Soccer – FA Cup Review:Ricardo Fuller powered home a second-half header from Rory Delap's long throw to earn Stoke a 1-1 draw at Manchester City in the FA Cup fifth-round. Shaun Wright-Phillips had tapped City into a first-half lead after a disastrous blunder by Ryan Shawcross in front of England boss Fabio Capello.
But Stoke refused to give in and when Shay Given failed to come off his line to collect Delap's throw, Fuller came through a pile of bodies to equalise.
Elsewhere Reading scored what is believed to be the fastest goal in the FA Cup proper when Jimmy Kebe put the Royals ahead against West Brom after just nine seconds in their 2-2 draw at the Madejski Stadium. It was the first of two draws today with Chelsea, Portsmouth and Birmingham all making it through to the quarter-finals.
Kebe slotted a left-footed shot into the net to stun the Baggies straight from the kick-off. Although Gareth Morris scored after four seconds for Ashton United in 2001, that came in the qualifying rounds, meaning the Royals midfielder may well have made history this afternoon.
West Brom drew level in the 18th minute through a well-worked goal, Robert Koren converting Chris Brunt’s cross from the right.
The Baggies then put pressure on their hosts, Roman Bednar drilling a long-range shot before Koren almost got a second when his 20-yard shot hit the post and Adam Federici was called upon to pull off a top save from Bednar.
The hosts’ job was made harder when they were reduced to 10 men just two minutes after the break when Shane Long was sent off for serious foul play following a bad foul on Abdoulaye Meite.
However, the Baggies’ numerical advantage was short-lived after Youssouf Mulumbu went after two yellow cards.
And Simon Church appeared to have given the Royals victory when he gathered Grzegorz Rasiak’s through ball to go one on one with Scott Carson.
Although the keeper saved Church’s initial chip, the striker pounced to convert but the Baggies were not finished, Joe Mattock firing past Federici with three minutes to go.
In the other 3pm kick-off, Premier League Birmingham came from a goal down to beat Derby 2-1 at Pride Park with a last-minute goal from Liam Ridgewell.
James McEveley put the Rams ahead before Scott Dann levelled and Ridgewell hit the late winner for Blues.
McEveley gave the hosts the lead 10 minutes into the second half when he picked up the ball on the left and strode forward, rode a number of challenges and unleashed a shot from 20 yards which bounced in front of Joe Hart and over the keeper into the net.
Blues hit back and put pressure on their hosts with Kevin Phillips forcing Bywater to tip the ball round the post, albeit with a mishit shot.
From that corner the visitors were level as James McFadden sent in a ball which was met by Scott Dann whose header easily bypassed Michael Tonge on the line.
Blues then got a late winner and again Phillips was involved, the striker reacting when hit by a free-kick into the Derby box.
The former West Brom and Sunderland forward swivelled and shot, the ball hitting the post and bouncing across the line with Liam Ridgewell on hand to send home the winner.
Hart, who had pulled off a superb save from Shaun Barker’s header in the first half, somehow managed to keep out Robbie Savage’s goal bound shot with a tip-over.
Earlier, holders Chelsea reached the last eight with a 4-1 victory over Cardiff although the Bluebirds had briefly threatened to cause a massive shock.
Didier Drogba put the Blues in front in the second minute but Michael Chopra stunned the home side with an equaliser before half-time.
But second-half goals from Michael Ballack, Daniel Sturridge and substitute Salomon Kalou put Carlo Ancelotti’s side into the last eight.
Portsmouth also progressed thanks to a 4-1 win at local rivals Southampton.
Despite being matched by Alan Pardew’s League One side for much of the fifth-round clash, Portsmouth rattled in four goals in the last 25 minutes.
Quincy Owusu-Abeyie came off the bench and opened the scoring for the visitors at St Mary’s.
Rickie Lambert levelled shortly after but Aruna Dindane, Nadir Belhadj and Jamie O’Hara netted to give the scoreline a flattering look for the bottom club in the Premier League.
Selected Cross-CHannel Results
FA Cup Fifth Round
Chelsea 4 Cardiff 1
Derby 1 Birmingham 2
Man City 0 Stoke 0 (L)
Reading 2 West Brom 2
Southampton 1 Portsmouth 4
Scottish Premier League
Aberdeen 4 Celtic 4
Hamilton 0 Motherwell 0
Hearts 3 Falkirk 2
Kilmarnock 3 St Johnstone 2
St Mirren 1 Dundee Utd 2
-PA