Idris El Mizouni smashed in a brilliant 80th minute winner as Town came from behind to beat League Two Oldham Athletic 2-1 in an FA Cup first-round replay at Boundary Park. The home side went in front via Harrison McGahey on 29 but six minutes later Conor Chaplin profited from an error by Latics keeper Jayson Leutwiler to level and El Mizouni won the game with a superb strike 10 minutes from time to set up a second-round tie against Barrow at home.
Town boss Paul Cook made seven changes from the team which drew 0-0 at home to Oxford on Saturday with Christian Walton, Wes Burns, Bailey Clements and George Edmundson remaining from the weekend side.
Luke Woolfenden came into the centre of the defence alongside Edmundson with Burns moving to right-back. Walton kept his place in goal with Clements again at left-back.
Rekeem Harper and El Mizouni came into the centre of midfield with Scott Fraser on the left and Sone Aluko skippering on the right and Conor Chaplin the number 10 behind Joe Pigott.
Kane Vincent-Young and Tom Carroll were back on the bench having been out injured with Myles Kenlock also among the subs.
Neither team threatened until the 15th minute when Davis Keillor-Dunn shot into the side-netting from Benny Couto’s cross. A minute later, Harper’s shot was blocked by Oldham skipper Carl Piergianni.
The Latics should have gone in front in the 22nd minute when Dylan Fage broke into the box before cutting back to Keillor-Dunn but Walton somehow managed to block.
Moments later Jordan Clarke was booked for a late challenge on Chaplin, then Woolfenden joined him for a foul on Hope.
Oldham had had the better of the opening spell and in the 29th minute they went in front. Walton saved Piergianni’s low effort at the back post from a corner on the right but Harrison McGahey was able to head home the rebound.
The home side Latics had deserved their lead but on 36 the Blues levelled via a howler from Oldham keeper Leutwiler. Pigott crossed, Leutwiler dropped it and Chaplin was able to tap in his sixth goal of the season.
A minute before the scheduled end of the half, Couto turned a Clements cross from the left behind ahead of Aluko at the far post.
The Blues were fortunate to be level at the break having been gifted a goal having gone behind after a disappointing half.
Manager Paul Cook will no doubt have made his team well aware that the display was far from good enough against the League Two strugglers, who once again had belied their lowly status.
Town swapped Woolfenden for another centre-half Cameron Burgess ahead of the second half.
Nine minutes after the restart, goalscorer Chaplin saw a shot blocked by Piergianni from a Burns cross. On 58, Keillor-Dunn was shown a yellow card for a pull on Aluko.
Five minutes later, Jamie Bowden saw a shot blocked, before Pigott saw penalty claims waved away.
Town made a double change in the 75th minute, Kane Vincent-Young and Kyle Edwards replacing Burns and Harper.
Chances had been far and few between since the break and extra-time appeared an increasing possibility but on 80 El Mizouni put the Blues ahead with a brilliant strike.
A ball into the box from the right was cleared out to the Tunisia international, who smashed a brilliant strike which left Leutwiler standing to put the Blues in front for the first time on the night and the second time in the tie.
It was the midfielder’s second goal for the Blues and his third of his senior career and the perfect way to celebrate signing a new contract last week.
Four minutes later, Town swapped Pigott for Kayden Jackson, while the Latics then made a double change, Nicky Adams and Zak Dearnley replacing Dylan Bahamboula and Clarke.
Town saw out four minutes of additional time to win the tie at the second attempt and set up a home second-round fixture against Barrow with the Cumbrians set to visit Suffolk during the first weekend of December.
The victory, if not the convincing one which might have been expected against opposition second-bottom of League Two, is only Town’s second in the FA Cup in 21 matches and was a welcome one for fans frustrated by the Blues’ disappointing record in the competition, while El Mizouni’s goal was good enough to win any tie.
Town are next in action when they travel to Sunderland in League One on Saturday afternoon.
Oldham: Leutwiler, Clarke, McGahey, Piergianni (c), Whelan, Hope, Keillor-Dunn (Hopcutt 68), Fage, Bowden, Bahamboula (Adams 68), Couto (Hart 69). Unused: Southerington, Stobbs, Cisse, Hopcutt, Dearnley.
Town: Walton, Burns (Vincent-Young 75), Woolfenden (Burgess 46), Edmundson, Clements, Harper (Edwards 75), El Mizouni, Aluko (c), Chaplin, Fraser, Pigott (Jackson 84). Unused: Hladky, Kenlock, Carroll, Celina, Barry, Jackson. Referee: Carl Boyeson (East Riding). Att: 2,801 (Town: 496).