LONDON: Premier League Swansea City fell victims to the first major giant-killing of the FA Cup third round on Sunday when they lost 3-2 away to League Two (fourth-tier) side Oxford United.

Chelsea avoided the same fate against League One (third-tier) Scunthorpe United, with goals from Diego Costa and Ruben Loftus-Cheek earning them a straightforward 2-0 win.

There were more than 50 league positions between the clubs at the Kassam Stadium, where Oxford came from behind to lead 3-1 after Ecuador international Jefferson Montero had put Swansea ahead.

Liam Sercombe equalised from a penalty just before half-time and two goals in 10 minutes soon after the interval from Kemar Roofe put the home side in sight of victory.

Bafetimbi Gomis pulled one back for the Welsh club, who had made 10 changes from their last Premier League game, but Oxford held on.

“I thought the performance was outstanding, it was always going to be a difficult game against a Premier League side,” their manager Michael Appleton told BBC Sport.

“I don’t want to give Kemar Roofe too much praise but he’s done ever so well this year — we’re very used to seeing goals like his first one today in many games.”

Chelsea interim manager Guus Hiddink’s quest to repeat his feat of 2009 by leading the club to FA Cup glory got off to a positive start with a routine home win over League One Scunthorpe.

Costa steered in Branislav Ivanovic’s cross to give Chelsea a 13th-minute lead and half-time substitute Loftus-Cheek, 19, clipped home his first goal for the club from Cesar Azpilicueta’s pass in the 68th minute.

Scunthorpe were denied a consolation goal when fullback Jordan Clarke’s fierce shot struck the post.

Saturday wasn’t a day for FA Cup romantics as Manchester United scrambled past Sheffield United and minor league Eastleigh came within a whisker of causing the third round’s only genuine shock.

Captain Wayne Rooney’s injury-time penalty rescued 11-times winners Manchester United from FA Cup embarrassment as they squeezed 1-0 past a third-tier side 48 places below them in the football pyramid.

None of the 25 matches played on Saturday will enter the folklore of the historic competition but fifth-tier Eastleigh did their best against four-times winners Bolton Wanderers, a club steeped in FA Cup tradition.

On a gluepot of a pitch at their 5,000-capacity Ten Acres ground, the part-timers led through Dorian Dervite’s own goal but they had their wings clipped when debt-ridden second tier strugglers Bolton levelled three minutes from time.

Arsenal began their FA Cup defence with a 3-1 comeback victory against Sunderland, and were joined in the fourth round by Manchester City who emphatically defeated Norwich City 3-0.

It looked as if there could be a shock at the Emirates Stadium, where the Premier League leaders fell behind to a Jermaine Lens strike after 17 minutes for Sunderland, who are second-bottom in the league.

But Joel Campbell equalised, then two goals in three second-half minutes from substitute Aaron Ramsey and Olivier Giroud ensured Arsenal moved on to the next round.

Sergio Aguero scored a superb individual goal and set one up for Kelechi Iheanacho as Manchester City eased past Norwich.

Southampton and Newcastle United both fell at the first hurdle, but could at least console themselves that they were beaten by fellow Premier League teams.

Wilfried Zaha’s 68th-minute goal gave Crystal Palace a 2-1 win at Southampton, while Troy Deeney punished a loose back-pass from Georginio Wijnaldum to give Watford a 1-0 home victory over Newcastle.

Everton beat fourth-tier Dagenham and Redbridge 2-0 at Goodison Park with goals from Aruna Kone and Kevin Mirallas.

West Bromwich Albion needed a last-minute goal from James Morrison to draw with second tier Bristol City 2-2 and earn a replay, while Bournemouth came from a goal behind to beat Birmingham 2-1.

West Ham United edged past second tier Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 at Upton Park, and Stoke City beat Doncaster 2-1.

Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2016