Ten-man Crystal Palace stood firm in the face of a Sunderland storm to ensure that they live to fight another day in this season's FA Cup.

The First Division side battled all the way against the odds to secure a 0-0 draw at the Stadium of Light despite having to play the last 33 minutes without midfielder Hayden Mullins, who was sent off after a tussle with Gavin McCann.

But Sunderland, who also had defender Stanislav Varga dismissed for a professional foul on Dougie Freedman two minutes from time, will be kicking themselves after squandering a series of chances, although they found Palace keeper Alex Kolinko in superb form.

The Latvian pulled off a series of excellent saves, including one magnificent stop from Don Hutchison, to earn his side a replay which manager Alan Smith will feel they richly deserve.

Sunderland boss Peter Reid made three changes to the side which beat Ipswich Town 4-1 on New Year's Day as Darren Williams returned in place of Michael Gray, Varga took over from Jody Craddock and Stefan Schwarz came in for the unavailable Julio Arca.

That meant Danny Dichio continued to deputise for the injured Niall Quinn, who was nevertheless named on the bench alongside Craddock.

Alan Smith's options were limited too with Chinese international Fan Zhiyi, Neil Ruddock, Tommy Black and Jamie Smith all suspended.

Although he chose to name Mikael Forsell, the man who scored his side's first goal in the 2-1 Worthington Cup quarter-final victory over the Black Cats, among the substitutes, there was a place in the starting line-up for match-winner Clinton Morrison.

Sunderland set out determined not to allow lightning to strike twice in the same place, and they had their chances as the Palace defence set out their stall as high up the field as possible.

But in their attempt to close down the space, they handed Kevin Phillips scope to get in behind them, and although brave defence kept the visitors in it, the Wearsiders should really have made the pressure count early on.

Dichio was guilty of a bad miss on 13 minutes after Don Hutchison drove the ball across the face of goal and the striker could not get a touch with the goal at his mercy, and Phillips uncharacteristically failed to make the most of two occasions on which he managed to get away from his markers.

Midfielder McCann smashed a shot just wide after playing a good one-two with Dichio, but as the opportunities went begging the Londoners grew in confidence.

Freedman, who had earlier been perhaps harshly booked for diving as he went down under Emerson Thome's challenge inside the penalty area, was making life uncomfortable for the home defence without really threatening, although Morrison was disappointingly quiet.

However, it was left to midfielder Steve Thompson to go closest with a 41st-minute volley which dropped just over the bar.

If the Premiership side had been dominant before the break, they were in complete control after it. But they found Kolinko in outstanding form.

The Latvian saved from Alex Rae and brilliantly from Hutchison before also denying McCann and Schwarz to frustrate the Wearsiders and their fans.

Sunderland's cause was aided massively on 57 minutes after McCann and Mullins wrestled as they chased a loose ball, the latter receiving his marching orders for aiming a blow at his opponent, who was yellow-carded for his pains.

Mullins' departure simply served to increase the flow of one-way traffic, although Thomas Sorensen had to turn away another speculative shot by Thomson and Freedman side-footed wide form close range from a Simon Rodger corner.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, the visitors continued to battle manfully against the odds, getting a stroke of luck on 70 minutes when the ball shot out of a goalmouth scramble and dropped just wide of the post. Dichio headed wide four minutes later.

Reid had little option but to send on a patched-up Quinn in place of the former Sampdoria striker 13 minutes from time in a bid to secure the breakthrough, but it was Palace substitute Forsell who almost got in on 84 minutes when he took a fumble by Sorensen and went down, only for the referee to wave away his appeals for a penalty.

And there was further drama to come at the death when Varga was sent off for a trip on Freedman as he chased down a long ball, the resulting free-kick coming to nothing as the home wall held firm.

Teams:

Sunderland: Sorensen, Makin, Williams (Kilbane 66), Varga, Thome, Schwarz, Hutchison, Rae, McCann, Phillips,Dichio (Quinn 77).

Subs Not Used: Macho, Craddock, Thirlwell.

Sent Off: Varga (89).

Booked: McCann, Hutchison.

Crystal Palace: Kolinko, Austin, Harrison, Frampton, Rodger, Carlisle, Rubins, Thomson, Mullins, Freedman,Morrison (Forssell 73).

Subs Not Used: Gray, Gregg, Hankin, Kabba.

Sent Off: Mullins (57).

Booked: Freedman, Frampton, Kolinko, Rodger, Harrison.

Att: 30,908

Ref: M Riley (Leeds).