New boys come to Gunners’ rescue

ARSENE WENGER survived a mighty scare last night as James Collins’ early header gave League Two Shrewsbury the lead at the Emirates Stadium before Arsenal recovered to book their place in the Carling Cup fourth round.

Just when Wenger must have thought things could not get any worse in a nightmare start to the Gunners’ new campaign, Collins pounced to head home a superb 16th-minute cross from Marvin Morgan.

But the youthful Gunners hit back through Kieran Gibbs’ 33rd-minute equaliser and second-half goals from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain — on his full debut — and Yossi Benayoun wrapped up a 3-1 win.

Elsewhere Stoke booked their place in the fourth round after a penalty shoot-out victory over Tottenham at the Britannia Stadium.

The Potters triumphed 7-6 in the shoot-out thanks to Thomas Sorensen’s save from Spurs debutant Massimo Luongo.

The game had finished goalless after extra-time, with Sorensen palming a powerful strike by Roman Pavlyuchenko over the bar in the 53rd minute and Potters substitute Jon Walters failing to convert a one-on-one chance in the additional half-hour.

Fabricio Coloccini enhanced his cult-hero status with a last-gasp winner at Nottingham Forest as Newcastle sneaked through to the fourth round of the Carling Cup.

Newcastle led three times through Peter Lovenkrands’ double and Danny Simpson’s fluke strike, but equalisers from Robbie Findley, Matt Derbyshire and, in the 115th minute, Marcus Tudgay, kept the result in doubt until Coloccini’s late, late intervention.

Elsewhere, Aston Villa were knocked out 2-0 at home to Bolton.

Second-half goals from Chris Eagles and on-loan Gael Kakuta earned the Trotters some respite from their recent Premier League struggles.

League One strugglers Leyton Orient put up a brave fight against Steve Kean’s Blackburn at Ewood Park but were undone by a brace of late goals from Ruben Rochina and Simon Vukcevic.

The visitors had grabbed a 64th-minute equaliser through former Cork City striker David Mooney after Rovers had gone ahead one minute before the break through a Jason Roberts penalty.

But Rovers pressed on in the second half with the promising Rochina side-footing his side back in the lead in the 71st minute and Vukcevic making it 3-1 four minutes later. Dean Cox added a late consolation for the visitors.

Mick McCarthy’s Wolves scored twice in the first 10 minutes en route to hammering Championship Millwall 5-0 with goals from David Edwards, Adam Hammill, George Elokobi, James Spray and Adlene Guedioura.

Crystal Palace beat Middlesbrough 2-1 at Selhurst Park. Merouane Zemmama replied for Boro.

Burnley nudged past League One promotional hopefuls Milton Keynes Dons at Turf Moor.

League Two Aldershot caused a minor upset with a 2-1 home win over League One Rochdale.

ARSENAL: Fabianski, Djourou, Jenkinson, Gibbs, Miquel, Oxlade-Chamberlain (Aneke 90), Frimpong (Ozyakup 77), Benayoun, Coquelin, Park Chu-Young (Miyaichi 71), Chamakh.

SHREWSBURY TOWN: Smith, Grandison, Jacobson, Hazell, Goldson, McAllister (Richards 72), Wright, Wroe, Ainsworth (Taylor 78), Collins (Bradshaw 72), Morgan.

Referee: Anthony Bates (Staffordshire).