Goals from Michael Ricketts and Kevin Phillips set up an FA Cup third-round replay between the two Premiership strugglers.

Ricketts scored the only first-half goal

Ricketts headed Bolton in front 18 minutes into a scrappy encounter, forcing the ball past Jurgen Macho.

But Phillips set up a return trip to the Stadium of Light with a header of his own just after the hour mark.

Appropriately, Phillips had the first chance of the afternoon after being sent through by a delightful Paul Thirlwell cross, but his close-range effort was superbly blocked by Kevin Poole.

Ricketts, in contrast, found the back of the net with Bolton's first attack of note.

Key moments

13mins: Close-range Phillips strike saved 18mins: Ricketts heads for the lead 27mins: Rossiter carried off injured 45mins: Facey heads ball onto crossbar 62mins: Phillips heads over Macho to equalise 79mins: Phillips shoots wide when clear

Left in acres of space in the box, he headed the ball into the top right-hand corner from a Jeff Smith corner.

Ricketts and strike partner Delroy Facey both should have extended the lead, Ricketts failing to find the target with another first-half header while Facey was twice left ruing missed opportunities.

In his first start for the club, Facey mishit the ball when one-on-one with Macho on the half hour, and then hit the crossbar in the final minute of the half having beaten the Sunderland keeper.

In an already dire half for the visitors Stephen Wright and his replacement, Mark Rossiter, were taken off injured.

We should have won that game through dogged, basic football Sam Allardyce

Sunderland boss Howard Wilkinson realised the need for further change at the interval and the introduction of Tore Andre Flo had an immediate impact.

Joining Phillips up front, he gave the Black Cats far greater zip and the equaliser deservedly came in the 62nd minute.

We had our chances to win it which would have saved us another game Howard Wilkinson, Sunderland boss

Thirlwell produced an intelligent break down the left flank before whipping the ball into Phillips, who charged ahead of Poole to head the ball past Bolton's keeper.

The goal gave Sunderland the boost they needed and changed the shape of the game as they looked the likelier to move into the fourth round.

And Phillips had an ideal chance to seal the win in the 79th minute after beating the offside trap, but his final shot lacked accuracy and bobbled away from danger.

Bolton: Poole, Bulent, Livesey (Whitlow, 73), Campo, Barness, Smith, Tofting (Okocha, 73), Hunt, Farrelly, Ricketts, Facey. Subs not used: Jaaskelainen, Walters, Nolan.

Booked: Hunt

Sunderland: Macho, Wright (Rossiter, 16, Bjorklund, 27), Babb, Craddock, McCartney, Thirlwell, Proctor, Williams, Oster, Kyle (Flo, 45), Phillips. Subs not used: Sorensen, Stewart.

Booked: McCartney, Oster

Referee: G Barber (Hertfordshire)

Att: 10,123