FA Cup Review:Liverpool needed an equaliser from Steven Gerrard to avoid a shock FA Cup third-round exit at the hands of Reading, while Mersey rivals Everton were made to battle hard before two late goals saw them progress against League One side Carlisle.
Gerrard's leveller earned the Reds an Anfield replay after Simon Church had put the Championship side ahead.
The Royals started well at the Madejski, and sent the home fans into ecstasy by breaking the deadlock on 24 minutes.
Simon Church bundled the ball home from close range after Grzegorz Rasiak had got behind Lucas to cut back a free-kick from Ryan Bertrand.
But that lead lasted just 12 minutes as Liverpool talisman Gerrard struck to earn the visitors a draw.
When he crossed Dirk Kuyt dummied the ball to deceive Reading goalkeeper Adam Federici and the ball crept into the net.
In Everton case they wnet through to the next round courtesy of two late goals. James Vaughan gave the Toffees a 12th-minute lead but Adam Clayton’s strike went in off team-mate Kevan Hurst to level matters (18).
Vaughan had a second ruled out for offside but Tim Cahill grabbed a crucial close-range strike (82) and Leighton Baines made the game safe from the spot (90).
Avram Grant's struggling Premier League side Portsmouth were taken into a replay by Championship side Coventry City.
Things went from bad to worse for financially-stricken Pompey on the half-hour as David Bell lashed the Sky Blues ahead.
But Tommy Smith’s cross allowed Kevin-Prince Boateng to head his side level in first-half stoppage time.
Birmingham were fortunate to draw 0-0 at Nottingham Forest, for whom Luke Chambers headed against the crossbar and Robert Earnshaw missed a penalty.
Nathan Delfouneso (10) and Carlos Cuellar (37) put Aston Villa 2-0 up against Blackburn either side of David Dunn’s penalty miss.
Rovers had El-Hadji Diouf sent off (42) before Nikola Kalinic pulled a goal back (55), but John Carew’s late penalty made it 3-1.
Charles N’Zogbia’s introduction at half-time turned around the day’s other all-Premier League tie as Wigan beat Hull 4-1.
Geovanni’s free-kick gave Hull the lead but the Wigan winger struck (47, 66) either side of setting up James McCarthy for the second (63), and Scott Sinclair rounded off the win (90).
Niko Kranjcar struck twice for Tottenham at Peterborough (35, 57) before Jermain Defoe made it 3-0 (70) and Robbie Keane added a last-minute penalty.
Bobby Zamora’s 15th-minute strike earned Fulham a 1-0 win over Swindon, Town keeper David Lucas later saving a penalty from Andy Johnson.
Benjani Mwaruwari put Manchester City in front at Middlesbrough (45) and it proved enough for Roberto Mancini’s side in a 1-0 win.
Burnley beat Coca-Cola League One MK Dons 2-1, Graham Alexander’s penalty (23) and Steven Fletcher’s goal (35) proving sufficient despite Dean Morgan’s late strike (89).
Sunderland sank Barrow 3-0 after Steed Malbranque grabbed the opener (17) and Fraizer Campbell twice headed home (52, 58).
Managerless Bolton hammered Lincoln 4-0. They took the lead through Moses Swaibu’s own goal (49), Chung-Yong Lee making it 2-0 within two minutes before Gary Cahill (83) and Mark Davies (90) rounded off the scoring.
Preston were the day’s big scorers as Jon Parkin’s hat-trick saw them rout Colchester 7-0.
Ipswich beat nine-man Blackpool 2-1, Brett Ormerod (55) cancelling out Jack Colback’s opener (3) before Ian Evatt and Rob Edwards were sent off and Owen Garvan curled home a winner (77).
Leicester came from behind to beat Swansea 2-1 with Dany N’Guessan bagging the 89th-minute winner.
Crystal Palace won 2-1 at Sheffield Wednesday, Neil Danns (19) and Calvin Andrew (68) scoring either side of Clint Hill’s own goal.
Graeme Dorrans (77) and substitute Chris Wood (82) earned West Brom a 2-0 win over Huddersfield and Paul Hayes scored Scunthorpe’s winner against his former club Barnsley (68).
Millwall and Derby will replay after Kris Commons’ volley (52) quickly cancelled out Lewis Grabban’s opener (49), while Plymouth and Newcastle shared a goalless draw.
Rickie Lambert’s 36th-minute free-kick saw Southampton past Blue Square Premier Luton, while Brighton beat Torquay 1-0 thanks to Andrew Crofts’ header (77).
Accrington v Gillingham, Brentford v Doncaster and Bristol City v Cardiff were postponed due to the freezing conditions.
Today’s FA Cup Third Round Results
Aston Villa 3 Blackburn 1
Blackpool 1 Ipswich 2
Bolton 4 Lincoln City 0
Everton 3 Carlisle 1
Fulham 1 Swindon 0
Huddersfield 0 West Brom 2
Leicester 2 Swansea 1
Middlesbrough 0 Man City 1
Millwall 1 Derby 1
Milton Keynes Dons 1 Burnley 2
Nottm Forest 0 Birmingham 0
Plymouth 0 Newcastle 0
Portsmouth 1 Coventry 1
Preston 7 Colchester 0
Reading 1 Liverpool 1
Scunthorpe 1 Barnsley 0
Sheff Wed 1 Crystal Palace 2
Southampton 1 Luton 0
Stoke 3 York 1
Sunderland 3 Barrow 0
Torquay 0 Brighton 1
Tottenham 4 Peterborough 0
Wigan 4 Hull 1