This is how it played out as excellent Sunderland performance earns FA Cup replay - but comes with major injury blow

Stewart was stretchered off 20 minutes into the contest in visible discomfort, a potentially major blow for his side’s play-off aspirations.

Everything else about this performance suggested a club firmly on the up, even if Tom Cairney eventually cancelled out Jack Clarke’s early goal. Tony Mowbray’s side created chances throughout and will feel as if this was a tie they could have won on the day.

Sunderland had brought 6,000 fans to Craven Cottage and for much of those first 20 minutes, they were in dreamland.

Fulham immediately took control of the ball as expected but Sunderland were given an unexpected opening just six minutes in. Clarke picked his moment to press well and Diop dithered on the ball – the winger nicked it and cooly slotted his effort into the far corner.

It gave the Black Cats a huge injection of confidence and for a spell they looked the more incisive team, even if Tosin ought to have done better fo rhe hosts when he stooped to meet a corner at close range but headed into the ground and over the bar. Sunderland were otherwise having the better of it, Amad and Roberts combining down the right as well as they do in the second tier.

All looked well until Stewart chased a loose ball towards the corner. The Scot initially looked behind him, seemingly wondering if he had been kicked or stood on something. He hadn’t, quickly falling to the ground clutching his achilles. Within minutes the stretcher was on to take him off, the severity of the injury immediately clear to all. To say it took the edge of the party atmosphere in the away stand would be an understatement.

Fulham began to take control, the visitors struggling to adjust without a focal point through the middle to play off. Though Patterson wasn’t being tested, Harry Wilson went inches away from scoring a trademark goal as he cut in off the right flank and curled one just wide of the far post.

Sunderland began to adjust as the half-time interval approached, with Roberts in particular getting the better of his opposite number and driving into dangerous areas. One such run presented a big scoring opportunity, but Amad could only cut his effort wide of the near post.

Fulham swept up the other end, Solomon standing up a gorgeous cross to the far post where Andreas looked certain to convert. His thumping first-time volley was bound for the bottom corner, but Dan Ballard had somehow sensed the danger and managed to block with his trailing leg. It was the highlight of a deeply impressive first half from the young defender.

Mowbray’s side would have one more opening before the break when Neil won a key challenge in the middle of the pitch. Michut broke to the edge of the box and slid in Amad, but his first touch just wasn’t quite good enough and allowed the Fulham defence to block his effort.

Roberts picked up where he left off at the start of the second, more wonderful footwork allowing him to tee up Ba who cut his effort just wide of the post. Wilson broke into a similar position at the other end shortly after, denied only by a strong Patterson save high to his right. An absorbing contest was swinging from end to end, Amad and Roberts having efforts blocked at the near post by Rodak.

You could feel Fulham’s quality and threat but even so Mowbray’s side just continued to carve out excellent chances, none more so than when Roberts made an interception in his own half and just kept going. On and on he went to the edge of the box before putting an effort just wide. Sunderland were impressing hugely but spurning chances to make the game more comfortable.

Almost inevitably, they were punished. Hume just missed an interception on the flank and that allowed Kurzawa into the final third. He cut s low cross back to Cairney who did superbly, spinning away from two defenders before firing into the back of the net.

It was testament to Sunderland’s performance that Silva turned to Mitrovic and Willian in search if the winner, and the latter stung the palms of Patterson with a free kick from the edge of the box.

A tiring Sunderland were still creating chances, Neil slicing an effort over after good blocks from Roberts and Ekwah.

A top performance almost had a fairytale ending when 15-year-old substitute converted from close range, but the offside flag had already been raised against Abdoullah Ba. There was still time for Fulham to carve out one more clear opening, but Patterson saved superbly to deny Mitrovic and then Willian inside the box.

A replay was the least Sunderland deserved for their efforts, but all eyes now turn to Stewart’s injury and the closing moments of the transfer window.

Sunderland XI: Patterson; Hume, Ballard, Batth, Alese (Huggins, 45); Neil, Michut (Ekwah, 77); Roberts (Rigg, 85), Amad, Clarke (Bennette, 77); Stewart (Ba, 19)

Subs: Bass, Johnson, Watson, Kelly

Fulham XI: Rodak; Tete, Tosin, Diop, Kurzawa; Cairney (Reid, 77), Palhinha (Reed, 77), Andreas; Wilson (Willian, 68), Solomon, Vinicius (Mitrovic, 63)

Subs: Leno, Ream, Duffy, James, Harris

Bookings: Alese, 43 Kurzawa, 62 Batth, 74

Attendance: 22,905