League One side Bradford City continued their FA Cup heroics as they dumped Sunderland out of the competition to reach the last eight.
Phil Parkinson’s men were the talk of the nation after the fourth round as they came back from 2-0 down to beat Chelsea 4-2 at Stamford Bridge.
But they proved the victory was no fluke as an own goal from John O’Shea and a strike from ex-Black Cats striker Jonathan Stead gave the Bantams a 2-0 triumph.
Bradford didn’t hang about as they looked to slay their opponents and just two minutes into the clash Billy Clarke’s strike cannoned into the back of the net off the unfortunate O’Shea, who could only look to the heavens and curse as Clarke wheeled away in celebration.
The Bantams then looked to pummel their Premier Leagueopponents into submission as they piled on the pressure with James Hanson going close, before Sebastian Larsson’s shot was blocked as Sunderland looked to fight back.
Clarke was denied a goal of his own when Vito Mannone tipped a shot wide of the post, while Patrick van Aanholt offered the Mackems some promise as he forced Ben Williams into an excellent save.
After half time, Connor Wickham came on for the goal-shy Danny Graham but even the 21-year-old found it hard to get into the game on a scrappy Valley Parade pitch.
And with 61 minutes on the clock, Bradford extended their lead as Stead fired beyond Mannone after Hanson had profited from an Adam Johnson mistake, while Billy Knott nearly made it 3-0 when he cracked a shot at goal from the edge of the area.
And without new striker Jermain Defoe to rescue them, Gus Poyet’s side just couldn’t claw their way back into the tie and succumbed to the might of the Bantams.
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