LONDON, Sept 22: Third division Doncaster Rovers knocked twice former winners Manchester City out of the League Cup after a dramatic penalty shootout in their second-round tie on Wednesday. Doncaster won the shootout 3-0 with Darius Vassell, Antoine Sibierski and Richard Dunne all missing penalties for City after the match finished 1-1 after extra-time.

Craig Bellamy notched his first goals for Blackburn Rovers to lead them to a 3-1 home victory over third division Huddersfield Town while Fulham edged past fourth division Lincoln City 5-4.

Vassell put Manchester City in front with a 95th-minute penalty but Michael McIndoe took the tie into the shootout when he converted another spot kick 13 minutes later.

City, who won the trophy in 1970 and 1976, had defender Nedum Onuoha sent off in the 106th minute for a foul on Andy Warrington.

Warrington was stretchered off and replaced in goal by Danish keeper Jan Budtz, who quickly turned into a Doncaster hero with shootout saves from Sibierski and Dunne.

City joined a growing list of Premier League casualties which also includes Tottenham Hotspur and Portsmouth, who were beaten by Grimsby Town and Gillingham respectively on Tuesday.

Bellamy, signed from Newcastle United in the close season, put Premier League Blackburn ahead in the 11th minute.

The Wales striker found Brett Emerton in the centre before the Australian threaded the ball back for Bellamy to race clear and score from 10 metres.

Zurab Khizanishvili made it 2-0 on the hour when he headed in a corner.

Huddersfield caused a few jitters among the home fans after Pawel Abbott beat goalkeeper Brad Friedel from close range in the 79th minute.

But Bellamy had the last word when he collected a pass from Robbie Savage and outpaced the defence to score the third for Blackburn, who won the trophy in 2002.

Zesh Rehman, Heidar Helguson, Liam Rosenior, Tomasz Radsinzki and Brian McBride were on target in Premier League Fulham’s 5-4 extra-time win over Lincoln.—Reuters

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