Sunderland beat Northampton on penalties after coming from two goals behind at the Stadium of Light.
Constantine penalty smashes off post to send Black Cats into fourth round
Sunderland beat Northampton on penalties after coming from two goals behind at the Stadium of Light.
The Cobblers, who had beaten Bolton in the last round, deservedly took the lead on 20 minutes when Colin Larkin latched onto a through ball to score past Marton Fulop.
Luke Guttridge then added a second on 81 minutes from a Larkin cross to send Northampton towards the fourth round for the first time since 1966.
But Sunderland got one back five minutes later through substitute Anthony Stokes, who then netted his second deep into injury time to send the game to extra-time.
Leon Constantine headed just over from a corner for the visitors, while Daryl Murphy could have won it for the Black Cats but shot wide.
In penalties, Northampton skipper Mark Hughes sent his effort over, but Stokes then saw his clip the crossbar and go over.
The Black Cats then went through after Constantine's effort smashed against the post.
Derby victory
The red and white faithful headed away from the Stadium of Light on Saturday evening celebrating a derby victory over Middlesbrough and a match-winning return from Michael Chopra following the personal problems which Roy Keane admitted had taken his spark away.
There were more than a few raised eyebrows when the striker was not included in a starting line-up which featured eight changes, although the dead leg he suffered against Boro may have explained his presence only among the substitutes.
But if Chopra had rediscovered his spark, that quality was sadly lacking in the men who did take the field before the break, or at least until Northampton had edged their way in front.
The Cobblers enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges as Sunderland struggled for any kind of coherence, and the opening goal was far from against the run of play.
Constantine's flick-on fell perfectly for strike-partner Larkin, and his firmly-struck right-foot shot was too good for keeper Fulop.
Only a last-ditch block from Nyron Nosworthy denied defender Jason Crowe a free strike at goal eight minutes later, and the home fans were less than impressed.
But it was then that the Black Cats finally managed to find their feet, and but for the excellence of keeper Frank Fielding, they would have been at least back on terms by the time the first half drew to a close.
He dived full-length to claw away David Healy's flicked 33rd-minute header, then denied captain Dean Whitehead in the final minute of the half - after Andy Reid and Grant Leadbitter had gone close.
Sunderland changes
Keane, never afraid to make changes, did just that at the break when he hauled Carlos Edwards and Healy off and replaced them with Kieran Richardson and, to the delight of the fans, Chopra.
However, Northampton came close to a second goal with 57 minutes gone when Constantine controlled Hughes' cross into space and then thumped a right-foot shot on the turn straight at Fulop.
The Sunderland goalkeeper was left exposed again six minutes later when Larkin and Constantine combined for the latter to stand the ball up at the far post, but midfielder Andy Holt glanced his header wide.
Keane's men were making little impression, and Chopra wasted a rare chance when he blazed a 70th-minute free-kick high over.
Their woes increased markedly nine minutes from time when Larkin picked out Guttridge inside the box and he volleyed into the bottom corner.
But Stokes climbed off the bench to pull a goal back with five minutes to go and then, with his side down to 10 men because of an injury to Nosworthy, level in the third minute of stoppage-time.
Extra-time could not split the sides, and it came down to a test of nerve from 12 yards.
Cobblers skipper Hughes and Stokes both failed, but after Richardson had converted the Wearsiders' fifth penalty, Constantine's effort smashed off the upright to complete an unlikely fightback.
