A goal from Damien Francis four minutes from the end robbed 10 man Town of a replay after Jim Magilton's side turned in a brave performance than more than matched the Premiership side.

Francis galloped into the box to sidefoot home from eight yards after Blues had created the better chances, Dan Harding rattling the underside of the bar.

Blues played 46 minutes of the game with 10 men after George O'Callaghan was sent-off by referee Steve Bennett for apparently kicking out at Danny Shittu but still carried the game to the home side and deserved the ovation they received from the travelling Blue Army on the final whistle.

Chris Casement came in at the back to partner Alex Bruce with Jason De Vos still out with a metatarsal injury, while Fabian Wilnis was sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Shittu headed over on three minutes for the home side with Steve Kabba going close soon after, failing to deflect the ball goalwards from close range.

Danny Haynes, playing as a lone striker, looked lively throughout the first-half and showed great pace to beat Chris Powell but his cross failed to trouble Richard Lee.

Town began to get a grip on the game and Sylvain Legwinski, skipper for the day, rattled the bar with a 20 yard strike.

Blues, driven on by a fantastic travelling support of 4,500, continued to look the more likely to score and Haynes sent a shot into the side netting after a surging run by Harding.

Jaime Peters, another threat for Jim Magilton's side, sent a volley just over as Town continued to dominate the play, O'Callaghan then seeing a goalbound shot headed away by Shittu.

Gary Roberts was denied by Jay Demerit's challenge inside the box after exchanging passes with Haynes, O'Callaghan then forcing a corner with good skill on the right flank.

Lewis Price cut out the danger from a Powell cross after a rare threat at the Town goal, the 'keeper holding firm under Darius Henderson's challenge.

Harding picked up the first booking of the game on 41 minutes for a foul on Tommy Smith before O'Callaghan saw red for an apparent kick out at Powell, the former Cork player protesting as he left the field.

Town continued to press after the break and Haynes forced Lee into a smart save with a volley while at the other end Matt Richards did superbly to head Henderson's header off the line.

In a frantic opening to the second-half, Peters brought another save from Lee, then Steve Kabba fired wide as the game swung from end to end.

On 55 minutes Town were inches away from the opening goal the play had deserved, Harding sending in a thunderous 30 yard volley that hit the underside of the bar, Haynes heading the ball into the empty net but not before the offside flag was raised.

Kabba carried the main threat for the Hornets and turned inside the Town box before firing wide, Johan Cavalli repeating the act seconds later.

Legwinski sent a curler just wide of Lee's goal in what was turning out to be a thriller of a Cup-tie.

Blues made a first change on 71 minutes, Billy Clarke replacing Haynes, who had carried the threat as a lone striker superbly.

Francis fired wide from eight yards as the game entered the last 15 minutes,Henderson and Gavin Mahon both then denied from a corner.

Liam Trotter came on for the injured Peters on 80 minutes, Shittu then sending an overhead kick over the bar as Legwinski bravely challenged.

Lee was still the busier ' keeper of the two and had to beat away a Clarke 25 yard drive, Roberts then following Harding into the referee Bennett's notebook.

Just when a replay looked the likely outcome, Francis strode into the box and sidefooted a Smith right wing cross past Price after a clever dummy by Henderson.

The goal ended Town's dreams of a reaching the Quarter-Finals for the first time in 14 years but Magilton's brave players left the field to a standing ovation from the Blue Army.