Sunderland loses to Bolton in third-round FA Cup replay - The Australian

Bolton's Marvin Sordell scores from the penalty spot past Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet during the FA Cup third round replay. Bolton won 2-0. Source: Getty Images

SUNDERLAND went out of the FA Cup to second-tier Bolton Wanderers after losing a third-round replay 2-0 today, while Fulham celebrated the narrowest of narrow escapes against Blackpool.

Sunderland has enjoyed a surge in Premier League fortunes in recent weeks, moving six points clear of the relegation zone, but it joined north-east rival Newcastle United in falling at the first hurdle in the cup.

England Under-21 striker Marvin Sordell was the match-winner at the Reebok Stadium, striking twice in the space of nine second-half minutes to earn Bolton a home game with Everton in the fourth round.

His first goal arrived from the penalty spot in the 64th minute after a foul on Darren Pratley by Jack Colback, before he dispatched a Tyrone Mears cut-back in the 73rd minute to complete the scoring.

Fulham was on the verge of elimination to Bolton's Championship rival Blackpool after on-loan Aston Villa forward Nathan Delfouneso put the hosts 1-0 up in the 82nd minute at Bloomfield Road.

However, a stunning 25m strike by Kieran Richardson in the last minute took the game to extra time and Fulham skipper Brede Hangeland scored the winner with four minutes left to secure a 2-1 win.

Fulham will now meet either Manchester United or West Ham United, who lock horns in a replay at Old Trafford tomorrow.

Jon Walters went some way towards atoning for his horror show in Stoke City's 4-0 loss to Chelsea at the weekend by scoring twice as Tony Pulis' side saw off Championship club Crystal Palace 4-1 after extra time.

Walters scored two own goals and missed a penalty in Saturday's game but he netted twice in extra time on his return to the Britannia Stadium, after Glenn Murray's 87th-minute penalty for Palace cancelled out Kenwyne Jones' opener.

Cameron Jerome claimed a late fourth for Stoke, who will tackle English champions Manchester City for a place in round five in what is a repeat of the 2011 final which City won.

Chelsea, meanwhile, will face a trip to third-tier Brentford in the fourth round after the League One outfit saw off Southend United 2-1.

In the only all-Premier League encounter of the evening, Queens Park Rangers put its relegation fears to one side to win 1-0 at West Bromwich Albion through a 75th-minute header by Jay Bothroyd.

Wigan Athletic avoided an upset as Mauro Boselli's emphatic 18th-minute strike gave it a 1-0 win at home to third-tier Bournemouth, who twice hit the frame of the goal.

Former Senegal star El-Hadji Diouf celebrated his 32nd birthday by scoring the decisive goal from the penalty spot as Leeds United won 2-1 at Birmingham City to set up a home tie with Tottenham Hotspur.

Arsenal hosts Swansea City in another all-Premier League replay tomorrow, with second-tier Brighton and Hove Albion, conqueror of Newcastle, awaiting the victor in round four.

AFP