FA Cup Round-up: Chelsea needed two late goals by Joe Cole to beat Colchester 3-1 in the fifth round of the FA Cup today after the third division side had taken the lead and threatened to hold on for an unlikely draw at Stamford Bridge.
A Ricardo Carvalho own goal put Colchester ahead in the 28th minute with Paulo Ferreira equalising nine minutes later.
Champions Chelsea struggled to make their class tell but clinched a quarter-final berth when substitute Cole scored from close range in the 79th minute and then curled in a sublime second in injury time.
Nigerian striker Yakubu produced two clinical finishes to book Middlesbrough their place in the quarter-finals thanks to a 2-0 win away to Coca-Cola Championship side Preston.
North End, whose 25-match unbeaten record was brought to an end, had the better of the game but could not convert their dominance into clear chances.
Yakubu made them pay with a half-volley following a flick-on from Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink just after the break and then a low header as he arrived unmarked to meet Stewart Downing's free-kick at the far post and take his tally for the season to 18 goals.
And Birmingham's Premiership class also came to the fore as they reached the quarter-finals for the first time in 22 years with a 1-0 success at Championship strugglers Stoke.
The win came courtesy of Mikael Forssell's sixth goal of the season just a minute into the second half.
