Leicester City's FA Cup adventure cruelly came to an end at the third round replay stage after going down 4-3 to Premiership outfit Fulham at Craven Cottage on Wednesday night.

In a pulsating affair the visitors more than matched their higher ranked opponents all game but with extra-time looming and the game locked at 3-3, Wayne Routledge struck to hand the Cottagers a home tie with Stoke in the next round. 

After Brian McBride's goal had cancelled out Matty Fryatt's third strike of the season, the Foxes deservedly restored their advantage thanks to first senior goals from Gareth McAuley and teenager James Wesolowski.

However a brace from former Italian international Vincenzo Montella, on at the break as a substitute, levelled matters within nine second-half minutes.

In a frantic finale, both sides pushed for a fourth in normal time but when an additional 30 minutes seemed certain, the former Tottenham winger netted in injury time to strike City a harsh blow.

Levi Porter received lengthy treatment following a heavy challenge from Moritz Volz inside the opening minute but the teenager shook off the injury and returned on the left flank.

Iain Hume tried his luck from 20-yards in the seventh minute but his effort went wide of the target with Tony Warner untroubled.

At the other end Routledge put his shot over the bar from just outside the area four minutes later.

However, it was the Foxes who went ahead in the 12th minute through Fryatt.

Paddy McCarthy fed Stephen Hughes who took one look up before flighting an inch perfect ball over the home side's defence and into the path of Fryatt.

He coolly headed the ball down before slotting his shot past the advancing Warner and into the back of the net for the opener.

Warner had to be alert to save from Fryatt on 17 minutes after he once again beat the fragile Fulham offside trap.

It was all City at this stage and they almost doubled their advantage in the 25th minute when Gareth Williams' rising effort looked destined for the top corner only for Warner to tip the ball around the post at the last minute for a flag-kick.

Alan Maybury was the next Foxes player to try his luck from distance with his dipping volley flying just wide with Warner stranded.

But against the run of play the Cottagers equalised on 35 minutes.

Tomasz Radzinski outmuscled McAuley down the left side before picking out Brian McBride in the area and the American hitman had the simple task of controlling then lashing the ball home from close range past a helpless Paul Henderson.

The Foxes were forced into a change in the 38th minute when Danny Tiatto pulled up with a hamstring injury and was immediately replaced by Wesolowski.

On 41 minutes McBride saw his thunderbolt from 25-yards fly wide before Warner saved from Fryatt a minute later as both sides looked to take the advantage into half-time.

And it was the visitors who did just that in first-half stoppage time.

McAuley met Porter's inswinging free-kick and headed home from only yards out to restore his side's deserved lead at the break.

On-loan Roma striker Vincenzo Montella replaced McBride for the second half.

But it made little difference as the Foxes extended their lead even further on 47 minutes.

Fryatt did well inside the area before teeing up Wesolowski, who jinked his way into the 18-yard box before unleashing an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net past Warner.

However, the hosts immediately hit back and made it 3-2 in the 51st minute through Montella.

After seeing his initial shot hit the post, the Italian was on hand to tap home skipper Michael Brown's low cross for his first Fulham goal.

Montella came close soon after then Henderson saved bravely at the feet of Philippe Christanval.

But he could do little to prevent Montella from grabbing his second and his side's leveller on the hour when he comfortably headed home following an inadvertent flick on from Hughes.

Carlos Bocanegra was yellow-carded for a foul on Iain Hume in the 62nd minute.

It was end-to-end action at this stage of the cup contest with Maybury doing well to block Routledge's attempt on 65 minutes.

Hughes just failed to control Porter's dangerous low cross moments later after beating Christanval to the ball.

Maybury headed off the line from Frank Queudrue in the 68th minute before Warner got down well to deny Wesolowski on 73 minutes.

Henderson gathered from Bocanegra's goalbound header two minutes later.

Goalscorer McAuley made way for Richard Stearman 10 minutes from time before Danny Cadamarteri replaced Hughes as City pushed for the winner in normal time.

Patrick Kisnorbo put his effort from a Williams corner over the bar in the 84th minute then Volz volleyed over on 90 minutes.

But Routledge broke City hearts with almost the last kick of the game when he skipped through three players, and with the referee waving play on, tucked the ball under Henderson for a cruel winner.

City: Henderson, McAuley (Stearman 80), Kisnorbo, McCarthy ©, Maybury, Hughes (Cadamarteri 82), Williams, Tiatto (Wesolowski 38), Porter, Fryatt, Hume. Subs not used: Logan, Johansson.

Fulham: Warner, Volz, Bocanegra, Queudrue, Christanval, Rosenior, Brown ©, Helguson, Radzinski, McBride (Montella 45), Routledge. Subs not used: Lastuvka, Runstrom, Zakuani, Omozusi.

Yellow Cards
City: None
Fulham: Bocanegra (62)

Referee: A Wiley