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Live Commentary: FA Cup third round - as it happened

Relive Sports Mole's coverage of the FA Cup third round as 51 goals are scored in 17 matches, including seven for West Brom and six for Swansea.
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The FA Cup third round got into full swing this afternoon as 34 teams battled for a place in the draw for the next round.

West Bromwich Albion and Swansea City both emphatically avoided upsets, but there was one Premier League casualty as Newcastle United fell to Leicester City.

Blyth Spartans almost pulled off a famous result against Birmingham City, but the Non-League Premier side blew a two-goal half-time lead to lose 3-2 at Croft Park.

In all, there were 51 goals on a thrilling day of action, and you can see how it all unfolded with Sports Mole's live minute-by-minute coverage below.


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Good afternoon! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for one of the greatest days in the English football calendar, the FA Cup third round. This never fails to provide, twists, turns and upsets galore, and today should be no different with plenty of scope for drama!

We have 17 matches on offer for you today, with teams ranging from the top half of the Premier League to the bottom half of the Non-League Premier. The David vs. Goliath matches are what make this round of fixtures so special, but we also have a number of matches that look very even and tough to call today. Let's have a look at all of the games...

TODAY'S MATCHES (1/2): Barnsley vs. Middlesbrough; Blyth Spartans vs. Birmingham; Bolton vs. Wigan; Brentford vs. Brighton; Cambridge vs. Luton; Charlton vs. Blackburn; Derby vs. Southport; Doncaster vs. Bristol City; Fulham vs. Wolves...

TODAY'S MATCHES (2/2): Huddersfield vs. Reading; Leicester vs. Newcastle; Millwall vs. Bradford; Preston vs. Norwich; Rochdale vs. Nottm Forest, Rotherham vs. Bournemouth; Tranmere vs. Swansea; West Brom vs. Gateshead.

There are some tasty ties there, I'm sure you'll agree! Cardiff City have already booked their place in the fourth round with victory over Colchester United yesterday, and 17 more teams will look to join the Bluebirds today. We will have live coverage of both Tranmere vs. Swansea and West Brom vs. Gateshead which you can also follow for more in-depth commentary. For now, though, let's have some previews of some of the matches...

LEICESTER vs. NEWCASTLE: The standout tie of the day is the only all-Premier League clash as Leicester, who sit bottom of the top flight despite a recent improvement in results, take on managerless Newcastle. Both sides recorded draws in their last outings, although the Foxes will be a lot happier with their point away to Liverpool than Newcastle will at home to Burnley. PREDICTION: 2-1.

WEST BROM vs. GATESHEAD: The potential for the biggest upset of the day arguably comes at The Hawthorns, where West Brom host Conference outfit Gateshead. The Baggies are without a win in four games, but did stop a run of three consecutive defeats with a point against West Ham on New Year's Day. Gateshead, meanwhile, sit 11th in the Conference and drew with Halifax last time out. PREDICTION: 3-1.

TRANMERE vs. SWANSEA: Swansea will be making another trip to Merseyside having not enjoyed much joy up there so far this season. They have been beaten by Liverpool in league and cup at Anfield this season, while they managed a point against Everton at Goodison Park. League Two side Tranmere pose much less of a threat, however, sitting 90th out of 92 teams in the Football League. PREDICTION: 0-2.

BLYTH SPARTANS vs. BIRMINGHAM: This may not have been the ultimate dream tie for Blyth Spartans, but the Non-League Premier side will certainly be up for the visit of Birmingham. Blyth sit 16th in the table and were beaten by Whitby Town last time out, so are not exactly performing well at that level, which would make for a major shock should they spring a result today. Birmingham, meanwhile, beat Nottingham Forest last time out and sit 14th in the Championship. PREDICTION: 1-4.

PRESTON vs. NORWICH: There is scope for an upset too at Deepdale, where in-form Preston host Norwich. The home side are unbeaten in their last nine and pushing for promotion to the Championship, although they were held to a 1-1 draw by Crewe Alexandra last time out. Norwich, meanwhile, saw their recent resurgence come to an end against Reading on New Year's Day, leaving them seventh in the Championship. PREDICTION: 1-1.

Perhaps with the exception of the Leicester vs. Newcastle game, there is big potential for a famous cup upset in those matches, but the most likely for me seems to be the Preston vs. Norwich tie. Norwich have been scoring a lot of goals lately, but Preston's defensive record is very impressive, so it will be an intriguing clash there. Blyth Spartans will be backed by all the neutrals too as they look to make it into the fourth round.

DERBY vs. SOUTHPORT: Another apparent mis-match on paper, Derby will be fully expected to cruise into the fourth round having drawn Southport. The visitors currently sit 20th in the Conference due to a 1-0 victory over Kidderminster in their last match, while Derby are pushing for promotion to the Premier League and occupy third place in the Championship. PREDICTION: 4-0.

MILLWALL vs. BRADFORD: Millwall will be wary of an upset at The Den today as they host Bradford, who made it all the way to the League Cup final the season before last, taking some big scalps along the way. The Bantams now sit fifth in League Cup and are in the mix for a playoff place having gone nine matches unbeaten. Millwall, meanwhile, have lost their last three games to drop into the Championship relegation zone. PREDICTION: 1-1.

BARNSLEY vs. MIDDLESBROUGH: Another League One vs. Championship clash, but despite being the visiting side, Middlesbrough will be fully confident of progressing given their form this season. They only managed a goalless draw against Blackburn on New Year's Day but still sit fourth in the Championship, right in the mix for a promotion place. Barnsley, meanwhile, were relegated from the second tier last season and have found life tough in League One, sitting 16th following defeat to Preston last time out. PREDICTION: 0-2.

ROCHDALE vs. NOTTM FOREST: Rochdale will also be looking to spring a surprise at Spotland Stadium as they welcome Nottingham Forest to town. The hosts were beaten 2-0 by Fleetwood in their last outing but still sit eighth in League One and could push on for a playoff place in the second half of the season. Forest, meanwhile, are now without a win in six games and have dropped to 11th in the Championship having set the early pace. PREDICTION: 2-2.

FULHAM vs. WOLVES: There are no fewer than six all-Championship encounters this afternoon, and perhaps the tastiest of the lot comes at Craven Cottage where Fulham host Wolves. The home side have struggled to adapt to life back in the second tier following their relegation last season, coming into this match 17th in the table following defeat to Brighton last time out. Wolves, on the other hand, have fared better since their promotion from League One, with a 2-1 win over Brentford seeing them climb to eighth in the table. PREDICTION: 1-2.

Plenty more to savour there, with Rochdale and Bradford perhaps the most likely to pull off an upset. Millwall and Nottingham Forest are not in the best form of late, so the lower league teams could try to take advantage of that, particularly Rochdale given that they have home advantage too. It would be a major shock if Derby were to lose to Southport, with the Rams already having reached the quarter-finals of the League Cup this season.

ROTHERHAM vs. BOURNEMOUTH: Another all-Championship tie, and one that sees the league leaders in action. Bournemouth have been brilliant so far and come into this match off the back of three straight wins to consolidate their position at the top of the table. Rotherham, on the other hand, are struggling at the other end of the table and sit 19th, although they are without a loss in six. PREDICTION: 1-2.

BOLTON vs. WIGAN: There is a local derby at the Macron Stadium in another standout tie, with Bolton hosting rivals Wigan. Eight places separate the two sides in the Championship table, with Bolton rising up to 15th since the appointment of Neil Lennon. Wigan, meanwhile, have been hugely disappointing so far and sit 23rd having lost four of their last five games. PREDICTION: 2-0.

CHARLTON vs. BLACKBURN: Perhaps the hardest game of all to call today is the clash between Charlton and Blackburn at The Valley. The Addicks have been a very tough team to beat this season but fell into the bottom half of the table courtesy of a 3-0 defeat to Ipswich Town last time out. Blackburn, meanwhile, continue to struggle for the consistency needed to launch a playoff bid and sit ninth in the Championship following a goalless draw with Middlesbrough. PREDICTION: 1-1.

HUDDERSFIELD vs. READING: Yet another all-Championship clash, and once again it is a tough one to call. Huddersfield have recorded a couple of decent wins over the last few weeks, including beating Bolton last time out, but they still sit 18th in the table. Reading have also disappointed, but there are signs of improvement for the Royals since Steve Clarke's appointment, as shown with the win over Norwich recently. PREDICTION: 1-1.

Four tricky games to call between Championship sides there, then. Bolton and Wigan will both be desperate for a win over their close rivals, but Lennon has had the sort of impact Wigan were hoping that Malky Mackay might have at their club, which is why I have gone for a home win there. The rest really could go either way, although Bournemouth's form makes them favourites away to Rotherham.

BRENTFORD vs. BRIGHTON: The final all-Championship clash of the day sees Brentford host Brighton in another intriguing tie. The Bees enjoyed a brilliant first half to the season and still sit in the playoff places, but they ended 2014 with back-to-back defeats. Brighton, on the other hand, have endured a poor league season so far, but did beat Fulham 2-0 last time out to make it three games without defeat. PREDICTION: 2-2.

DONCASTER vs. BRISTOL CITY: The only all-League One tie of the day sees Doncaster Rovers host Bristol City at the Keepmoat. The visitors go into the game as slight favourites having won four of their last five games, including a 3-1 victory over Gillingham last time out that left them top of the table. Doncaster, meanwhile, have struggled since their relegation from the Championship and sit 14th. PREDICTION: 1-2.

CAMBRIDGE UTD vs. LUTON: Last but not least, there is an all-League Two meeting as Cambridge United host Luton Town. The home side fell to a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Stevenage last time out, while Luton could only manage a 1-1 draw with Portsmouth. The visitors still sit 10 places above Cambridge, however, so will be confident of booking their place in the fourth round this afternoon. PREDICTION: 0-2.

Those latter two matches will be interesting ones as the favourites are away from home, which can have a big impact in FA Cup matches. Brentford, meanwhile, could really do with a win to stop a slump setting in and undoing all of their hard work from the opening half of the season.

There you have it! Your 17 matches for today, and remember there are still 14 more to come over the next three days too. The FA Cup really does provide a feast of football, and I am expecting plenty of drama this afternoon. We certainly have a group of fixtures that could result in a classic day of FA Cup action.

As I mentioned earlier, we do have two matches on offer for you in more in-depth fashion, both involved Premier League teams. You can find our coverage of Tony Pulis's first match in charge of West Brom as they take on Gateshead by clicking here, while Swansea's trip to face Tranmere is covered here.

I will, of course, be keeping you updated with the major events from those two games, as well as every other FA Cup tie on show this afternoon. We're just minutes away from kickoff now!

Will we see another famous cup upset today, then? This time of the year always brings about memories of some of the classics over the years, and there are plenty of chances for teams to join the likes of Ronnie Radford and Hereford in the history books this afternoon.

KICKOFF: Here we go, then! The bulk of the fixture get underway across the country as 34 teams battle for a place in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

His Queens Park Rangers side aren't in action until tomorrow, when they host Sheffield United, but Rio Ferdinand is keeping a keen eye on proceedings today:



DELAY: All but one of the matches are now underway, but Barnsley vs. Middlesbrough will not be getting starting for another 10 minutes or so. Kickoff at Oakwell has been delayed due to congestion.

GOAL! Charlton 0-1 Blackburn

Well, that didn't take long! Our first goal of the afternoon goes in at The Valley, and it is Chris Taylor who has given Blackburn the lead in their all-Championship clash with Charlton!

GOAL! Millwall 0-1 Bradford

Early signs of an upset at The Den? Bradford move in front after just six minutes against their Championship opposition, with Billy Knott firing home from close range after a corner. Great start for the Bantams.

Barnsley vs. Middlesbrough is still not underway at Oakwell, but we are expecting it to get going soon. There is no danger of the match being postponed, it is simply a slight delay.

GOAL! Rotherham 1-0 Bournemouth

GOAL! Rochdale 1-0 Nottingham Forest

It has been a fast start at New York Stadium, and Rotherham have taken the lead against Bournemouth through Brindley's deflected effort, just a minute after Harte had struck the underside of the crossbar from a free kick. An even bigger upset could be brewing at Spotland Stadium, where Vincenti has given Rochdale the lead against Nottingham Forest from the penalty spot.

They are finally underway at Oakwell, where Barnsley host Championship high-flyers Middlesbrough. That match was delayed for just over 10 minutes.

Derby are expected to cruise past Southport today, but it remains goalless at the iPro Stadium so far. Here is a shot of Leon Best surrounded by visiting players:

Leon Best of Derby passes under pressure from Richard Brodie of Southport during the FA Cup Third Round match on January 3, 2015© Getty Images


Birmingham are really applying the pressure on lowly Blyth Spartans in the opening exchanges of their tie. The visitors have threatened on a number of occasions already at Croft Park, including one effort from Zigic that rattled the crossbar. It wouldn't have counted anyway, though, as the referee had awarded a free kick.

Millwall have had the ball in the back of the net at The Den, but Fuller's effort was disallowed after Danny Shittu was adjudged to have been offside. The Lions still trail Bradford 1-0 there.

Derby have come close to opening the scoring at the iPro Stadium against Conference side Southport, but Craig Bryson's effort came back off the post. The hosts are on top, as expected, in that match.

Almost a nightmare for young goalkeeper Jak Alnwick at the King Power Stadium! He fluffs a clearance to gift the ball to Lawrence, but the Leicester debutant scuffs his own effort from 15 yards and fails to take advantage.

GOAL! Cambridge Utd 1-0 Luton

It had been too long for my liking since we had last had a goal, but Cambridge United come to the rescue! They were awarded a penalty against Luton in their all-League Two clash but, despite Tylar saving the initial spot kick having given it away, Robbie Simpson was there to put the rebound home.

Well, I promised you goals but, half an hour in, there is a distinct lack of them! Come on FA Cup, you have a reputation to uphold!

GOAL! Leicester 0-1 Newcastle

CORRECTION: Leicester 0-0 Newcastle

Newcastle think that they have taken the lead in their match against Leicester, but they are denied by a very late offside flag. It was Remy Cabella who finished off a slick Magpies counter-attack, only to see his celebrations cut short as the Foxes survive.

GOAL! Tranmere 0-1 Swansea

Newcastle may not have taken the lead, but another Premier League team have as Swansea break the deadlock against Tranmere at Prenton Park. It was Nathan Dyer who got the goal for the visitors, putting them on course to avoid an upset on Merseyside. Remember, you can follow in-depth live coverage of that game here.

There has been a strange incident at The Valley, where play has been suspended due to the floodlights going off. The players have now left the field, but the match is expected to restart again shortly.

GOAL! Blyth Spartans 1-0 Birmingham

GOAL! Millwall 1-1 Bradford

Could we be on course for a famous cup upset today?! Non-League Premier side Blyth Spartans have broken the deadlock against Championship outfit Birmingham, with Dale getting the goal to send Croft Park wild. Elsewhere, Millwall have levelled things up against Bradford courtesy of Scott McDonald's header.

GOAL! Leicester 1-0 Newcastle

Less than 10 minutes after Newcastle had a goal of their own disallowed, Leicester have taken the lead against their Premier League rivals at the King Power Stadium! It came from a short corner that allowed Knockaert to swing a cross in for Leonardo Ulloa, who powered his header in off the bar.

GOAL! West Brom 1-0 Gateshead

GOAL! Blyth Spartans 2-0 Birmingham

Incredible scenes at Croft Park, where Blyth have doubled their advantage against Birmingham. It is Robbie Dale again with the goal, and this one is a beauty to put the lowest ranked side in the competition 2-0 up. There is no such upset brewing at The Hawthorns, however, where West Brom have taken the lead against Gateshead through Saido Berahino.

GOAL! Rotherham 1-1 Bournemouth

Championship league leaders Bournemouth have levelled things up at New York Stadium right on the stroke of half time. In truth, the goal had been coming, and it was MacDonald who got it courtesy of a cool finish after being sent through by Kermorgant.

GOAL! West Brom 2-0 Gateshead

Ohhhh, having been very much in the match for 42 minutes, Gateshead are beginning to see their FA Cup dreams crumble! West Brom double their advantage in first-half stoppage time, with Victor Anichebe lashing home Berahino through-ball. Surely there is no way back for the Conference Premier side now?

The Charlton vs. Blackburn match is back underway, incidentally, having been temporarily halted due to a floodlight failure. That one should now finish at roughly the same time as Barnsley vs. Middlesbrough, which was delayed by a little over 10 minutes.

HALF TIMES: The half-time whistles are blowing all across the country, with the main bulk of the matches now into the break. Those two delayed matches have just under 10 minutes to go until half time themselves, but the rest have now gone into the dressing rooms.

Charlton almost level things up against Blackburn at The Valley, with Church doing well to set up Buyens for an effort. However, his shot hits teammate George Tucudean and deflects narrowly over the crossbar.

As we wait for those two games to enter half time, let's have a quick recap on what has happened in the opening 45 minutes elsewhere...

The biggest story of the afternoon so far comes at Croft Park without a doubt. Blyth Spartans, the lowest ranked team left in the competition, are 2-0 up against Gary Rowett's Birmingham, with the Championship outfit facing an uphill battle to avoid one of the biggest cup upsets of recent times. Robbie Dale is the hero for the hosts as things stand having netted both goals.

Elsewhere, we could be in store for another upset at Spotland Stadium, where Rochdale lead Nottingham Forest by a solitary goal at the break. The Premier League sides have so far avoided the banana skins of lower league opposition, though, with Swansea leading Tranmere 1-0 and West Brom scoring twice at the end of the half to lead Gateshead.

In the all-Premier League tie it is Leicester who have gone into the break ahead against Newcastle courtesy of an Ulloa strike. The Magpies had a goal disallowed in that match but now need two legitimate ones to book their place in the fourth round.

The delayed matches are into first-half stoppage time, so let's take a look at the scores around the country at the halfway stage...

HALF-TIME SCORES (1/2): Blyth Spartans 2-0 Birmingham; Bolton 0-0 Wigan; Brentford 0-0 Brighton; Cambridge 1-0 Luton; Derby 0-0 Southport; Doncaster 0-0 Bristol City; Fulham 0-0 Wolves; Huddersfield 0-0 Reading; Leicester 1-0 Newcastle...

HALF-TIME SCORES (2/2): Millwall 1-1 Bradford; Preston 0-0 Norwich; Rochdale 1-0 Nottm Forest; Rotherham 1-1 Bournemouth; Tranmere 0-1 Swansea; West Brom 2-0 Gateshead; Barnsley 0-0 Middlesbrough; Charlton 0-1 Blackburn.

...and that takes us nicely into the start of the second half in most of the games. The matches are getting back underway across the country, and hopefully the coming 45 minutes will provide a few more goals than the 13 we saw in the first half.

GOAL! West Brom 3-0 Gateshead

That's a good start, although not for Gateshead fans! The Baggies scored twice in the final three minutes of the first half, and they have added a third right at the start of the second. It is Berahino who has his second of the day, curling his effort beyond the keeper. That is surely game over at The Hawthorns.

GOAL! Tranmere 0-2 Swansea

Swansea are almost home and dry themselves against Tranmere as they double their lead at Prenton Park. This time it is Tom Carroll who gets the goal, taking it past one defender before slotting an effort home.

GOAL! Blyth Spartans 2-1 Birmingham

Uh-oh! Trouble for Blyth here as Birmingham pull a goal back following a bright start to the second half. It is Novak who gets the goal with a powerful finish having cut inside, and now the non-leaguers need to hang on.

GOAL! West Brom 4-0 Gateshead

It is all falling apart for Gateshead here, and Berahino is the man responsible for it! He completes his hat-trick to extend the lead to four goals, slotting into the bottom corner from 12 yards.

GOAL! Doncaster 1-0 Bristol City

GOAL! West Brom 5-0 Gateshead

We have a goal at the Keepmoat Stadium, where Luke McCullough has broken the deadlock to give Doncaster the lead against Bristol City. West Brom's rout continues at The Hawthorns, meanwhile with Brunt making it 5-0 against Gateshead. NOt a bad start for Tony Pulis!

GOAL! Blyth Spartans 2-2 Birmingham

GOAL! Tranmere 0-3 Swansea

Heartbreak for Blyth as they see their two-goal lead slip within 10 minutes of the second half starting! It is Thomas who gets the equaliser for the Blues, while elsewhere Swansea have put the game to bed against Tranmere with a third goal, this time courtesy of Modou Barrow.

GOAL! Blyth Spartans 2-3 Birmingham

GOAL! Rotherham 1-2 Bournemouth

My word, what a turnaround at Croft Park. Blyth Spartans' hopes of a huge cup upset have been dashed by a 13-minute Birmingham blitz at the start of the second half, with Thomas grabbing his second in the space of three minutes to complete the comeback. Bournemouth have come from behind themselves to lead Rotherham, with Stanislas rounding the keeper and slotting home after being found by Gosling.

Talk about putting teams in their place. In the final few minutes of the first half and opening 15 of the second, we have seen Gateshead, Tranmere and Blyth all ruthlessly dispatched. and now the best hope for an upset seems to be at Spotland Stadium, where Rochdale still lead Nottingham Forest.

GOAL! Barnsley 0-1 Middlesbrough

Boro may have had to wait longer than expected for kickoff, but they haven;t had to wait long in the second half for the opening goal. They take the lead against Barnsley three minutes after the restart, with Vossen the scorer at Oakwell.

GOAL! Rotherham 1-3 Bournemouth

A quickfire double for Bournemouth at New York Stadium has put the Championship leaders in complete command! It is Ryan Fraser who gets his side's third goal of the afternoon, slotting an effort past Collin after being played through by Kermorgant.

GOAL! Cambridge Utd 2-0 Luton

Cambridge also take a big step towards the fourth round courtesy of a second goal against Luton in their all-League Two encounter. Ryan Donaldson is the man to get the goal, racing past a defender before sliding his finish home.

GOAL! Rotherham 1-4 Bournemouth

What a spell this is proving to be for Bournemouth! They get a third goal in less than 10 minutes, with Kermorgant getting his own name on the scoresheet this time to all but put his side in the next round.

GOAL! Millwall 2-1 Bradford

GOAL! Charlton 1-1 Blackburn

GOAL! Preston 1-0 Norwich

GOAL! Tranmere 1-3 Swansea

GOAL! Huddersfield 0-1 Reading

A flurry of goals arrive, with Millwall kicking it off courtesy of a Fuller strike to give them the lead against Bradford having come from behind. Charlton also recover from a one-goal deficit to draw level with Blackburn through Gudmundsson's free kick, while Preston break the deadlock against Norwich courtesy of a Gallagher strike. Tranmere pull a goal back against Swansea through Max Power, before Blackman gives Reading the lead at Huddersfield.

GOAL! Charlton 1-2 Blackburn

GOAL! Rotherham 1-5 Bournemouth

GOAL! Millwall 2-2 Bradford

Immediate responses from two teams there! Blackburn restore their advantage against Charlton through Taylor's second of the match, while Sid Nelson has turned the ball into his own net after Hanson had hit the bar to bring Bradford back level against Millwall. It is turning into a rout at New York Stadium, meanwhile, where Kermorgant has made it 5-1 to Bournemouth.

GOAL! Cambridge Utd 2-1 Luton

GOAL! Tranmere 1-4 Swansea

GOAL! Bolton 1-0 Wigan

Luton are right back in it against Cambridge courtesy of Harriman's header at the back post. Swansea, meanwhile, restore their three-goal advantage against Tranmere as Bafetimbi Gomis slots an effort into the bottom corner. The deadlock is also finally broken in the local derby between Bolton and Wigan, where Zac Clough has given the home side the lead on his full debut with a clever finish over Al Habsi.

GOAL! Millwall 2-3 Bradford

GOAL! West Brom 6-0 Gateshead

GOAL! Doncaster 1-1 Bristol City

What a game we have developing at The Den! Just 10 minutes after falling behind to Millwall, League One side Bradford are back in front through Billy Knott's second of the match! Things get even worse for Gateshead, though, with Morrison making it 6-0 to West Brom in their first match under Tony Pulis. It was goalless until the 42nd minute at The Hawthorns. Elsewhere, Bristol City level things up against Doncaster, with Smith nodding home in the 75th minute.

GOAL! Tranmere 2-4 Swansea

Tranmere aren't giving up at Prenton Park. Moments after Swansea had a goal ruled out for offside, Tranmere go down the other end and pulling one back through Stockton. It is now 4-2, but surely the hosts can't launch a comeback?!

GOAL! Preston 2-0 Norwich

It looks like being an upset at Deepdale, where Preston have doubled their advantage over Championship side Norwich City. It is Gallagher again with the goal, leaving his side on the verge of the fourth round.

GOAL! Tranmere 2-5 Swansea

Any hopes of that Tranmere comeback have surely been dashed now as Swansea get their fifth of the afternoon. Gomis turned provider this time, finding Routledge to slot home and kill the game off once and for all.

GOAL! Millwall 3-3 Bradford

RED CARD! Yoni Buyens (Charlton)

Charlton face an uphill battle against Blackburn now having seen Buyens sent off for a second yellow card. It was a poor challenge on Conway that brought about the second caution, and the Belgian can have no complaints. There is more drama across London, where Fuller has restored parity once again in Millwall's thriller against Bradford. It is 3-3 at The Den now.

GOAL! Brentford 0-1 Brighton

Chris HUghton's Brighton may have just booked their place in the fourth round with a late goal against Brentford to finally break the deadlock at Griffin Park. It is Dunk to gets the goal with two minutes of normal time remaining, glancing a header beyond the keeper.

GOAL! West Brom 7-0 Gateshead

RED CARD! Adam Clayton (Middlesbrough)

GOAL! Tranmere 2-6 Swansea

GOAL! Derby 1-0 Southport

FULL TIME: Preston 2-0 Norwich

FULL TIME: Leicester 1-0 Newcastle

FULL TIME: West Brom 7-0 Gateshead

FULL TIME: Tranmere 2-6 Swansea

FULL TIME: Rotherham 1-5 Bournemouth

GOAL! Brentford 0-2 Brighton

West Brom cap off their first match under Pulis with a seventh goal of the afternoon, Berahino taking his personal tally to four for the game. Middlesbrough must now hang on with 10 men after Adam Clayton's red card for a second booking, while Swansea have capped their own rout through another Gomis strike. There is late drama at the iPro, where Chris Martin scored a penalty in injury time to break Southport hearts. Brighton have also sealed their place in the next round with a second goal in the final five minutes, this time through O'Grady.

FULL TIME: Blyth Spartans 2-3 Birmingham

FULL TIME: Bolton 1-0 Wigan

GOAL! Barnsley 0-2 Middlesbrough

FULL TIME: Brentford 0-2 Brighton

FULL TIME: Cambridge 2-1 Luton

FULL TIME: Derby 1-0 Southport

FULL TIME: Doncaster 1-1 Bristol City

FULL TIME: Fulham 0-0 Wolves

FULL TIME: Huddersfield 0-1 Reading

FULL TIME: Millwall 3-3 Bradford

FULL TIME: Rochdale 1-0 Nottingham Forest

Despite being down to 10 men, Middlesbrough appear to be going into the hat for the next round having doubled their lead against Barnsley through Daniel Ayala. That is one of two matches still taking place, with Charlton also down to 10 in the other. They trail Blackburn 2-1 at The Valley.

Both of those games are now approaching the final whistle having been delayed for different reasons. While they finish, let's take a look at some of the notable results from another action-packed day of FA Cup football...

Blyth Spartans seemed to be on their way to a cup upset when they led Birmingham 2-0 at half time, but the Championship side came back with a 13-minute blitz at the start of the second half to produce a stunning turnaround and win 3-2 at Croft Park. There was little danger of an upset at The Hawthorns, however, were West Brom ran out emphatic 7-0 winners against Gateshead in Tony Pulis's first match in charge.

That was not even the highest scoring match of the afternoon, though, as Tranmere and Swansea traded seven goals in the second half alone on the way to a 6-2 victory for the Premier League side. The other two top-flight teams in action faced each other at the King Power Stadium, where Leonardo Ulloa's strike was enough to see Leicester past Newcastle.

The two main upsets of the day saw League One opposition overcome teams from the Championship at home. Rochdale edged past Nottingham Forest with a 1-0 victory at Spotland Stadium, while Preston went one better to beat Norwich 2-0 at Deepdale. Bradford could not join their fellow League One sides in claiming a Championship scalp, although they did enough to earn a replay in a thrilling 3-3 draw at The Den.

FULL TIME: Barnsley 0-2 Middlesbrough

FULL TIME: Charlton 1-2 Blackburn

Blackburn and Middlesbrough hold out to book their places in the fourth round of the FA Cup, where they will join fellow Championship side Bolton, Brighton and Reading after they all also won this afternoon. There was victory too for Derby, but they had to wait until stoppage time to get the only goal of the game against Conference side Southport.

Bournemouth also booked their place in the next round with a 5-1 victory away to Rotherham, despite falling behind in that game. However, Fulham and Wolves face a replay following their goalless draw, while Doncaster and Bristol City could not be separated either. All of the matches have now finished, so let's take a look at a full list of the final scores...

FULL-TIME RESULTS (1/2): Barnsley 0-2 Middlesbrough; Blyth Spartans 2-3 Birmingham; Bolton 1-0 Wigan; Brentford 0-2 Brighton; Cambridge 2-1 Luton; Charlton 1-2 Blackburn; Derby 1-0 Southport; Doncaster 1-1 Bristol City; Fulham 0-0 Wolves

FULL-TIME RESULTS (2/2): Huddersfield 0-1 Reading; Leicester 1-0 Newcastle; Millwall 3-3 Bradford; Preston 2-0 Norwich; Rochdale 1-0 Nottm Forest; Rotherham 1-5 Bournemouth; Tranmere 2-6 Swansea; West Brom 7-0 Gateshead.

Right, that is all we have time for this afternoon! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for what was another memorable day of action in the FA Cup third round. We were treated to 51 goals overall, with only one of the matches ending 0-0, and had a couple of upsets to keep up tradition. There is plenty more cup football tomorrow, including a re-run of last season's final between Arsenal and Hull. From me, though, it is goodbye for now!

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A shot of the FA Cup on May 5, 2012
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Leicester CityLeicester443041086394794
2Leeds UnitedLeeds44279880374390
3Ipswich TownIpswich432611685533289
4Southampton442591085612484
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom4420121267442372
6Norwich CityNorwich442191477611672
7Hull City441912136556969
8Coventry CityCoventry4317121468551363
9Middlesbrough44189176460463
10Preston North EndPreston44189175661-563
11Cardiff CityCardiff44195205061-1162
12Bristol City441611175147459
13Sunderland44168205251156
14Swansea CitySwansea441511185762-556
15Watford441217155958153
16Millwall441411194355-1253
17Stoke CityStoke441311204460-1650
18Queens Park RangersQPR441311204157-1650
19Blackburn RoversBlackburn441310215874-1649
20Plymouth ArgylePlymouth441212205869-1148
21Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds44138233968-2947
22Birmingham CityBirmingham441210224864-1646
23Huddersfield TownHuddersfield44917184774-2744
RRotherham UnitedRotherham44412283285-5324


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