Sunderland staged an astonishing injury-time turnaround to beat Shrewsbury Town and book their place in the fourth round of the FA Cup. After a tricky opening quarter-hour in which Luke Leahy hit the woodwork for the Shrews, the Black Cats dominated the game but could not find the net.
And when Matt Pennington headed the hosts in front from a corner 10 minutes from time, it looked as though Sunderland's FA Cup run would be over before it had begun. But in the second minute of added time, substitute Ross Stewart headed Sunderland level, and then Luke O'Nien scored the winner two minutes later to turn the game on its head and give the Black Cats the victory they deserved.
They will now go into the fourth round draw, which is made tomorrow ahead of the third round tie between Manchester City and Chelsea. Tony Mowbray made three changes to the side that started last weekend's Championship draw at Blackpool.
READ MORE: Shrewsbury Town 1-2 Sunderland: Highlights and reaction as injury-time goals book 4th round spot
Alex Bass replaced Anthony Patterson in goal, Abdoullah Ba came in for Jack Clarke, and Costa Rica international Jewison Bennette made his first appearance since his involvement in the World Cup, replacing star striker Stewart The bench also included four youngsters from the club's U18 ranks, with 18-year-old midfielder Ben Middlemas, two 16-year olds in striker Mason Cotcher and wideman Tom Watson, along with midfielder Chris Rigg, with the latter coming on as a late substitute to become the club's youngest ever outfielder at the age of 15 years and 203 days.
Shrewsbury boss Steve Cotterill also made three changes, in his case to the side that lost at home to Fleetwood on New Year's Day. Ex-Sunderland striker Aiden O'Brien came into the side, along with Killian Phillips and Elliot Bennett. But former Black Cats Tom Flanagan and Carl Winchester missed out - the latter because he is on loan with the Shrews and therefore ineligible - while Rob Street was the other man to make way.
Sunderland had to weather an early storm as Shrewsbury put them under pressure right from the off. Jordan Shipley sent an early shot across the face of goal, and a couple of minutes later the hosts hit the woodwork when Luke Leahy seized on a slack pass and chipped Bass, but the ball came back off the bar and looped into the grateful keeper's arms.
Leahy then headed over the bar from a corner as the Shrews continued to dominate. Sunderland gradually began to get a foothold in the game, with Patrick Roberts skewing a volley wide from Bennette's cross.
The Black Cats should then have been awarded a penalty when Roberts was tripped inside the box by Leahy, but referee Scott Oldham saw it differently and instead opted to book the forward for diving. Killian Phillips brought a save out of Bass with a first-time shot from the edge of the area, while at the other end Trai Hume saw an effort deflected wide.
And just on the stroke of half-time, Roberts sent another shot inches wide of the left-hand post from the edge of the box. Sunderland continued to have the lion's share of possession but struggled to carve out clear-cut chances in the second half.
Roberts sent a shot high and wide from just outside the box, while Dan Neil fired over the top from the edge of the area following a well-worked corner routine. Mowbray sent on Stewart and Clarke in place of Ba and Bennette.
Stewart brought a save out of Marko Marosi 20 minutes from time when he diverted Hume's cross goalwards, a few minutes later Marosi had to get down smartly to turn a low shot from Roberts behind after the Sunderland man had done well to work a shooting chance for himself inside the box on the right, and then Amad curled a shot inches wide of the post from inside the D. But Shrewsbury scored completely against the run of play in the 81st minute.
They won a corner on the right which was delivered into the box by Tom Bayliss, and Pennington rose six yards out to head into the bottom left-hand corner.
Sunderland threw everything forward in the last ten minutes and they got their reward in injury time. First Stewart headed home from close range from Clarke's corner to level things up in the 92nd minute.
And then on 94 minutes, Sunderland pressed for a winner and Amad played the ball to O'Nien inside the D and he rifled his low shot into the bottom left-hand corner.
How they lined up
Shrewsbury Town: Marosi, Pennington, Dunkley, Moore, Bennett (Pyke 73), Phillips, Leahy, Shipley, O'Brien (Bloxham 46), Saydee (Street 73), Bayliss (Dacosta 85). Subs not used: Burgoyne, Barlow, Bailey
Sunderland: Bass, Hume, Ballard, Wright, O'Nien, Neil, Michut (Rigg 81), Ba (Stewart 60), Roberts, Bennette (Clarke 60), Amad. Subs not used: Carney, Patterson, Cotcher, Middlemas, Watson, Gooch
Booked: Roberts
Referee: Scott Oldham (Lancashire)
Attendance: 6,309
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