John Miles scored from 12 yards nine minutes from time to give Accrington Stanley, of Coca-Cola League Two, a 1-0 victory over Gillingham in last night’s delayed FA Cup third-round tie.
Stanley’s reward is a fourth-round tie at home to Fulham, who are ninth in the Barclays Premier League, on Saturday.
Doncaster Rovers left it even later to secure a fourth-round tie away to Derby County, James O’Connor scoring the only goal of their match away to Brentford in the 87th minute. Billy Sharp had missed a number of chances before O’Connor stooped to head in James Chambers’s corner and spare Sharp’s blushes.
In the Championship, Alan Irvine made it two wins out of two since taking over as manager of Sheffield Wednesday, following the 2-1 victory away to Barnsley on Saturday with a 2-1 success at Blackpool that takes Wednesday out of the bottom three at the expense of Reading. Tom Soares and Leon Clarke put Wednesday 2-0 ahead and Charlie Adam replied in the 90th minute.
In League One, Charlton Athletic drew level on points with Norwich City, who are in second place, by beating Hartlepool 2-1 at The Valley. David Mooney put them ahead after 31 minutes, but Denis Behan equalised with a penalty after Antony Sweeney had been fouled by Miguel ?ngel Llera before Scott Wagstaff won it for Charlton in the 79th minute.
Advertisement
In League Two, Rotherham United, who have been prevented by the weather from playing at home since December 5, or anywhere at all since winning 4-2 away to Bradford City on December 12, took to the field after six successive postponements with third place in their sights and Darlington the opposition at the Don Valley Stadium.
It was hardly worth the wait for the home side or their supporters as Tadgh Purcell put Darlington, the league’s bottom club, ahead two minutes into the second half and Gary Smith doubled the visiting team’s lead after 63 minutes. Gary Roberts pulled one back 12 minutes from time but it was not enough.
Rochdale, the leaders, drew 1-1 away to Aldershot, for whom Louie Soares equalised late in the game.