Former Newcastle winger Keith Gillespie broke Sunderland hearts with a winner
for 10-man Blackburn in a close-fought FA Cup fourth round clash at Ewood Park.
A fortnight ago, Tim Sherwood was dismissed for two bookable offences in the
home game against Leeds after Gillespie had scored the only goal of the game.
The only difference on Saturday was that Gillespie scored three minutes after Jeff
Kenna was dismissed for two bookable offences in the 63rd minute.
Blackburn also had to cope with the loss of keeper John Filan, who was
stretchered off the field in first-half injury time after a collision with Niall
Quinn.
The first half had been a disappointing affair as Sunderland dominated but
failed to break down Rovers' resilient defence.
Sunderland might have found the net in the opening minute but keeper Thomas
Sorensen was quicker to the ball than lone striker Ashley Ward.
Sunderland's double strike threat of Quinn and Phillips failed to threaten in
the opening part of the game but Marlon Broomes showed cool composure in the
17th minute to guide the ball back to Filan with Phillips menacing.
Quinn looked to have opened the scoring in the 20th minute.
A long ball from
Phillips on the left flank was controlled first time by Quinn on the edge of the
area.
He moved forward two yards and lobbed Filan but the ball dropped
agonisingly wide of goal.
Rovers fans were beginning to get edgy and had only a miskick by Sorensen to
cheer.
But in the 28th minute Damien Duff dummied his way round Chris Makin and sent
over a terrific cross for Ward but Sorensen managed to palm the ball away before
falling gratefully on it.
Clark spurned a chance for the visitors in the 32nd minute.
Allan Johnston's
neat interplay with Alex Rae gave Phillips time to knock the ball down but
midfielder Clark fired over from the edge of the area.
Rovers captain Henchoz found his way into the book for a late challenge in the
35th minute to follow cautions for Kenna and Sunderland's Gavin McCann for
earlier similar misdemeanours.
Then Gillespie missed the chance of the game three minutes from the break - to
the delight of the away fans.
David Dunn played a superb ball to Kenna down the
right.
The defender cruised into the area and crossed but Gillespie's effort
flashed over.
There was bad news for Rovers boss Brian Kidd in injury time when Filan was
stretchered off after a collision with his own defender Broomes as Quinn chased
a ball through but Rovers had the perfect replacement in Tim Flowers.
Kidd balanced his side with another change after the break replacing Darren
Peacock with striker Nathan Blake and Rovers switched to a 4-4-2 formation.
But still Sunderland pressed and Blackburn were grateful to Callum Davidson
when he cleared Michael Gray's 54th-minute cross as Quinn waited.
Ward narrowly missed out on his first ever Rovers goal in the 61st minute with
a dipping shot which fell inches wide of Sorensen's left-hand post.
Rovers were reduced to 10 men in the 63rd minute. Phillips looked set to
strike on the edge of the area but Kenna brought the forward down from behind to
earn his second booking of the game and got his marching orders.
But three minutes later Gillespie became a goalscoring hero again.
A Davidson
throw was flicked into the danger area by Ward. Butler cleared but only as far
as Gillespie whose strike was blocked.
Blake pounced on the loose ball and his effort was well saved by Sorensen but
the keeper could do nothing to keep out Gillespie's drive from the rebound.
Rae became the second man to leave the field by stretcher in the 71st minute
when he was replaced by Nicky Summerbee.
The Wearsiders were not prepared to lie down and the sprightly figure of
Summerbee began to torment Davidson.
But both the invention and legs had disappeared from under the rest of his
team-mates as Rovers held firm under the weight of opposition pressure.
Teams:
Blackburn: Filan (Flowers 45), Kenna, Davidson,
Peacock (Blake 45), Henchoz, Wilcox, Duff (Croft 64), Broomes,
Dunn, Gillespie, Ward.
Subs Not Used: Thomas, Taylor.
Sent Off: Kenna (63).
Booked: Kenna, Henchoz, Wilcox.
Goals: Gillespie 67.
Sunderland: Sorensen, Makin, Gray, McCann, Melville,
Butler (Smith 80), Rae (Summerbee 71), Clark, Quinn (Dichio 89),
Phillips, Johnston.
Subs Not Used: Ball, Marriott.
Booked: McCann.
Att: 30,125
Ref: S Lodge (Barnsley).
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