Soccer: Bolton send Sunderland out of Cup

Bolton Wanderers' Marvin Sordell, right, vies for the ball with Sunderland's Titus Bramble, during their FA Cup third round replay, won 2-0 by Bolton. Photo / AP

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

Sunderland have enjoyed an upsurge in English Premier League fortunes in recent weeks, moving six points clear of the relegation zone, but they joined north-east rivals 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 minutes in the second half to earn Bolton a home game with Everton in the fourth round. His first goal arrived from the penalty spot in the 64th minute, before he dispatched a Tyrone Mears cut-back in the 73rd minute.

Fulham were on the verge of elimination to Bolton's Championship rivals Blackpool after on-loan Aston Villa forward Nathan Delfouneso put the hosts 1-0 up in the 82nd minute at Bloomfield Road. However, a 23m 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. Fulham will meet either Manchester United or West Ham United, who were due to lock horns in a replay at Old Trafford overnight.

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 they saw off Crystal Palace 4-1 after extra time. Walters scored two own goals and missed a penalty on Saturday, but he netted twice in extra time on his return to 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 Manchester City for a place in round five, in what is a repeat of the 2011 final which City won. Chelsea will face a trip to third-tier Brentford 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 their 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 18th-minute strike gave them a 1-0 win at home to third-tier Bournemouth, while 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 were to host Swansea City in another all-Premier League replay overnight, with second-tier Brighton and Hove Albion, conquerors of Newcastle, awaiting the victors in round four.

- AFP