Holders Manchester United [Images] were given an FA Cup fright before beating minor league Exeter City 2-0 in a nervy third round replay on Wednesday.

Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo [Images] scored after nine minutes but the Conference side put United under pressure midway through the second half and had a potential equaliser disallowed before England [Images] striker Wayne Rooney [Images] killed the tie in the 87th minute.

United, whose second string side were held to a shock 0-0 draw at Old Trafford on January 8, lined up an all-Premier League fourth round tie at home to Middlesbrough.

Two other Premier League clubs made it through their replays against second division opponents, with Fulham beating Watford 2-0 and Blackburn Rovers seeing off Cardiff City 3-2.

Fulham's reward is a tie at second division Derby County on January 29, while Blackburn host third division Colchester United.

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson paid tribute to plucky Exeter after it took two of the best players at Euro 2004 to see off the minor league team.

"It's just a great reminder of the romance of the FA Cup," he told Sky Sports News. "When any small club in the country gets drawn against a big team it's so inspirational for them.

"Obviously, it's Exeter's round, they've been fantastic... and it's been great for football.

"I think everyone in the country has focused on Exeter City, and quite rightly, because of their achievements."

As for the game at St James's Park, he said: "They kept us hemmed in our own half, with the wind and the crowd behind them, and there was a lot going for them in the second half. They showed fantastic energy to last the distance.

Exeter manager Alex Inglethorpe told the BBC: "I'm very proud of the team. After the early goal, we showed that we could be solid and kept going."

The comfortable scoreline belied the fact that United had to scrap for their win in the blustery conditions.

Hugely embarrassed by the draw at Old Trafford, Ferguson wheeled out the big guns with Rooney, Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs thrown into the attack from the start, backed by Paul Scholes.

There was an early dividend when Ronaldo was put through by Scholes and his angled shot got beneath Exeter's teenage keeper Paul Jones.

NO AVALANCHE

But the expected avalanche of goals from United never materialised as Exeter matched their millionaire opponents for sheer effort.

They could even have been level in the 61st minute when unmarked striker Sean Devine volleyed their best chance wide from the edge of the six-yard box. Devine did find the United net in the 75th minute but his strike was offside.

Rooney, who had been denied by Jones all night, finally relieved the pressure on the holders when he rounded the keeper and slotted into an empty net.

German defender Moritz Volz fired Fulham into a 13th minute lead in their replay against League Cup semi-finalists Watford after pouncing on a defensive error at Craven Cottage.

Andy Cole set up Canadian striker Tomasz Radzinski to put the result beyond doubt in the 65th minute.

Two goals from midfielder David Thompson in the first half, either side of Joel McAnuff's equaliser, put Blackburn in charge at Ewood Park.

Norwegian midfielder Morten Gamst Pedersen added a third just after the break, but Cardiff's James Collins kept the tie alive with a 54th minute strike.

Adam Boyd got the winner as third division Hartlepool beat fourth division Boston United 1-0 in the night's other replay.

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