This is how it played out as Sunderland complete stunning stoppage-time comeback at Shrewsbury
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The Black Cats had recovered from a sluggish start to dominate the contest, but when the hosts scored from a corner with less than ten minutes to play it looked as if the club’s dismal recent record in the competition was continuing.
But deep into stoppage time Ross Stewart stooped to turn home a corner. That corner had been won by Chris Rigg, who had been introduced after Shrewsbury’s goal to become the club’s youngster ever outfield player.
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Hide AdRigg then played a part as Sunderland swept forward again, the ball breaking to the edge of the area where Luke O’Nien fired a brilliant finish into the bottom corner. It was a remarkable turnaround and a deserved one at that.
Shrewsbury had named a strong side and given Sunderland’s defensive injuries, they were clearly going to have a significant aerial and physical advantage. In a torrid first ten the Black Cats could easily have gone behind, let off twice when Shipley failed to connect well with efforts inside the box. They were then almost undone by a moment of brilliance from Leahy, who stole possession just outside the box before striking the bar with an audacious effort had Bass well beaten.
Sunderland were rocking, but slowly they began to get to grips with Shrewsbury’s threat and once they started to control possession the hosts found almost impossible to get it off them.
Bennette did well to beat his man and swing over a cross that Roberts just couldn’t connect clearly with, before the latter was inexplicably booked for diving after clearly being tripped as he burst into the box.
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Hide AdSunderland were now on top, only in trouble on the rare moments they gave the ball away. Saydee should have done better when the ball broke into his path, but a poor effort made for an easy save for Bass.
The visitors twice went close to taking a lead before the break, Hume having an effort deflected wide of the post from the edge of the box before Roberts went even closer on his weaker right foot.
The Black Cats had ended the half the better side, controlling the ball but lacking cutting edge in the absence of a natural striker.
That pattern of play continued into the second half, Sunderland by far the better of the two sides and almost getting ahead when Amad and Roberts combined in dangerous areas on a number of occasions. Conditions had worsened significantly but the hosts were struggling to ask any question of the Sunderland defence.
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Hide AdMowbray turned to Stewart in search of the goal and he came close when he turned Hume’s cross towards goal, but Marosi was equal to the effort and the danger again passed.
Amad looked as if he had given his side the lead when he curled an effort inches wide of the far post from the edge of the area, and just over a minute later the Black Cats were behind almost entirely against the run of play. The hosts won a corner and swung it into a dangerous area, where Pennington was there to meet it and head past bass Bass.
It looked as if that would be that before the remarkable late show from Mowbray’s side, who now go into the draw on Sunday evening.
Sunderland XI: Bass; Hume, Ballard, Wright, O’Nien; Neil, Ba (Stewart, 59), Michut (Rigg, 81); Roberts, Bennette (Clarke, 59), Amad
Subs: Carney, Patterson, Middlemas, Cotcher, Watson, Gooch
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Hide AdShrewsbury Town XI: Marosi; Pennington, Moore, Leahy, Phillips, Bennett (Pyke, 72), Bayliss (Dacosta,84) , Dunkley, O’Brien (Bloxham, 45), Saydee (Street,72), Shipley
Subs: Burgoyne, Barlow, Bailey
Bookings: Roberts, 20 Shipley, 89
Attendance: 6,309