Relief for Ramos as Spurs win at last

Tottenham earned some breathing space for under-pressure boss Juande Ramos with a 2-1 win over Newcastle that sent the League Cup holders into the fourth round of the competition on Wednesday.

Second-half goals from Russian striker Roman Paylyuchenko — his first for the club — and midfielder Jamie O'Hara, gave the club currently propping up the English Premier League their first win of the season.

There was no such respite for managerless Newcastle, for whom Michael Owen scored a consolation effort in the last minute. On the evidence of this supine display, the Magpies could find it harder to get out of the EPL's relegation zone than Tottenham will.

Chelsea, the side beaten by Spurs in last year's final, marched into the fourth round with a convincing 4-0 win at Portsmouth in which Frank Lampard continued his superb early season form.

The midfielder has been outstanding for club and country since the uncertainty over his future was resolved before the start of this campaign and he capped another all-action display with two goals at Fratton Park, the first from the penalty spot.

Florent Malouda and Salomon Kalou were also on target for Luiz Felipe Scolari's near full-strength side, in which Didier Drogba made his first start of the season.

Championship side QPR produced a shock when they knocked out high-flying Aston Villa with a 1-0 win at Villa Park.

The most notable result since the west London club was taken over by Formula One tycoons Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone was secured by a Damion Stewart header just before the hour mark with Daniel Parejo – on loan from Real Madrid – the supplier of the cross.

An even bigger shock was on the cards at Brighton, where the League One side scored a late equaliser to take Manchester City into extra-time.

Ipswich were made to pay for missing a string of first-half chances as they went down to a 4-1 defeat at home to Wigan.

Jonathan Walters cancelled out Lee Cattermole's opener for Wigan but goals from Olivier Kapo, Paul Scharner and Henri Camara saw the Premier League outfit run out convincing winners.

Martin Olsson's 10th-minute strike proved enough for Blackburn to overcome a weakened Everton at Ewood Park.

The left-back played a neat one-two with Robbie Fowler before beating Tim Howard with a low shot for his first goal for Blackburn.

The win was marred for Paul Ince's side by an apparently serious injury to goalkeeper Paul Robinson, who was forced off shortly after Olsson's strike.