Black Cats Need To Beat Boro' For FA Cup Progress

The draw for the FA Cup fourth round was reasonably kind to Sunderland with a home draw against a team from a lower league. Shame though in a sense that Middlesboro' are in such good form and will be expected to put up a stern test in what is always a fiercely competitive local derby.
Boro' have been rebuilt under the canny management of Tony Mowbray and are currently sitting in fourth position in the Championship just two points from an automatic promotion place. With seven away wins already this season the Teesiders will relish the visit to the Stadium Of Light but the stats support Sunderland who have beaten Middlesboro on the last two trips up the A19 including the memorable 3-2 success in April 2008.
Against Sunderland is the fact that they have had an abysmal FA Cup record since reaching the semi-final in 2004 when Mick McCarthy's team were a shade unlucky to be beaten by Millwall at Old Trafford.
In the seven intervening season's prior to this SAFC have managed to lose in the 3rd or 4th round of the FA Cup to such leading teams as Brentford , Preston , Wigan , Portsmouth , Notts County and Blackburn . Everton also beat the Wearsiders 3-0 in 2005 , all in all a disastrous run by anyone's standards .
Much has been written regarding Martin O'Neills Cup record and Sunderland fan's are hoping that he has not lost any of his Cup magic , certainly Sunderland's Premier League form since O'Neill arrived would suggest that the Irishman is capable of delivering a decent Cup run this season.
The bookies are starting to take notice and having been quoted at odds of 50/1 to win the FA Cup prior to last weekend's 3rd round win at Peterborough , the Mackems are now no bigger than 20/1 and are ranked seventh in the betting .
With many all Premier League clashes in the 4th round including Liverpool against Manchester United this is surely Sunderland's best opportunity to progress for many years .