’ side a deserved win against familiar foes in the shape of the Royals – it was the third meeting between the sides already this season.
National League Chorley belt out Adele’s someone like you in the changing room More
