Carling Cup round-up: Holloway skips cup thriller as Blackpool go out

(REUTERS)

League One side MK Dons claimed a Premier League scalp thanks to an extra-time winner from the substitute Lewis Guy, which saw off a weakened Blackpool 4-3 on a dramatic night at Stadium:mk.

Blackpool manager Ian Holloway had, however, decided to watch another game that featured a potential signing. He missed an entertaining night as a Blackpool side featuring 10 changes from the one that lost 6-0 at Arsenal on Saturday came within eight minutes of an exit in normal time.

Milton Keynes needed only 53 seconds to take the lead through Sam Baldock but Brett Ormerod made it 1-1 seven minutes into the second half. That prompted a flurry of goals with the sides finding the net four times in the space of six minutes.

Jermaine Easter scored twice in a minute for the home team with identical efforts before Ludovic Sylvestre's 20-yard free-kick crept in at the back post for Blackpool. Then Charlie Adam, on as a substitute, equalised from the penalty spot after Ormerod was impeded by Dean Lewington.

That took the tie into extra time and Guy won it in the 110th minute for Karl Robinson's side, springing the offside trap before beating debutant goalkeeper Mark Halstead.

Scott Parker is the player West Ham United's chairmen said they would keep at all costs and last night the midfielder showed why. Pinned back at times by Oxford United, who are three divisions below the Hammers in League two, the Premier League club only advanced to round three thanks to Parker's goal in the 93rd minute.

He smashed home from a Frederic Piquionne pull-back to ensure West Ham avoided humiliation.

The win, completed with what was a reasonably strong line-up, was the Israeli's first competitive victory since taking charge of the club in the summer after two Premier League defeats.

Oxford were stubborn and organised throughout and at least deserved to take the game to extra time and West Ham, again, delivered lots of neat passing and fluid movement but no real penetration.

Another Premier League side who have begun their season badly, Wigan Athletic, had no such worries, winning 3-0 at Hartlepool United. Late goals from Jordi Gomez and substitute Victor Moses helped manager Roberto Martinez forget, for the night at least, the problems he faces in the top flight.

Martinez will know it might have been different had his goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi not pulled off a stunning fingertip save to deny Joe Gamble mid-way through the first-half. But Sam Collins' third-minute own goal had already set Wigan on their way before Gomez's stunning second-half free-kick and Moses' late third goal.

Blackburn Rovers' Sam Allardyce was also a happy Premier League manager after his team's 3-1 win against Norwich City with on-loan striker Mame Biram Diouf scoring a hat-trick. The Senegal international, who arrived from Manchester United earlier this month, also hit the crossbar on his full debut for Rovers.

League One Brentford pulled off one of the night's upsets with a 2-1 win against Championship side Hull City at Griffin Park. A diving header from Marcus Bean two minutes from time put them through after Mark Cullen had put the visitors ahead and Robbie Simpson had equalised.

Edgar Davids made his first start for Crystal Palace on what became a long night against Portsmouth. The former Netherlands international lasted until the 82nd minute of their tie at Fratton Park, a minute after Ibrahima Sonko's own goal had brought Palace level and cancelled out David Nugent's opener. Extra-time failed to yield a winner and Pompey won 4-3 in the shoot-out.

Elsewhere, Millwall overcame Middlesbrough 2-1 in an all-Championship tie at The Den. Steve Morison and Liam Trotter struck first-half goals as they cruised to victory despite Scott McDonald scoring a late consolation.