Key events
A few Port Vale fans did get onto the pitch after the final whistle, but no harm done from what I saw. You cannot blame them for enjoying this day – no doubt Ben Waine will go down in fan folklore for his two goals in the FA Cup this week.
I’m told this will be Port Vale’s first appearance in an FA Cup quarter-final since 1954 – when they went on to reach the semi-finals.
Even John Rudge, the legendary Vale manager of the 1990s, didn’t reach this far despite beating Everton in a 1996 fourth round upset.
Here’s Jon Brady’s reaction on TNT Sports:
I’m in shock really. We knew we had to suffer, we knew the pitch might have helped us as well. Joe Gauci makes a couple of incredible saves, overall really pleased.
There was the attitude to go [forward] when the opportunity was there. George Hall got in two or three times.
It hasn’t sunk in really. Not that I didn’t believe we could do it, but you need a couple of things to go your way. I’m really pleased for everyone at the football club. You can see we’re getting a connection with our fans through performances.
Southampton have done it, Port Vale have done it, so it’s now over to Norwich to try and make it three upsets and three Premier League teams dumped out of the FA Cup in one day.
Luke McLaughlin is on the live updates for us.
Waine was given the Player of the Match award, by the way – deservedly so.
“Que sera sera” is ringing around Vale Park. They are 90 minutes from Wembley.
Jon Brady is on the pitch blowing kisses to the crowd. He’d never reached beyond the fourth round stage in the past, let alone the quarter-finals.
“Look at this place, I’ve never seen it like this,” says a stunned Ben Waine on TNT Sports. “I know it wasn’t pretty to watch but we dug in so hard, I think we deserved it.”
The New Zealand international adds: “I hope the family are watching back home.”
He says it’s “hands down” the biggest footballing upset he’s been involved in.
A fourth successive 1-0 home win for Port Vale in the FA Cup this season. They’ll be rubbing shoulders with the big boys in the last eight. Who do you want, Valiants? Arsenal? Liverpool? Manchester City? Chelsea?
It’s bouncing at Vale Park. The fans are understandably basking in the moment – their moment.
FT: Port Vale 1-0 Sunderland
Port Vale are into the FA Cup quarter-finals!
What a win, what a story, what an achievement for Jon Brady and his team – the bottom club in League One – they have seen off Premier League opposition in some style today, with Ben Waine goal’s again the difference in an FA Cup tie. Brilliant scenes at Vale Park.
90 mins+5: This is it – Sunderland are in the last chance saloon. But Vale are meeting every cross and making all the tackles and there seems to be no way through for the Premier League outfit.
Into the last minute.
90 mins+3: Enzo Le Fée blazes a shot so far over, it’s probably landed in another postcode. Le Bris does not look in any way amused by what he’s seen.
90 mins+2: A couple of soft fouls are given away by Sunderland to really alleviate the pressure on Port Vale. They might have a pop at goal from this latest one… no, it’s going into the corner.
Oh and it ends in a good chance for Gray! Whizzed just wide of the post when it was looking like 2-0.
Xhaka puffs out his cheeks after overhitting a cross. It’s been the story of Sunderland’s afternoon, really; their radar has been off from the word go.
We’re going to play six minutes of stoppage time. A groan goes up around Vale Park… I guess it could have been worse, by modern standards.
89 mins: Walters shepherds another ball out of play, with Vale managing this pretty damn well as things stand.
No doubt there will be a healthy chunk of added time to come.
88 mins: Waine is the latest Vale player to go off to a huge noise from the home fans. What an impact he’s had in the FA Cup this season. Grant Ward comes on as Jon Brady’s side smell the finish line.
Time to stick big Dan Ballard up front, Régis?
86 mins: The clock is against Sunderland here. Every loose pass, every heavy touch, every attack that comes to nothing… it all benefits Port Vale.
84 mins: Ironic cheers from the home faithful greet an over-hit Diarra cross. Another decent attacking position goes begging for the Black Cats.
83 mins: The Vale corner is scuffed into the side netting. Eesh, not what was required there.
And yep, here comes former Arsenal and Leverkusen midfielder Xhaka. Can he spark a late revival from Sunderland here? God knows they need some inspiration.
82 mins: George Hall gets away on the break again after another Sunderland error on the ball. He’s released down the left but O’Nien matches him for pace and forces the shot wide, via a deflection in the end. It’s a Vale corner.
81 mins: There’s a big ovation for left wing-back Liam Gordon as he is substituted.
Elijah Campbell comes on.
80 mins: Off the post! The offside flag goes up in the end, so it may not have counted, but that’s as close as Sunderland have come. Le Fee’s cross was perfectly arrowed towards the back post and Angulo came in at the back stick again but couldn’t find the net. Replays suggest he was indeed offside.
78 mins: Waine is indefatigable. He harries and hustles and runs and presses all day for you, no wonder Brady has kept him on.
76 mins: Another Sunderland free-kick prompts a very questionable decision from Gauci. He opted to come off his line to collect the ball, but was nowhere near it… fortunately from a Vale perspective, Gauci was bailed out by his clearing defenders.
Granit Xhaka is about to enter the fray.
74 mins: A couple of readers are in my inbox to tell me that it wasn’t a red card offence from Ellborg. I’m still unconvinced.
Vale remain a threat on the counter, though, that’s for sure.
72 mins: Port Vale, eight points adrift at the bottom of League One, are around 20 minutes from the FA Cup quarter-finals.
My mistake earlier, by the way: It was George Hall rather than Waine who was felled by Ellborg for that possible Sunderland red card.
70 mins: Good save from Gauci! Angulo ghosted in at the back post to meet a deep cross with a good header. Not sure it was going in, probably hitting the bar, but Gauci didn’t know that and he was forced to palm it over.
And again Ballard darts in at the near post to meet the resulting corner. Is that another fingertip save from the goalkeeper? Either way, Ballard continues to be a threat in the box – and Sunderland are definitely getting closer.
68 mins: Talbi, who has had a pretty torrid afternoon, trots off to be replaced by Isidor.
“Who are ya?” is the chant from the Vale fans. Classic.
Ballard heads comfortably over from a corner.
66 mins: Wilson Isidor is stripped and ready for the visitors. Will Le Bris call upon Granit Xhaka too? Sunderland are a much better team with the Swiss international on the field.
65 mins: The new-look Vale attacking triumvirate of Waine, Gray and George Hall seem to have given them some extra thrust on the break. This is properly exciting stuff.
