With seven changes made from Sunday's defeat to Chelsea, some could have expected Paul Ince's inexperienced Blackburn Rovers side to crumble against a Sunderland which had few changes.

Ending a six-match winless streak was vital for Ince's men ahead of Saturday's league clash with the Black Cats, making it 11 straight wins in the north east.

Ince said: “Of course we deserved it. It was a nothing game in the first half and we didn't really get going.

“Second half we played some lovely stuff. We have not won for a few games and it was important to get a win under our belt.

“You can see how much that meant for the lads.

"Tonight we enjoyed it but you don't get three points for tonight. The most important is Saturday.

“We are doing really well. We are boxing above our weight.

"Now we can really think about the next round and you do get excited because it is a path to Europe and a path to Wembley."