LE BRIS IS IN SAFE HANDS AS ROBIN RAISES THE ROEF

ROBIN ROEFS was Sunderland's hero as Everton's FA Cup hopes came to a premature end once again after three woeful penalties in a shootout saw the Black Cats reach the next round.

- BY CARL MARKHAM

David Moyes' threadbare squad looked like exiting in normal time until James Garner's 89th-minute spot-kick cancelled out Enzo Le Fee's brilliant first-half strike.

But extra time was the last thing the hosts, down to just 12 senior players, needed and when the shootout came around Garner, Thierno Barry and Beto all saw their efforts saved by Roefs.

Le Fee, Granit Xhaka and Luke O'Nien confidently scored their first three attempts to send Sunderland into the fourth round for only the second time in 11 seasons.

Black Cats boss Regis Le Bris said: "Roefs is getting better. He is really young and he wants to learn, so I think when you give him opportunities to play at that level he will grow quickly. I think it is only the beginning.