Rovers Pay the Penalty.

[Alan75]

After it looked as if Rovers had performed a dramatic escape when Garry Flitcroft's second goal deep into injury time had taken the game into extra time. Rovers were convincingly beated in the penalty shoot out.

Within 10 minutes of the start Kevin Phillips collected a through ball from Thornton to give Sunderland the lead.

Rovers equalised through captain Garry Flitcroft as he headed home from Thompson's corner to put Blackburn back in the game.

With 10 minutes remaining, Gavin McCann put Sunderland in the lead with a superb volley. However with only seconds of the tie remaining Garry Flitcroft slides in at the far post to convert David Thompson's cross.

Score at 90 min 2-2.

With no goals in extra time, the game went into penalties,Phillips, Kilbane and McCann were on target in the shoot-out, sending Sunderland through as Thompson missed and Andy Cole and Grabbi saw their efforts saved by Sorensen.

Sunderland: Sorensen, Gray (Oster 114), Thome, Craddock, Wright, Arca (McCartney 87), Thornton, McCann, Kilbane, Phillips, Proctor (Kyle 116).

Subs Not Used: Macho, Thirlwell.

Yellow card . Proctor.

Blackburn: Friedel, McEveley (Douglas 45), Johansson (Grabbi 82), Taylor, Neill, Berg, Tugay, Flitcroft, Thompson, Cole, Yorke (Ostenstad 72).

Subs Not Used: Jansen, Kelly.

Yellow card. Neill, Thompson.

Attendance: 15,745.

Referee: A D'Urso