Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke came to Blackburn's rescue in a dramatic FA Cup
game at Ewood Park on Saturday.
Cole weighed in with two goals while Yorke forced a fourth round replay with a
dramatic equaliser in stoppage time.
Sunderland looked in control for long spells but squandered a two-goal lead.
After struggling to score goals all season they took the lead after 70
seconds.
Michael Gray picked the ball up in the middle of the park and fed Michael
Proctor on the left.
He quickly delivered a cross into the penalty area and Marcus Stewart swept a
shot beyond goalkeeper Brad Friedel.
Blackburn were rattled and Friedel was tested again when Phil Babb got in a
header at the back post following a corner from Julio Arca.
Then Kevin Phillips headed narrowly wide of the post following another good
delivery by Arca.
Blackburn were all over the place at the back in the opening stages of the
game.
Souness' side looked as though they were still suffering a reaction from that
semi-final defeat in midweek.
Phillips almost ahead a second for Sunderland in the 13th minute but Friedel
made a good block from his effort.
Blackburn shook off their lethargy and equalised a minute later through Cole.
He got on the end of a cross from Lucas Neill to steer a shot into the bottom
corner.
A minute later Sunderland goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen reacted quickly to turn
away a clever flick from Jansen.
Both sides were playing with a great deal of freedom and the game was wide
open.
There were plenty of wide open spaces in the stand as well to emphasise the
competition's declining popularity among the top clubs.
Sunderland may be struggling in the league but they certainly looked to have
the taste for this game.
Phillips set up Proctor but he dragged his shot from a good position across
the face of the goal.
Play switched back down the other end and Sorensen did well to boot away David
Thompson's rasping effort after he had been set up by Cole.
Blackburn were finding it hard to pin down Arca, who was constantly shifting
positions.
He again found space to release Gavin McCann but his finish was well wide of
the target.
Blackburn pushed forward and Dunn cleverly knocked the ball back to Thompson.
However his shot ended up in the crowd.
Thompson then tried his luck in the 43rd minute from 20 yards only to see his
effort go narrowly wide.
Blackburn boss Souness switched things around at half time bringing on Keith
Gillespie for Jansen.
Sunderland began the second half like they did the first and Phillips weaved
his way into the box, only to be crowded out.
However Blackburn hit back and Cole showed neat footwork to make space for
himself when Neill played the ball in.
He tried to chip the ball over Sorensen but the Sunderland goalkeeper made a
clean save.
Just over 14,000 supporters watched the game, well down on Blackburn's average
in the league.
Sunderland regained the lead in the 51st minute after a mistake by defender
Andy Todd.
He failed to cut out Phillips through ball and Proctor latched on to it to get
their second goal.
Sunderland appealed for a penalty in the 56th minute when Neill deflected
Kilbane's shot with his arm but referee David Elleray waved play on.
Souness decided to sacrifice a defender, Jon Douglas, for a striker, Egil
Ostenstad, in a bid to get back in the game.
Sunderland, though, continued to look dangerous on the break and Friedel did
well to clear a shot from Stewart.
The striker then got back to head away a dangerous cross from Cole after 65
minutes.
Sunderland extended their lead in the 69th minute when Phillips scored after a
clever back-heel from Jody Craddock unhinged the Blackburn defence.
Cole got his second goal of the game in the 73rd minute when he took a pass
from Dwight Yorke in his stride to throw Blackburn a lifeline.
The former Manchester United striker then broke away only to over-run the ball
and Sorensen was able to clear.
Sorensen blocked a shot from sub Nils-Eric Johansson before Proctor hit the
bar for Sunderland.
Blackburn drew level in stoppage time and forced a replay following a clinical
finish from Yorke after a long ball from Neill.
Teams:
Blackburn (1) 3 Sunderland (1) 3
Blackburn: Friedel, Douglas (Ostenstad 59), Todd, Taylor,
Neill, Jansen (Gillespie 45), Thompson, Tugay,
Dunn (Johansson 83), Cole, Yorke.
Subs Not Used: Short, Robinson.
Booked: Dunn.
Goals: Cole 14, 73, Yorke 90.
Sunderland: Sorensen, Gray, Babb, Craddock, Clark, Proctor,
McCann, Kilbane, Arca, Phillips, Stewart.
Subs Not Used: Thome, Kyle, Medina, Oster, Macho.
Booked: Kilbane.
Goals: Stewart 2, Proctor 52, Phillips 70.
Att: 14,315
Ref: D Elleray (Middlesex).
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