POMPEY PUSH ON AS ACCY ‘SYKE’ OUT COD ARMY
Just two third tier sides left as League Two teams turn the tables
HOLDERS Portsmouth eased through to the quarter-finals – but it was League Two clubs who stole the show in the Leasing.com Trophy third round.
League One Pompey took control of their tie at Walsall when John Marquis scored midway through the first half. The striker slammed home from close range after Christian Burgess had connected with Gareth Evans’ corner.
Walsall had a great chance to level in first half stoppage time when Sean Raggett was adjudged to have fouled Rory Gaffney in the box, but Elijah Adebayo’s penalty was saved by Pompey keeper Craig MacGillivray.
Portsmouth looked home and dry when substitute Steve Seddon, on loan from Birmingham, produced a fine cross and fellow sub Ellis Harrison nodded home in the 82nd minute to double the lead.
However, the Saddlers set up a grandstand finish when sub Caolan Lavery scored from the spot four minutes later after Paul Downing had fouled Rory Holden. But Pompey held on to book their place in the last eight.
Manager Kenny Jackett said: “We found a way to win against a Walsall side who pushed us hard, so we had to dig in at times.
“It was always going to be a difficult tie – whatever side we put out – and I was delighted with our attitude after making seven changes.”
Portsmouth are one of just two League One sides left in the competition. Accrington Stanley joined them in the quarter-finals after a dramatic victory at fellow third tier outfit Fleetwood.
Joe Pritchard fired home from close range to put Accrington ahead on 35 minutes, but the Cod Army turned things around in the second half. Josh Morris pulled Fleetwood level in the 50th minute and Danny Andrew netted with a fine 68th minute free-kick to put them in front.
However, there was another twist as defender Ross Sykes rifled home in the last minute to take the game to spot-kicks. And it was the visitors, buoyed by that late equaliser, who kept their nerve in the shoot-out, running out 5-3 winners.
Paddy Madden fired over with Fleetwood’s first spotkick and Accrington proved clinical with their attempts, Sam Finley netting the winner.
There are five League Two teams still left in the competition. Stevenage put their fourth tier struggles behind them to earn a fine 1-0 victory at Bristol Rovers.
Veteran striker Craig Mackail-Smith proved the match-winner, coolly chipping onrushing keeper Jordi van Stappershoef from the edge of the box in the 17th minute.
Rovers’ frustrating night was compounded when Ed Upson was dismissed for a second yellow card with three minutes left. Scunthorpe marched on with an impressive 3-1 victory against Manchester City U21s. Indeed, the Iron were 3-0 up just
after the half-hour mark. Kevin van Veen crashed a superb shot into the top corner to give Scunthorpe a ninth-minute lead and he tucked home his second to double the advantage on 28 minutes.
Comprehensive
Paul Hurst’s men were cruising when Matthew Lund slotted the third in the 32nd minute.
City’s young guns had a glimmer of home when Tommy Doyle converted a penalty with just under 20 minutes left, but the Iron held on without undue alarm. Newport County and Salford City both enjoyed comprehensive 3-0 victories. County put their league form to one side as they dispatched third tier MK Dons, all the goals coming in the first period.
Tristan Abrahams set the Exiles on their way in the fourth minute, knocking home a rebound after Ryan Inniss’ header hit the crossbar. The Welsh side had more breathing space when the ever-reliable Padraig Amond made it two on 25 minutes, powering home a ferocious free-kick.
And it was virtually game over when Newport notched their third in the 35th minute. Amond won a flick-on at the near post and the ball went in off the Dons’ Matthew Sorinola for an own goal.
Salford put fellow League Two outfit Port Vale, fresh from their FA Cup trip to Manchester City, to the sword.
Cameron Burgess bagged the opener on 35 minutes, prodding home from close range. And the Ammies made sure of victory with two more goals in the final 11 minutes. Luke Armstrong crashed home a rebound in the 79th minute before Luton loanee Jake Jervis put the icing on the cake five minutes later when he thumped home a rising drive from the edge of the box. Fellow League Two club Exeter had already booked their place in the last eight, beating Ipswich 2-1 at St James Park last weekend.
There is one academy side left in the competition – Leicester U21s. The Foxes ended Tranmere’s hopes, running out 2-1 victors at Prenton Park.
Skipper Stefan Payne gave Rovers the lead just after the half hour, diverting Harvey Gilmour’s strike over the line but Leicester hit back in the second half.
George Hirst’s well-taken finish on 52 minutes levelled things up before Admiral Muskwe notched a 74th-minute winner.