ENGLAND striker Kevin Phillips ended a six-game goal drought to fire Sunderland into the last eight of the Worthington Cup with an extra time penalty clincher in front of a record crowd at the Stadium of Light.

The 47,543 crowd held its breath in the 101st minute when Phillips placed the ball on the spot after being pulled back in the area and he calmly drilled his low shot into the right hand corner of the net, sending Manchester United keeper Raimond Van den Gouw the wrong way for his sixth goalof the season.

It was a dramatic fight back by Sunderland, who found themselves trailing to the Champions when Dwight Yorke scored midway through the first half.

But the Wearsiders equalised in the 75th minute through Argentinian winger Julio Arca.

And when Yorke was send off for a violent challenge on Emerson Thome in the 83rd minute the stage was set for a dramatic period of extra time which had the fans on the edge of their seats throughout.

Sunderland were forced to make changes, with winger Kevin Kilbane, ruled out with an ankle injury, replaced by Arca, while Niall Quinn, who had been troubled by a back injury, was given a place on the bench as Danny Dichio came into the team.

A minute's silence was observed before the game in tribute to former Roker legend Len Shackleton, who had died earlier in the day at the age of 78.

Sunderland were quick to push forward and after wasting an early corner on the left Kevin Phillips decided to try his luck from 25 yards, but the right-foot shot travelled straight to Van der Gouw.

Sunderland went close in the 23rd minute when Rae put over a corner from the right and Dichio got up highest to power a header just over.

Sunderland were on top but there was not a lot of noise from the home fans, who were being out-shouted by the vociferous United followers.

Sunderland won a freekick just oiutside the United penalty area and a shot from Phillips was deflected away for a corner, which brought a wildly sliced shot from Arca.

United had hardly got near the Sunderland goal in the first half hour - but broke to snatch the lead in the 31st minute when Jonathan Greening slipped a lovely pass square to Dwight Yorke, who toe-poked a right foot shot home from eight yards out.

The goal was against the run of play and Sunderland stormed back, only for Phillips to be denied a shooting chance by a great interception by John O'Shea.

Phillips, looking sharp, headed the ball through and was giving chase as Van der Gouw got there first. Sorensen had to make a brilliant save at the feet of Greening to prevent United increasing their lead in the 41st minute after a lovely break up the left by Luke Chadwick who picked out Yorke with a lovely centre.

But Sunderland came within an ace of an equaliser when hard-grafting Phillips hammered in a low left foot 20-yard shot which beat the diving keeper only to come back off the foot of the post.

Sunderland made a change at half time when Gavin McCann, recovered from a long-term knee injury, replaced Chris Makin, who had been hurt in a first minute challenge.

Sunderland almost drew level in the 47th minute when Phillips, taking a lovely through ball from Don Hutchison, had a fierce shot parried by the keeper and when Dichio tried to net the rebound his shot was deflected by Michael Clegg.

Two minutes later Phillips powered a right foot shot into the side-netting from a narrow angle on the right. McCann broke forward with determination, only to have a powerful right foot shot blocked on the edge of the box as play swung from end to end in an entertaining game.

Sorensen kept United at bay in the 57th minute with a flying goal-line save from Greening after Solskjaer and Yorke had shots blocked.

The United goal was coming under increasing pressure as Sunderland pressed and Van der Gouw had to go down at full stretch to save a 30-yarder from Hutchison.

And the pressure paid off in the 75th minute when they equalised through Arca.

Phillips centred perfectly from the right and the Argentinia sent his eight-yards header wide of the diving Van der Gouw.

But United were denied what appeared a blatant penalty in the 78th minute when Sorensen up-ended Greening in the six yards box - and there were angry protests from the Manchester bench as the referee waved aside appeals.

The game started to flare up - and United were reduced to ten men when Yorke was sent off in the 83rd minute for a crude, late tackle which left Thome needing treatment. Thome limped off to make way for Stanislav Varga.

As tempers continued to flare - Arca and substitute Stewart were booked for fouls - Phillips again came close with a 20-yard shot which the keeper saved at the second attempt amd then whipped a right foot shot inches wide of the left hand angle.

Sunderland were forced to replace injured goalkeeper Sorensen with Jurgen Macho.

Sunderland broke the deadlock after 11 minutes of extra time when Phillips scored from the spot. He got goalside of O'Shea in the race for a throlugh ball from Hutchison and was blatantly pulled back.

The little striker slammed his low right foot shot into the corner of the net.

But United failed to give up and came near to equalising twice when substitutes Healy and Stewart rattled the crossbar in the second period of extra time.