Summary of FA Cup matches: Chelsea move forward in the competition with a victory against Preston, while lower-league team Maidstone United surprise Stevenage.

Chelsea secured a comfortable victory in the fourth round of the FA Cup, defeating Preston North End 4-0 at Stamford Bridge. Although the Lilywhites put up a strong fight in the first half, Chelsea’s superior quality eventually prevailed as their opponents tired.

The breakthrough came in the 58th minute when Armando Broja scored with a glancing header, giving Mauricio Pochettino’s side the lead. Eight minutes later, substitute Thiago Silva doubled Chelsea’s advantage with a powerful header from a corner at the near post.

Broja came close to adding another goal with a flicked header that grazed the top of the bar, and he was denied again by a desperate clearance from Andrew Hughes. Raheem Sterling then extended Chelsea’s lead with an exquisite free kick, putting the game beyond doubt.

Enzo Fernandez sealed the victory for Chelsea with a goal five minutes from time, finishing off a well-worked move involving Sterling and Moises Caicedo. This was Fernandez’s fourth goal of the season, highlighting his impact for the team.

In a surprising turn of events, Maidstone United, a team from the National League South, caused the biggest upset of the third round by defeating League One high-flyers Stevenage 1-0. Sam Corne’s first-half penalty secured the victory for Maidstone, making them the lowest-ranked side remaining in the competition.

AFC Wimbledon faced a tough challenge against Ipswich in a thrilling encounter at Plough Lane. Despite putting up a strong fight, Wimbledon ultimately fell short, with Ipswich emerging as 3-1 winners after Harry Pell was sent off for the hosts.

Leicester City, currently leading the Championship table, narrowly defeated Millwall 3-2 in an exciting match at the Den. Tom Cannon scored the winning goal just after the hour mark, securing Leicester’s place in the next round.

Bournemouth avoided an upset by coming back from a 2-0 deficit to defeat QPR 3-2 at Loftus Road. It was a spirited performance from QPR, but Bournemouth’s quality prevailed in the end.

Brighton and Hove Albion also had to come from behind to secure a victory against Stoke City. Despite the potential for an upset, Roberto de Zerbi’s side showcased their class and emerged as 4-2 winners, with goals from Pervis Estupinan, Lewis Dunk, and a brace from Joao Pedro.

Sheffield United ensured they would not become the latest Premier League casualty in the FA Cup, as they comfortably defeated Gillingham 4-0 at Priestfield. The match also saw the debut of new signing Ben Brereton Diaz, who came off the bench after joining the team the day before.