Port Vale 2-1 Sutton United: Funso Ojo comes off the bench to send Vale through

Funso Ojo (number 14) struck the winner in the 83rd minute

Port Vale reached the fourth round of the Carabao Cup for just the second time in their history as they left it late to see off the EFL's bottom club Sutton United.

Josh Thomas put Vale ahead just after half-time and, after Hisham Kasimu equalised on 70 minutes, Funso Ojo came off the bench to win it with a 20-yard blast late on.

On their best run in the competition since reaching the EFL, Sutton had ousted League One opposition in the previous two rounds but have claimed just one point in eight league matches since winning on the opening day.

Vale will be in the hat along with the big guns for Wednesday's draw, with last-16 ties set to take place in the week commencing 30 October.

Rhys Walters sent an early effort for Vale straight at Us keeper Jack Rose while Dion Pereira fired wide at the other end after a good ball from Omari Patrick.

Vale's Jason Lowe headed narrowly over and Tom Sang was off target from a Gavin Massey pass but Pereira came even closer for the visitors, being denied by keeper Connor Ripley who raced off his line as Pereira went through on goal.

The hosts finally broke the deadlock four minutes after the break when Craig Eastmond was caught in possession by Walters after a Sutton corner allowing the hosts to spring a counter attack which ended with Thomas firing a low shot past Rose.

Sutton's Aiden O'Brien rattled the bar moments before the visitors went level when Kasimu burst onto a long ball and rifled past Ripley.

In the closing stages, Rose superbly denied on-loan Tottenham teenager Alfie Devine's effort from a low Conor Grant cross but within seconds of coming off the bench, Ojo lashed a shot from outside the area past Rose and into the bottom corner with seven minutes left.

Vale's James Wilson blazed over in stoppage time but it did not matter as his side progressed to the fourth round for the first time in 17 years.