Birmingham spare blushes with win against minnows
The Blues came from behind to beat League One Forest Green as the Robins needed extra-time to down Swansea
Birmingham City produced a second-half comeback to avoid an FA Cup upset with a 2-1 win at Forest Green Rovers.
On a night of third-round replays, this tie saw the sides going at it for the first time – after their initial attempt to play the game 10 days ago was scuppered by a frozen pitch.
Goals from Lukas Jutkiewicz and Kevin Long ultimately sent the Championship Blues through after Rovers, currently bottom of League One, had gone ahead through Ben Stevenson’s stunning effort.
Birmingham now face a trip to Blackburn in the fourth round as reward for their efforts in Nailsworth.
Meanwhile, Sam Bell scored a superb winner nine minutes from the end of extra time to carry Bristol City to a 2-1 win at Swansea City.
The teams shared a 1-1 draw in their first encounter and could not be split over another 90 minutes as Mark Sykes’s opener for the Robins was cancelled out by Swans substitute Ollie Cooper.
But Bell cut in from the left in extra time and fired past Andy Fisher in the Swansea goal to settle the replay and reward his club with a home tie against West Bromwich Albion in an all-Championship clash.
The Baggies ruthlessly exposed the 70-place gap between themselves and National League Chesterfield to prevail 4-0 at The Hawthorns.
John Swift scored the first then had a hand in the next two goals from Tom Rogic and Jake Livermore before substitute Jovan Malcolm headed in a fourth for West Brom, who were taken to a replay after a thrilling 3-3 draw at the Technique Stadium 10 days ago.
It was a 10th win in 12 games in all competitions for Carlos Corberan’s in-form side.
Elijah Adebayo scored a dramatic stoppage-time winner as Luton Town defeated Wigan Athletic 2-1.
Thelo Aasgaard volleyed Wigan ahead within seconds of the second half starting but Cauley Woodrow scored at the second attempt five minutes later after goalkeeper Ben Amos had done well to initially parry away.
Extra-time loomed but there was to be one final twist, with the ball being played in from the Luton left and Adebayo firing home from close range to earn the Hatters a clash against Grimsby.
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