FA Cup roundup: Forest revel in spirit of ‘59 as Exeter shock Oxford United

With their club legend, Mick Harford, helping to lead the team, Luton, who sacked manager Rob Edwards this week, travelled to Nottingham Forest for a repeat of 1959’s final. And just like that Wembley day, the Hatters departed in disappointment, losing 2-0 at the City Ground.

Ryan Yates, the Forest captain, was the driving force for Nuno Espirito Santo’s team, and scored the first goal for the Premier League high-fliers, a stooping header after a fine cross from Ramón Sosa. The Paraguayan then scored Forest’s second himself, sliding in from close range after Jota Silva’s pass from the right wing to follow up six consecutive Premier League wins with a comfortable stroll into the next round.

Norwich’s season will return to Championship toils after their 4-0 defeat to Brighton. Georginio Rutter scored twice, first with a header from a Joel Veltman cross, the second saw the striker convert a Yankuba Minteh cross.

Julio Enciso scored Brighton’s third having robbed the dithering Norwich defender Kellen Fisher before bending a wicked, bending shot beyond goalkeeper George Long. Solly March scored Brighton’s fourth, his first goal since August 2023, having missed 14 months with a knee injury, sweeping in a reverse pass from Brajan Gruda.

Georginio Rutter makes it 2-0 for Brighton against Norwich. Photograph: Shaun Brooks/CameraSport/Getty Images

Bournemouth fielded a strong team against West Brom, though youth product Ben Winterburn made his first ever start in midfield and new Argentinian signing Julio Soler, who arrived from Lanus last week. made his club debut in defence.

The Baggies, still without a manager after the departure of Carlos Corberan but expected to appoint Raphael Wicky, the Swiss former Young Boys and Basel manager, opened the scoring through Caleb Taylor before Justin Kluivert equalised. Dango Ouattara scored twice in ten minutes ahead of half-time.

David Brooks, who was the outstanding performer, had supplied three assists by the time Bournemouth were easing to victory with Antoine Semenyo’s goal right after the break. Winterburn had played his part in Outtara’s second goal, too, and Andoni Iraola’s team progressed with style in a tournament the Basque manager has admitted is high among his priorities.

In one of Saturday’s earlier kick-offs, an icy, foggy encounter saw Leicester ride out the threat of Championship visitors QPR with a resounding 6-2 win, with James Justin, a defender, scoring twice, including the opener. Jonathan Varane’s long-range strike had drawn the west Londoners level but once Stephane Mavididi and Facundo Buonanotte scored for Ruud van Nistelrooy’s team, Rangers could find no way back, despite scoring at half-time. Jamie Vardy’s penalty and Wout Faes’ belting late drive past Joe Walsh completed the rout.

At the Stadium of Light, Tom Cannon’s early penalty for Stoke was levelled by teenager Milan Aleksic’s first ever goal for Sunderland before the tie dragged into extra time. Penalties were beckoning before Niall Ennis’s solo effort delivered a first win for new manager Mark Robins, denied in last season’s semis when at Coventry.

Reading scored a rare goal against Burnley, who have conceded just nine all season in the Championship but there was to be no surprise win for the troubled League One club.

Vincent Harper celebrates scoring Exeter’s third goal against Oxford United. Photograph: Ryan Hiscott/Getty Images

Lewis Wing’s 77th minute goal, from long range, had been an embarrassment for sloppy Burnley keeper Václav Hladky and cancelled out Lyle Foster’s opener. But in extra time, Scott Parker sent on sub Zian Flemming to scored twice and take the 1914 winners through.

Blackburn enter the fourth round draw after winning 1-0 at Middlesbrough, Andreas Weimann scoring the goal that separated the two contenders for Championship promotion.

Exeter, the League One club, pulled one of the day’s biggest heists in beating Championship team Oxford, with Demetri Mitchell scoring twice before Vincent Harper extended the lead to 3-1. Oxford’s chances of a comeback disappeared with the red card shown to Tyler Goodrham, having taken the lead after a goal from the veteran Matt Phillips.

League One leaders Birmingham beat Lincoln, from the same division 2-1, the visitors’ goal, a penalty from Jovon Makama, coming as a 90th minute consolation after Ayumu Yokoyama had scored in the first minute and Lyndon Dykes’ half-volley put Blues in command.

Preston’s tie with Charlton and Leyton Orient’s tea-time hosting of Derby were both casualties of frozen pitches, with both matches rescheduled for Tuesday evening. So too Mansfield’s hosting of Wigan.

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