NEILL COLLINS revealed his pals had asked him to get Andy Johnson's shirt after Sunderland's FA Cup victory against Crystal Palace.

But after the Premiership hotshot spent the game in the stopper's back pocket, he thought better of it.

The Eagles' striker arrived on Wearside with a big reputation and in a rich vein of form, after scoring 13 Premier League goals in only 22 games.

Only Thierry Henry and Jermaine Defoe had netted more times than the former Birmingham City striker.

But Collins managed to put the brakes on the speedy sharp shooter - despite scoring an own goal - and came out with honours in a fascinating duel, where both players picked up a booking a piece and left the field of play with 'bruises bigger than dinner plates' at a wintry windswept Stadium of Light.

Collins was disappointed to have turned the ball past his own goalkeeper Thomas Myhre, and revealed Johnson had plenty to say about it as they exchanged pleasantries after the incident.

"He (Johnson) said what a great finish, and I just said thanks," confessed the former Dumbarton skipper.

But it was Collins who had the last laugh as the Black Cats deservedly progressed to the next stage of the competition courtesy of debutant Andy Welsh's leveller and Marcus Stewart's cheeky penalty.

"Some of my pals asked me to get his jersey, but I thought he would probably tell me where to go," quipped Collins.

"But that's just football, all great strikers are going to have an edge to them and it was like fighting fire with fire.

"It was a great battle and at the end of the game we just shook hands and I wished him all the best for the rest of the season.

"He's obviously a great player. I've watched him on the TV and he's had a great season, and one of their main threats, and I'm glad I've managed to stop him scoring."

With Sunderland enjoying the better of the opening exchanges frustration was clearly getting the better of the Palace marksman; as his outrageous tackle on Collins undoubtedly demonstrated.

The 22-year-old defender, however, was magnanimous about the challenge and shrugged it off as part and parcel of the game.

He said: "I've had worse, and I've probably done it to a few people as well. I thought it was a bad tackle but I would be a hypocrite to say it was out of order.

"He got booked and that was fine by me, they are the rules and that is what the referee is there for."

Rob Styles booked Collins for a foul on Johnson - his first of the season - only three minutes after the striker had received his yellow card, for what the referee felt was an act of retribution.

The Scot, however, denied he was looking to even the scores.

"I would have made the tackle even if it was any other player," said Collins.

"It just so happened that it was Andy Johnson. I feel as if it wasn't him I wouldn't have been booked.

"I actually won the ball but maybe it was a foul. Mick (McCarthy) said that I should have been a bit more cute or got somebody else to do it. But these are things that happen and I'll learn from that."

Collins admitted Saturday's FA Cup tie was probably the biggest game of his short career and added it was good to bounce back from a disappointing early goal and a below par Festive period.

"To score an own goal is disappointing but it's just one of those things," shrugged Collins.

"If you're going to play at the back these things happen, and if I didn't put it in Andy Johnson probably would have. But at the same time I'm delighted we've won and we're in the next round.

"It wasn't just the result, but the performance was magnificent. I think anybody watching the game would have asked who the Premiership side was. We really passed the ball well.

"We picked up only four points in 12 over the Festive period, which was disappointing.

"But we were back on track and it was a great win against Palace and hopefully we can go to Derby and get more players back who were missing.

"I thought Andy Welsh was magnificent on his debut, and Sean Thornton too, they'll have staked a claim in the first team and that is what the gaffer will want."

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