LAST UPDATE | 6 Jan
IN-FORM SAMMIE Szmodics hit a first-half hat-trick as Blackburn recovered to avoid a shock FA Cup third round defeat at home to Cambridge.
Blackburn fell behind after only six minutes to a Jack Lankester goal, and Szmodics’ equaliser 17 minutes later left the sides level for only three minutes, as Cambridge once again took the lead. Szmodics, however, single-handed turned the game around before the break, completing his hat-trick in stoppage time to give Blackburn a half-time lead.
They built on that lead with another two goals after the break, with Szmodics replaced in stoppage time by Ireland U17 international Rory Finneran, who became the youngest first-team player in Blackburn’s history at 15 years and 312 days.
Elsewhere, Evan Ferguson endured another frustrating day in front of goal as Brighton came from behind to beat Stoke 4-2.
After a scintillating start to the season, Ferguson has scored twice in his last 15 games for Brighton, and today saw his strike partner Joao Pedro score twice to secure progression for Brighton. Stoke took a surprise early lead as Jan Paul van Hecke clumsily turned the ball into his own net, but Brighton went in level at half-time thanks to Pervis Estupinan’s stunning long-range strike.
A close to full-strength Brighton asserted their quality after the break, taking the lead through Lewis Dunk’s back-post header. Dunk was then penalised for a handball in his own penalty area from which Lewis Baker equalised, before Pedro’s brace secured safe passage for last season’s beaten semi-finalists.
It proved to be a bittersweet afternoon for Irish striker Sinclair Armstrong: he scored a brilliant individual goal to help QPR into a 2-0 half-time lead over Bournemouth, but the Premier League side roared back to seal a 3-2 victory. Mark Travers earned a rare start in goal for the Cherries.
Irish U21 international Tom Cannon scored his third goal in a week as much-changed Leicester moved into the fourth round of the FA Cup 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.
Cannon’s Irish international status remains provisional: he withdrew from an Irish call-up last summer and is still considering his options, as he is also eligible to represent England.
Another Ireland U21 international, Jack Taylor, was on the scoresheet as his Ipswich Town side beat AFC Wimbledon 3-1.
Non-league Maidstone United, the lowest ranked team left in the competition, clinched a surprise 1-0 win against Stevenage to reach the fourth round for the first time.
There is a 69-place gap between George Elkobi’s Kent-based club and third-tier Stevenage.
But in their first third round appearance since 1988, the National League South minnows made history as Sam Corne netted a penalty in first half stoppage-time before fans flooded the pitch in celebration at the final whistle.
Sam Bone – who played for Shamrock Rovers, Waterford, St Patrick’s Athletic and Dundalk during a six-year stint in Ireland – played all 90 minutes for Maidstone.
Former Ireland U21 international Joe Quigley scored to give non-league Chesterfield dreams of a major upset, but they could not repel Championship side Watford, who stole a 2-1 victory in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
Gavin Bazunu was given the afternoon off as Southampton strolled to a 4-0 win at home to Walsall, but Norwich were held 1-1 by Bristol Rovers of League One.
Former Dundalk manager Ian Foster started his reign in charge of Plymouth with a 3-1 win over Sutton United.
FA Cup third round results
- AFC Wimbledon 1-3 Ipswich Town
- Coventry 6-2 Oxford United
- Maidstone 1-0 Stevenage
- Millwall 2-3 Leicester
- Sunderland 0-3 Newcastle
- Blackburn 5-2 Cambridge
- Gillingham 0-4 Sheffield United
- Hull 1-1 Birmingham
- Newport County 1-1 Eastleigh
- Norwich 1-1 Bristol Rovers
- Plymouth 3-1 Sutton United
- QPR 2-3 Bournemouth
- Southampton 4-0 Walsall
- Stoke 2-4 Brighton
- Watford 2-1 Chesterfield
With reporting by Gavin Cooney and AFP
Updated at 17.18 with details of 15.00 kick offs
