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Blackburn came from behind to beat Sunderland 2-1 after extra-time in their FA Cup fourth round replay at Ewood Park.

David Healy had given the Black Cats the perfect start, latching on to Daryl Murphy"s deflected shot to beat Paul Robinson in the seventh minute.

But Blackburn did not deserve to lose the game and after mounting pressure and numerous missed chances, Rovers equalised through Aaron Mokoena's stunning long-range strike in the 37th minute.

But Sunderland's brave effort was killed off with penalties looming as substitute Benni McCarthy pounced to nod home from five yards, meeting Carlos Villanueva's cross in the 118th minute.

Earlier, Healy had grabbed his opportunity to start the game with a strike which was against the run of play; Murphy's shot was deflected into the striker's path and he made no mistake in finishing past Robinson.

Jason Roberts then brought a fine stop out of Craig Gordan in the 26th minute - after being picked out by Villanueva - who crucially parried his save away from the onrushing Roque Santa Cruz with the striker loitering ominously.

Santa Cruz then squandered a glorious opportunity to equalise ten minutes later, after more impressive wing-play by Villanueva, who drifted in another good cross, with the Paraguay striker somehow heading wide.

But Rovers deservedly cancelled their arrears through a most unlikely source - Mokoena, the combative midfielder, emphatically found the top corner of Gordon's goal from 25 yards to equalise.

Santa Cruz was again the culprit in the 51st minute after Villanueva lofted a 30 yard free-kick into the penalty area, but the striker's header was tipped over the bar by Gordon, who had no right to save from such close range.

A superb curling free-kick from Villanueva then brought a stretching tip over the bar by Gordon, while both managers replaced key players with the weekend's fixtures in mind, beyond the impending extra-time.

Zurab Khizanishvili, who had earlier struck the post, headed over in the dying minutes, while at the other end, Andy Reid failed to convert Carlos Edwards' cross with the ball tramped under his feet at the back post.

Extra-time was largely uneventful as the game drifted towards an inevitable penalty shoot-out, before McCarthy popped up to score the most opportunist of goals to send Rovers into the FA Cup fifth round.

Dan Quarell / Eurosport