Darren Huckerby scored four times as Manchester City crushed Birmingham City 6-0 while Fulham roared back to beat Derby County 5-2 in the English League Cup third round last night. Premier league Aston Villa settled for a 1-0 win over second division giant killers Reading, who last month knocked out West Ham United on penalties.
Craig Short headed an extra-time winner for Blackburn Rovers when they beat Middlesbrough 2-1, while Sheffield Wednesday outgunned Crystal Palace 3-1 on penalties after twice coming from behind in a 2-2 draw after extra-time.
Manchester City killed their game with three goals inside the opening 25 minutes as Huckerby got to work. In the 10th minute, Huckerby slotted home Shaun Goater's pass, Birmingham's French defender Tresor Luntala scored an own goal five minutes later and Huckerby struck again after being released by Ali Benarbia.
Huckerby turned provider soon after the re-start, spurning the chance of a hat-trick to get Goater on to the scoresheet. But Goater returned the favour in the 81st minute for Huckerby to bring up his hat-trick, before poaching another in the 89th minute.
Fulham twice came from behind - goals from Barry Hayles and Sylvain Legwinski cancelling out strikes by Craig Burley and Italian Fabrizio Ravanelli. But two goals midway through the second half decided the tie, a John Collins free-kick and a superb strike after a solo run in the 71st minute from substitute Louis Saha. Another French sub, Steed Malbranque, converted an 80th minute penalty.
Villa substitute Dion Dublin scored on the stroke of halftime after coming on for injured Mark Delaney, who had been stretchered off after taking a knock on the neck.
Blackburn Rovers booked their place in the fourth round after a battle with Middlesbrough. Former Boro midfielder Craig Hignett put Rovers in front, meeting David Flitcroft's cross with a header in off the underside of the cross bar. Boro's Slovak international Szilard Nemeth equalised six minutes before the break with a low shot from 20 metres, but it was a long wait for Short's 111th minute winner.
Palace, who knocked out premier league Everton on penalties in the second round, fell victim to the same decider on Wednesday. Simon Rodger's 11th minute free-kick put Palace in front but Ashley Westwood grabbed a 68th minute equaliser for Wednesday. Aki Riihilahti scored what looked like a matchwinner for Palace in the 105th minute, only for Tony Crane to head an equaliser in the 113th minute, setting up a successful shootout.
