Football Round-up: Newell comes to Rovers' rescue

BLACKBURN ROVERS, the Premier League leaders, needed a late tonic in the form of an extra- time goal by Mike Newell to scrape themselves off the rocks and into the third round of the Coca-Cola Cup on a 5-4 aggregate.

Alan Shearer and Roy Wegerle appeared to have sealed the fate of Second Division Huddersfield, 70 places below their hosts in the pecking order, after 53 minutes. But strikes by Gary Bennett, Iwan Roberts and Simon Ireland in just 11 minutes transformed the tie, and it needed Shearer's 15th goal of the season in the 83rd minute to take the contest into extra time.

Afterwards Shearer, doubtless hoping for an easier ride with England in the World Cup qualifying game against Norway at Wembley next Wednesday, said: 'I don't want to go through that again - it was too close for comfort. When we went 2-0 up we thought it was all over, but you can't do that against any team.'

The only divisional upset saw Plymouth, of the Second, knock out Luton, of the First, also by the odd goal in nine. After a drawn first leg at Kenilworth Road, Peter Shilton's men went 3-0 ahead inside an hour. But then the Luton substitute, Scott Oakes, created goals for Steve Claridge and David Preece, and Plymouth had to survive an awkward 20 minutes.

Wimbledon slipped up to a Tony Philliskirk goal for Bolton just after half-time, in front of a mere 1,987 spectators at Selhurst Park, but the Dons' 3-0 first-leg cushion saw them through.

Steve White netted his 200th senior goal as Swindon strolled to a

9-2 aggregate win over Torquay. A Chris Kiwomya hat-trick was the highlight of Ipswich's 4-0 victory over Wigan while Guy Whittingham, the subject of a transfer inquiry from Nottingham Forest earlier in the day, netted both Portsmouth's goals as they completed a 6-0 aggregate rout of Blackpool.

Mark Bright and Paul Warhurst were on target to give Sheffield Wednesday a 5-0 aggregate lead before their Third Division opponents, Hartlepool, salvaged some respectability with an Andy Saville penalty and a final-minute goal from Lenny Johnrose. Peterborough enhanced their reputation with a 3-2 aggregate win over their First Division rivals, Leicester.