5,000 Voices Kept Sunderland In The Cup!

Martin O'Neill says Sunderland's 5,000-strong travelling support played their part as the Black Cats came back from the brink at Bolton.

Sunderland were heading out of the FA Cup after going 2-0 down at the Reebok Stadium, with a howler from Carlos Cuellar gifting Bolton the lead as Chung-Yong Lee took full advantage before Marvin Sordell doubled the Trotters’ lead early in the second half.

But goals from sub Connor Wickham and Craig Gardner earned the Wearsiders a draw and took the tie to a replay at the Stadium of Light.

Martin O'Neill: “We certainly contributed greatly to our potential downfall with the first goal. We were really sloppy in the first half.

“We had 5,000 people who paid their hard-earned money to come here and support us again, and they deserved better than we served up in the first half.

"But a proper FA Cup third-round match finally came to the boil in the last 35 minutes. Roared on by the crowd, I thought we did brilliantly to fight back.

“Connor did great, and I was delighted for him.

“He was coming on anyway, even if we had to play three at the back to get him on.

“To get the goal will be a big confidence booster for him.

“I think that’s been the first time he has been on the field with Steven Fletcher and, while it is hard to make a judgement on 35 minutes, it looks like they can play together.”

Source: Sunderland-Mad