Argentinian Julio Arca returned from the wilderness to fire Sunderland into the fourth round of the FA Cup in extra-time.

The South American, making his first start since October, struck 98 minutes into a third-round replay to edge the Black Cats towards a showdown with Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park later this month, with substitute Michael Proctor confirming victory a minute later.

But 30 years after the Wearsiders enjoyed the greatest day in their history by beating the mighty Leeds in the 1973 final, there was little of the magic of the FA Cup on show at the Stadium of Light.

The game was played out in front of a meagre crowd of 14,550 by two much-changed sides, and the fare on offer was for long periods unappetising to say the least.

Sunderland will at least comfort themselves as they return to the serious business of scraping together enough Premiership points to survive that they were deserved winners - the first time they have experienced that sensation in seven outings - having worked Bolton keeper Kevin Poole far more than the visitors were able to do with Thomas Sorensen.

But manager Howard Wilkinson will be concerned that strikers Kevin Kyle and Marcus Stewart passed up more than enough chances in normal time to have made an extra 30 minutes unnecessary.

Both managers had signalled in advance that they were unlikely to field their strongest teams and the supporters responded accordingly as those who decided to attend were greeted by banks of empty red seats by the time the game kicked off.

But if the prospect of watching Sunderland's reserves play Bolton's reserves in a howling gale did not appeal to many, the home fans were at least able to comfort themselves with the knowledge that their side enjoyed much the better of the opening period.

There may have been no Kevin Phillips in a starting line-up which featured eight changes from Saturday, but Kyle, the man asked to lead the fight in his absence, was handed two glorious chances which would have left the England striker looking on enviously.

That he converted neither, producing a fine save from Poole with a well-struck 21st-minute volley after a slip by Ivan Campo, and then heading into the keeper's waiting arms in injury-time, will have been a disappointment, but given him hope that more opportunities would come his way.

Bolton, who also made eight changes to the side which drew 0-0 with Fulham on Saturday, were simply not at the races for long periods, with Campo in particular making errors at the back to pile the pressure on his own side.

As an attacking unit they troubled Sorensen just once, and that was his own fault as he fumbled a Youri Djorkaeff corner on to the roof of his own net.

There were other positives too for Sunderland as the returning Arca, making his first start in 18 games, and debutant Sean Thornton, made good headway, while the fans also got their first sight of £3.5million Argentinian Nicolas Medina - in his 18th month at the club.

The pattern of the first half was largely repeated after the break as the home side continued to dominate, but failed to trouble Poole with any regularity.

Thornton forced a solid save with a low 48th-minute drive from a well-worked short corner and then hammered another effort into Bruno N'Gotty.

Chances were few and far between for the visitors with substitute Paul Warhurst, on at half-time for Delroy Facey, sent Sorensen full length to keep out a 68th-minute piledriver and then blasted another goal-bound volley into Stewart.

But in the meantime, the former Ipswich striker had squandered another golden opportunity, shooting straight at Poole after being set up by Kyle and Gavin McCann.

Sorensen had few worries but had to race from his line on 77 minutes to dispossess Djorkaeff as he attempted to round him, and it was Sunderland who started to pile on the pressure as time ran down.

Kyle lifted Arca's 80th-minute pass over the bar and then Thornton forced Poole into a superb save two minutes later with a dipping volley as the Black Cats attempted to dispense with the need for extra-time.

Nolan might have won it at the death but blasted his shot into the covering Thornton, but Proctor saw Poole tip a looping header over seconds later.

However, it was Kyle who was guilty of the most glaring miss deep into injury time, powering a free header wide from McCann's inch-perfect cross with time and space to spare.

The breakthrough finally arrived eight minutes into the first period of extra-time when Arca ran on to Kyle's lay-off and blasted past Poole, and Proctor got into the act seconds later to seal victory with a curling left-foot shot.

Teams:

Sunderland: Sorensen, Williams, Thome, Bjorklund (Varga 60), Gray (Proctor 66), Arca, Medina (McCartney 90), McCann, Thornton, Stewart, Kyle.

Subs Not Used: Macho, Oster.

Goals: Arca 99, Proctor 100.

Bolton: Poole, Smith, N'Gotty, Campo, Whitlow, Mendy (Hunt 80), Farrelly (Walters 62), Nolan, Tofting, Facey (Warhurst 45), Djorkaeff.

Subs Not Used: Jaaskelainen, Bulent.

After Extra Time

Att: 14,550

Ref: N Barry (N Lincolnshire).