THOMAS SORENSEN was Sunderland's penalty hero last night as they booked an FA Cup fifth-round home tie with Watford.

Sorensen, back in the side for less than a month after recovering from a dislocated elbow, saved two Blackburn Rovers spot-kicks in the shoot-out.

He beat away efforts from Andy Cole and Corrado Grabbi, and Gavin McCann sealed the win when his shot bobbled home off Brad Friedel's body.

Sunderland took an early lead in the shoot-out when Kevin Phillips scored the first penalty and David Thompson fired his effort well over.

Kevin Kilbane then drilled home and Sorensen denied Cole, only for Jody Craddock to send his penalty too high.

However, Sorensen preserved Sunderland's 2-0 lead, and McCann rode his luck to confirm their place in the last 16.

Sunderland had earlier had one foot in the fifth round when Garry Flitcroft scored his second equaliser of the game in the 90th minute.

That goal came after McCann had unleashed a tremendous volley that flew into the top corner to put Sunderland 2-1 in front.

We will only find out at White Hart Lane on Saturday what effect playing 120 minutes of football on a deteriorating pitch has had on Sunderland.

Certainly, Howard Wilkinson wanted to avoid extra-time yesterday, given that they resume their battle for Premiership survival in two days' time.

But he will have been heartened by his side's performance in front of a crowd of 15,745 - barely 1,000 more than attended the FA Cup third-round replay with Bolton Wanderers.

Sunderland played with a determination that showed they wanted to right the wrongs of their last two home games.

Tenacious in the tackle, they never gave Blackburn the chance to settle in possession, and as a consequence Rovers were hustled and harried into errors.

Yes, there were mistakes aplenty from Sunderland, but at least they were putting their opponents under pressure for once.

For all the attacking talent at Graeme Souness' disposal, Blackburn can be soft touches away from home, as their pathetic 3-0 surrender at Aston Villa on Sunday proved.

And as Sunderland chased down every ball and fought for every scrap, so Rovers - who had failed to beat the Premiership's bottom club in three previous encounters this season, remember - showed themselves to be far from infallible.

That was highlighted in the build-up to Sunderland's first goal after ten minutes as Henning Berg committed footballing suicide.

In mitigation, perhaps Berg was suffering from ring-rustiness - he has only just returned from an Achilles injury - but he was the only defender that tried to play Phillips offside.

The striker was well on-side as Sean Thornton threaded through a pass, and Phillips strode forward unchallenged before placing his 15-yard shot beyond the stationary Friedel.

That was the catalyst to a steady stream of Sunderland chances that was only broken up by one golden opportunity that fell to Cole.

Jay McEveley released Cole, who had somehow evaded the attentions of the entire Black Cats defence, but his low shot was well saved by Sorensen.

Either side of that almighty scare, Sunderland had enough chances to put the tie beyond Blackburn, who only forced a replay with a stoppage-time equaliser in the first meeting at Ewood Park. Phillips had a "goal" disallowed for offside, while Julio Arca volleyed Stephen Wright's cross just wide of the far post from 11 yards.

Phillips also saw a close-range effort float narrowly wide with Friedel stranded after Arca's centre had caused chaos in the Blackburn rearguard.

Blackburn were there for the taking, but unfortunately Sunderland were incapable of capitalising on their opponents' vulnerability.

And never was that more obvious than in a 60-second spell shortly after half-time when Sunderland missed one chance and were then pegged back.

First, Phillips raced through after good work by McCann, only to see his precise shot strike a post and rebound just out of Michael Proctor's reach.

Then, Blackburn equalised from a corner that was awarded shortly after Sunderland had had a loud handball appeal turned down.

Three defenders tracked Martin Taylor's run to the near post and Flitcroft was in splendid isolation six yards out as he planted a firm header from Thompson's flag-kick past Sorensen.

To their credit, Sunderland did not fold. Indeed, Phillips went close to restoring their lead within a minute of Flitcroft's strike, only for Friedel to save his low drive.

Then, 11 minutes from time, came McCann's thunderbolt from the blue, a fearsome 20-yard volley that almost left a vapour trail as it screeched past Friedel.

Every other Sunderland outfield player converged on McCann as they celebrated his strike, Saturday's kamikaze display against Charlton Athletic having finally been put out of everyone's mind.

However, they never looked comfortable once they retook the lead, and the introduction of a fourth striker, Grabbi, tipped the balance in Blackburn's favour.

Berg bundled the ball wide from four yards after Grabbi's cross had found Flitcroft unmarked at the back post.

But Sunderland did not learn their lesson, and the Blackburn captain was again unattended as he turned home Thompson's deep centre from close range.

An extra-time winner would not come, and it was left to Sorensen to take the plaudits after a dramatic night at the Stadium of Light.

Result: Sunderland 2 Blackburn Rovers 2.

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