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LONDON - Liverpool's faltering season suffered another stutter as they were held to a 1-1 draw away to Championship strugglers Reading in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday.
Liverpool, for whom the FA Cup represents their last realistic hope of silverware this term, fell behind in the 24th minute at the Madejski Stadium.
Ryan Bertrand's free-kick was kept in expertly by Grzegorz Rasiak at the far post and, following his first-time cross, Simon Church scored from barely a yard out.
Liverpool though were only behind for 12 minutes, inspirational captain Steven Gerrard scoring with a curling 25-yard shot.
But Gerrard's goal owed much to the run across the six-yard box of Dutch striker Dirk Kuyt, which distracted Reading's Australian keeper Adam Federici.
Fernando Torres could have won the match in stoppage-time but Liverpool's star striker headed over the crossbar.
Earlier, Australia's Tim Cahill ensured Liverpool's city neighbours Everton avoided the embarrassment of a third round replay against third-tier side Carlisle by scoring the crucial goal in a 3-1 victory at Goodison Park.
Everton, last season's losing finalists, went ahead in the 12th minute when a back pass from Carlisle's Adam Clayton gifted the ball to Toffees striker James Vaughan.
But Carlisle equalised six minutes later when Clayton's shot was deflected in by team-mate Kevan Hurst.
The visitors, 48 places below Everton in the English league season, were level until the 82nd minute when Australia midfielder Cahill scored before Leighton Baines's last-minute penalty sealed the win.
Premier League basement club Portsmouth, the 2008 FA Cup winners, had to come from a goal behind to salvage a 1-1 draw at home to Championship side Coventry City for whom David Bell scored in the 30th minute.
But on the stroke of half-time, cash-strapped Pompey equalised through Kevin-Prince Boateng's header.
Sunderland defeated non-league Barrow 3-0 at the Stadium of Light thanks to a Steed Malbranque goal and two headers from Frazier Campbell.
Stoke saw off non-league York 3-1.
York, in a match where kick-off was delayed by 30 minutes after the visitors got caught up in traffic, took a 22nd minute lead through Neil Barrett's close-range header.
But barely two minutes later, Stoke were level through Daniel Parslow's own-goal.
And 60 seconds afterwards, Stoke striker Ricardo Fuller headed the hosts in front before Matthew Etherington added a third goal.
Relegation-threatened Bolton, who on Wednesday sacked manager Gary Megson, endured a goalless first-half before beating Lincoln, 90th out of England's 92 league clubs, 4-0.
Championship high-flyers Nottingham Forest held Premier League Birmingham to a goalless draw in a match where Forest's Robert Earnshaw missed a second-half penalty.
In the all Premier League clashes, Aston Villa beat Blackburn Rovers 3-1 and Wigan came from behind to defeat Hull 4-1.
Villa went ahead through Nathan Delfouneso's 12th minute header before Rovers saw David Dunn's penalty saved by Brad Guzan.
Carlos Cuellar's header made it 2-0 before Blackburn were reduced to 10 men when striker El-Hadji Diouf was sent-off for a challenge on Habib Beye.
Nikola Kalinic pulled one back for Rovers but John Carew's last-minute penalty secured Villa's victory.
Hull went ahead away to Wigan thanks to Geovanni's 35th minute free-kick.
But Wigan's Charles N'Zogbia equalised two minutes after the break and the hosts' comeback continued when James McCarthy scored in the 63rd minute.
N'Zogbia, a half-time substitute, then made it 3-1 three minutes later with Scott Sinclair adding a fourth in the last minute.
Manchester City won 1-0 away to Championship side Middlesbrough thanks to Zimbabwean striker Benjani Mwaruwari's goal a minute before the break.
Tottenham beat second-tier Peterborough 4-0, Croatia midfielder Niko Kranjcar scoring twice before half-time.
Championship side Preston, who sacked manager Alan Irvine last week, were the day's biggest winners, hammering League One Colchester 7-0.
Sunday's ties feature Cup holders Chelsea at home to Watford, Manchester United in action against Leeds and Arsenal away to London rivals West Ham.
- AFP ls
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