Bristol Rovers edge Fulham

Bristol Rovers have completed one of the shocks of the round as they knocked out Premiership side Fulham 5-3 on penalties this evening. Both teams battled to break the 0-0 deadlock, but Rovers came out trumps in the penalty shoot out.

Bullard, with two substitute appearances behind him, made his first start since his kneecap was ripped off its moorings at Newcastle in September 2006 and 19-year-old Wayne Brown was handed a debut, with goalkeeper Tony Warner getting a rare game.

Striker David Healy, with just one goal in his last 12 games, was recalled, as were defender Paul Konchesky and Chris Baird, and the opening exchanges saw Bullard and then Brown fail to hit the target from distance.

Fulham were finding the sticky conditions at a muddy Memorial Stadium difficult to cope with and, after Brown had headed a good chance over, Rovers began to apply some steady pressure.

The Fulham back-line withstood pressure but was almost fatally undone three minutes before the break when Chris Lines got the better of Baird down the left and poked the ball across the box. In came David Pipe to meet it but Warner pulled off a top-class block to keep his team level.

Rovers had twice been ahead in the 2-2 draw at Craven Cottage and attacked relentlessly after the restart.

Danny Coles’ header clipped the top of the bar and Dejan Stefanovic had to get in the way of a Lines drive before the Rovers winger fluffed the next opportunity with too hasty an effort.

The ball was heading for the top corner but Rovers goalkeeper Phillips reacted smartly to palm it away with a dive to his left.

The Northern Ireland international then set up strike partner Dempsey for an even better chance but the American’s first touch was not the best and he ended up stabbing the ball at the grateful Phillips.

Neither side was able to fashion a decisive chance before the end of 90 minutes, although Fulham needed Moritz Volz to block a Lines effort on the line.

The forward was immediately replaced by fresh legs in the shape of Sean Rigg but once again it was goalkeeper Phillips who was Rovers’ key man with a block from Dempsey after Seol had set him up and Healy, under pressure, could only lob the rebound over.

Both sides were looking exhausted in the final 15 minutes although Rickie Lambert came close with a drive that hit the side-netting and a blocked header from the same player bounced agonisingly past Disley in the six-yard box.

Stefanovic, who had been booked near the end of normal time, received a second yellow just before end and could take no part in the shoot-out.

Lines scored Rovers’ first but Bullard’s reply was saved.

With everyone else finding the net, up stepped Disley and he made no mistake to put Rovers through by a 5-3 scoreline.