Maidstone Unitedthe lowest team remaining in the FA Cup, stunned the League One side Stevenage With a 1-0 win they reach the fourth round and continue their dream run.
The National League South side had already made history by reaching the third round for the first time since club reform in 1992, taking the lead just before half-time through midfielder Sam Corne’s penalty. After beating League Two side Barrow in the second round, Maidstone can now add a Third League scalp to their collection, with the final whistle prompting jubilant scenes at the Gallagher Stadium.
“They are an absolute credit to their football club, an honor to themselves and I hope they are richly rewarded in the draw,” said Stevenage manager Steve Evans, praising their non-league opponents. “I don’t think we showed enough respect in the first half. Maidstone definitely looked better than us in the first half.”
Bournemouth survived a scare at Loftus Road and came back from 2-0 down to beat Championship foes Queens Park Rangers 3-2. Sinclair Armstrong opened the scoring with a great solo effort in the 40th minute and just two minutes later Lyndon Dykes’ shot deflected in, doubling QPR’s lead. But second-half goals from Marcus Tavernier, Kieffer Moore and Justin Kluivert took the in-form Premier League side into the next round.
LeicesterFA Cup winner in 2021, won at the Den and lost Millwall With 3:2 they reached the fourth round for the fifth time in a row. The visitors took the lead through Chelsea loanee Cesare Casadei, who headed in Marc Albrighton’s cross in the 16th minute. Then Ricardo Pereira started and completed a great team move that doubled Leicester’s first half lead.
Duncan Watmore brought Millwall back into the game with a goal from close range an hour ago, but Thomas Cannon rounded the goalkeeper and scored his side’s third goal. Zian Flemming scored in the 86th minute to keep things interesting but Leicester held on.
A hat trick from Sammie Szmodics in the first half BlackburnThe 5:2 defeat of Cambridge United at Ewood Park. Jack Lankester gave the League One visitors the lead in the sixth minute before Szmodics scored for the third time in a row to bring Blackburn level. Sullay Kaikai quickly put the League One side back in the lead, but Szmodics turned the game around with two more goals before half-time.
Coventry had a high-scoring day at home with a 6-2 win against Oxford United. The first game was eventful, with the hosts taking a 3-1 lead within 17 minutes. The Championship side struck first thanks to Joel Latibeaudiere before Mark Harris equalized for Oxford a few minutes later. The visitors’ joy was short-lived as goals from former Arsenal midfielder Ben Sheaf and Kasey Palmer – who scored a wonderful shot from distance – put Coventry under control. A penalty from Callum O’Hare early in the second half added further cheer, as did a late brace from Matthew Godden.
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IpswichHigh flyers in the championship, won away and beat AFC Wimbledon 3-1. Kieran McKenna’s side took an early lead through an eighth-minute own goal from Josh Davison, but Wimbledon equalized in the 17th minute when captain Jake Reeves scored from the penalty spot. Ipswich were back in the lead before half-time, with Axel Tuanzebe scoring the first goal of his professional career with a header. Wimbledon were reduced to 10 players in the second half after Harry Pell was sent off for a second yellow card, before Jack Taylor scored a late third goal.
Further non-league glory came in the form of 10 men EastleighIt’s a 1-1 draw Newport, The National League team recovered from a first-half sending off and equalized through a Chris Maguire penalty in the 81st minute. Norwich must also take part in a replay after the 1-1 draw Bristol Roverswith Ashley Barnes’ opener for the Canaries canceled out by Grant Ward’s goal.
Birmingham It seemed like life without Wayne Rooney would start with a win hullbut the home side equalized in the 87th minute through Matty Jacob after Lukas Jutkiewicz had scored the first goal.
