IT might have been a night for surprises at the Football Association, but despite the best efforts of a spirited Middlesbrough there was to be no shock at the Riverside as Stephane Sessegnon's extra-time winner booked Sunderland an FA Cup fifth-round tie with Arsenal.

Sessegnon struck in the 113th minute to settle a pulsating replay, breaking towards the penalty area before sweeping home from 14 yards after the ball broke into his path following an attempted lay off from substitute Connor Wickham.

The win continues Sunderland's remarkable run under Martin O'Neill and will fuel hopes of a first major trophy on Wearside since 1973.

Defeat was harsh on Middlesbrough, who shaded much of last night's game and were arguably the better side at the Stadium of Light ten days earlier, but Tony Mowbray has more pressing priorities to address in the remaining three months of the season. Hopefully, nights like this will be the norm again next season.

Having come from behind in the original tie to force a replay, Sunderland must have been eyeing a less stressful evening when Jack Colback fired them ahead towards the end of the first half.

But Lukas Jutkiewicz drilled home a 57th-minute equaliser, and while Phil Bardsley struck the woodwork towards the end of normal time, there was nothing to spilt the sides until Sessegnon scored.

The difference between the two clubs' pre-match build up had been stark. Middlesbrough's mounting injury crisis meant Mowbray was deprived of his two leading attackers and arguably his two most influential midfielders, while O'Neill was able to restore a rested Fraizer Campbell to the starting line-up in his only change to the side that started at Stoke.

The former Manchester United striker forced the replay when he claimed a second-half equaliser in the original tie, and the brightness of his movement was a feature of Sunderland's early attacking play again.

His 19th-minute run released Seb Larsson down the right-hand side, and he might well have asked a serious question of Jason Steele had the Swede pulled the ball back to him as he continued his run into the area instead of dragging a wasteful effort across the face of goal.

That proved the best opportunity of a tight opening quarter that was high on effort and commitment but somewhat low on incision and quality.

As had been the case at the Stadium of Light, Middlesbrough were more than a match for their Premier League opposition, with Matthew Bates and Seb Hines defending stoutly at the back and former Sunderland midfielder Julio Arca adding some welcome composure at the heart of midfield.

The hosts initially found it difficult to create openings, chiefly because the absence of the injured Barry Robson deprived them of their primary driving force from a deep-lying position.

Nevertheless, they twice went close in a 60-second period shortly after the half-hour mark, with both opportunities stemming from crosses from Tony McMahon.

The first, which flicked off a Sunderland head, found Hines, and Simon Mignolet did well to tip the defender's prodded volley over the crossbar. The second found Jutkiewicz at the back post, but the striker was unable to direct his header on target.

Had they reached the interval on level terms, Boro could have been justifiably pleased with their efforts. As it was, though, they conceded the opener with three minutes of the half still to play.

For the first time all evening, Campbell out-jumped Hines to reach John O'Shea's long ball, and his headed knock down was positioned perfectly for Colback. The midfielder controlled with his chest, and dispatched a dipping half-volley that found the net via the underside of the crossbar. Yet another picture book goal to add to the collection of crackers that have been scored under O'Neill.

To their credit, Boro's response was immediate, if unsuccessful. Within a minute of Colback's opener, McMahon drilled in a fierce low shot that beat Mignolet, only for Phil Bardsley to provide an excellent sliding clearance.

Moments later, the impressively assured Curtis Main, who was making his first Boro start less than a year after being released from Darlington, curled in an opportunist strike that a full-stretch Mignolet tipped around the post.

As a result, the first half ended with the Teessiders unfortunate to be behind, but they maintained their positive approach after the interval and were level within 12 minutes of the restart.

Main was involved again, out-manoeuvring O'Shea to reach Hines' lofted ball and nod into Jutkiewicz's path.

The January signing shrugged off Michael Turner to create space in the box, and drilled a low strike past Mignolet to claim his first goal in a Boro shirt at the fifth time of asking.

Suddenly, the game developed the kind of frantic nature expected of a cup tie, especially one featuring local rivals situated just 30 miles apart.

Craig Gardner tried his luck from distance, only for Steele to turn the ball behind. Sessegnon fired in a daisy-cutter that was easily claimed by the Boro goalkeeper. Joe Bennett positioned himself in front of Larsson as the Swede appeared poised to head home.

As the flow of chances suggest, Sunderland wrested back the initiative in the second half, and Bardsley was unfortunate to see his low 72nd-minute strike rebound off the base of the left-hand upright. The full-back tested Steele again with ten minutes left, hammering in a rising drive that was beaten to safety.

Neither side was able to carve out a clear-cut opportunity in the final ten minutes of normal time – the game was briefly interrupted by two idiotic Middlesbrough supporters running on to the field – and extra-time proved every bit as tight as the 90 minutes that had preceded it.

Gardner wasted a golden opportunity by heading Bardsley's free-kick over the crossbar, while substitute Marvin Emnes wasted a couple of decent openings for Boro by sloppily conceding possession.

With seven minutes left though, Sessegnon swept home to earn Sunderland successive home games with Arsenal in the space of seven days.