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05:03 11th January 2014
Birmingham City 3
Robinson (35), Burke (85 & 87)
Bristol Rovers 0
Rovers bowed out of the FA Cup tonight at Birmingham, though they acquitted themselves well against Championship opposition.
The opening goal was scored by Paul Robinson after 35 minutes, and two late goals from Chris Burke sealed their victory, though the margin of defeat was a little bit harsh on Rovers.
Roared on by over 2,800 fans, John Ward’s side must take the positives out of this game and take them into their league programme, beginning with Saturday’s fixture against York City at Bootham Crescent.
Rovers made one change to their starting lineup for tonight’s match, as Ollie Norburn replaced Tom Lockyer in midfield.
Lee Novak had an early shot blocked, but it was Rovers who fashioned the first real opening.
Matt Harrold won possession just outside the Birmingham area and the ball broke to Eliot Richards who advanced into the area only to see his shot smothered by goalkeeper Colin Doyle who was off his line very quickly to thwart the Rovers striker.
A left foot piledriver from Paul Robinson was wide of the mark , but they missed a gilt edged opportunity when Shane Ferguson was left unmarked at the back post when a cross came in from the right, but he headed well wide of goal.
Two minutes later Steve Mildenhall dived low to his right to keep out a low shot from Paul Caddis.
He could only touch the ball away, though, and saw his defenders block two follow up shots.
There were two shooting opportunities for Michael Smith on 20 minutes and the full back saw his first effort hit a home defender and rebound to him but his second attempt, though on target, was comfortably saved by Doyle.
Birmingham took the lead on 35 minutes, from the game’s first corner. The ball was played to the back post by Ferguson where Robinson was left with the chance to head home from close range.
There were protests from the Rovers players who appeared to think there had been a foul on one of their number before the ball hit the back of the net, but the goal was allowed to stand.
Reece Brown headed over the bar as the home side searched for a second goal, but Richards had another chance for Rovers as the half drew to a close, though his shot was comfortably saved by Doyle.
The final effort of the half fell to Birmingham’s Mitch Hancox, but he hit his shot straight at Mildenhall.
Nikola Zigic should have made more of an early second half opportunity, but headed straight at Mildenhall, while Lee Novak headed over the bar as Birmingham upped the tempo.
There was an opportunity for Tom Parkes, who burst forward and hit an ambitious 30 yard effort wide of the target, before the home side went close to increasing their lead.
Ferguson hit a left foot shot well wide of the mark and saw another effort deflected wide of goal.
Mildenhall then did well to touch a shot from Olly Lee round the post and Zigic hit another close range effort straight at the keeper.
Richards went close with a 25 yard free kick, but was thwarted by a fine save by Doyle, who managed to touch the ball over the crossbar.
Mildenhall was again called into action as Birmingham searched for a second goal and he kept out Robinson’s attempt following a swift counter attack.
As the game entered the final five minutes, though, the home side made sure of victory thanks to their best player, Burke.
His first goal came after a defence splitting pass and he beat Mildenhall in a one on one situation to double his side’s lead and two minutes later he beat the keeper with a left foot shot to make it 3-0.
Mildenhall saved from Novak before Rovers were denied a last gasp consolation goal when a packed home defence blocked John-Joe O’Toole’s close range shot.
Rovers: Steve Mildenhall, Michael Smith, Tom Parkes, Mark McChrystal, Lee Brown, Ollie Norburn (David Clarkson, 82), Ollie Clarke (Danny Woodards, 76), Ellis Harrison (Chris Beardsley, 63), John-Joe O’Toole,
Eliot Richards, Matt Harrold
Substitutes: Mitch Harding, Mitch Harding, Tom Lockyer, Pat Keary
Yellow Card: Harrison
Birmingham: Colin Doyle, Paul Caddis, Hayden Mullins, Paul Robinson, Mitchell Hancox, Chris Burke, Olly Lee (Charlee Adams, 89), Reece Brown (Wade Elliott, 72), Shane Ferguson (Demarai Gray 89), Lee Novak, Nikola Zigic
Substitutes: Will Packwood, Callum Reilly, Andy Shinnie, Nick Townsend
Referee: Michael Naylor
Attendance: 9,914
Rovers Supporters: 2,890
Birmingham 3 Robinson 35′: Burke 85′:, 87′: .
Bristol Rovers 0
FT 90 +4
HT 1-0
At St Andrew''s Birmingham City captain Paul Robinson scored his first goal in five years to inspire his side to victory over Bristol Rovers in the third round of the FA Cup.
Robinson''s 35th-minute header from Shane Ferguson''s corner gave Blues the first-half edge.
But it took until the 85th minute for Chris Burke to settle the tie, when he slid home Nikola Zigic''s though-ball.
Burke then added a second, firing under Rovers keeper Steve Mildenhall.
That booked a home fourth-round home tie for Blues against Swansea City, who they have already beaten in this season''s Capital One Cup.
The final scoreline was extremely harsh on John Ward''s determined League Two side - and the noisy 2,358 horde who had followed them up the M5 from Bristol.
Robinson''s FA Cup double
Paul Robinson''s last goal was almost five years ago to the day, also on a Tuesday night in the FA Cup, when he scored for West Bromwich Albion in a 2-0 win at Peterborough, on 13 January 2009.
Rovers'' best chance came in only the third minute.
But Elliot Richards, put clean through, could only fire weakly straight at goalkeeper Colin Doyle.
Rovers keeper Steve Mildenhall responded by pulling off an amazing triple save at the other end to deny Paul Caddis (twice) and Lee Novak.
Mildenhall could do nothing to stop Robinson putting the Championship side ahead with a far-post header.
But the Rovers keeper pulled off a great save to deny Robinson midway through the second half after the 35-year-old home skipper had made an incredible lung-bursting run from his own box.
Burke then settled home nerves, scoring twice inside three minutes as the game entered its closing stages.
Birmingham City skipper Paul Robinson told BBC WM:
I honestly thought the goalie was going to get the cross but luckily he missed it.
I just kept my eyes on the ball and concentrated on hitting the back of the net.
That goal''s been a long time coming. But I''m more delighted that we''re though to the next round and playing Premier League opposition too.
The FA Cup matters to the players. The gaffer did not want to change the team. He wants to keep things flowing and keep that consistency ticking over.
Bristol Rovers manager John Ward told BBC Radio Bristol:
Robbo!!! I''ve known him for years. He doesn''t score goals. I don''t know what he was even doing up there. But that was tonight was all about.
If you make mistakes like we did against a Championship side, you''ll get punished for them. 3-0 was a bit harsh but we opened up as we were trying to get back in the game and paid for it.
You''re not going to get a lot chances and the good one that we did have came very early. But I know from playing in that position myself, they''re not always easy those one-on-ones.
Hopefully my young players will have learnt a lot tonight if they want to go to a higher level. And now it''s all about taking the good things from tonight into Saturday''s game at York. We''ll have a good following there too. We get terrific support from our away fans wherever we go.
Lineup, Bookings (1) & Substitutions (6) Birmingham City
13 Doyle
31 Caddis
18 Hancox
20 Lee (Adams - 89'' )
08 Mullins
04 Robinson
07 Burke
29 Brown (Elliott - 73'' )
19 Zigic
12 Novak
27 Ferguson (Gray - 89'' )
Substitutes
14 Packwood
15 Elliott
17 Reilly
22 Shinnie
30 Townsend
33 Gray
34 Adams
Bristol Rovers
01 Mildenhall
02 Smith
14 Brown
24 Clarke (Woodards - 76'' )
06 Parkes
29 McChrystal
10 Richards
15 Norburn (Clarkson - 83'' )
09 Harrold
32 O''Toole
17 Harrison Booked (Beardsley - 63'' )
Substitutes
04 Woodards
07 Clarkson
18 Harding
19 Beardsley
20 Gough
30 Lockyer
34 Keary
Ref: Tony Harrington
Att: 9,914
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Tom on bench didnt play
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Paul Robinson (35), Chris Burke (85, 87) 
Ellis Harrison (18) 
