Fulham 1-1 Sunderland

Tom Cairney’s first goal of the season saw Fulham come from behind to draw with Sunderland in the Emirates FA Cup.

The Black Cats had led early on when Jack Clarke slotted home, but they had Anthony Patterson in goal to thank for preserving their lead with a string of good saves.

We had to wait until the hour mark to get a deserved equaliser, but it was worth the wait as Cairney danced his way through the defence before smashing home.

Either side could have won it thereafter, with the Whites creating the better openings, but in the end there was nothing to separate the teams, and a replay at the Stadium of Light beckons.

There was scarcely a minute played when Patterson was called into action for the first time. Relentless pressing of Amad Diallo from João Palhinha saw the Portuguese win possession high up the pitch and feed Carlos Vinicius. He in turn laid the ball off to Harry Wilson, but it was a difficult hit and he could only prod straight at Patterson.

The Mackems drew first blood, though, five minutes later. Clarke caught Issa Diop in possession on the edge of the box to find himself in on goal, with the winger coolly placing the ball past the onrushing Marek Rodák.

Tosin very nearly providing the perfect response when he made sure he got on the end of Andreas Pereira’s delivery, but he headed down into the ground and it bounced over.

With a trip to Chelsea just around the corner, there was concern when Palhinha went down off the ball, but he managed to run the injury off, promptly unleashing an ambitious strike from distance that cleared the target.

Some vintage Wilson followed as he cut inside and opened his body up 20 yards from goal, but his well hit effort didn’t quite have enough curl to find the top corner.

Layvin Kurzawa almost made it two goals in as many FA Cup games when he sprang highest to meet Andreas’ corner, but he could only glance wide.

Sunderland hadn’t threatened since their goal but they very nearly doubled their lead before half-time when Patrick Roberts teed up Diallo in the box, but he dragged his shot wide of the near post.

We then went straight up the other end and came agonisingly close to the equaliser. Andreas got his head over the ball to keep his volley from Solomon’s cross down – he beat the goalkeeper but Daniel Ballard made a terrific block on the line, and got a slice of fortune with it as it bounced against Patterson to prevent it from going in.

Roberts and Diallo had linked up well in the first half, and that combination threatened us again early in the second, but once more Diallo snatched at his shot following a dangerous run by his teammate.

At the other end, a cute Vinicius flick created some space for Cairney. He in turn found Wilson who saw his swerving strike beaten away by Patterson.

It had been an end-to-end start to the half, with the Black Cats next to have go. Diallo found the target this time, but Rodák was equal to it, as he was when Roberts took aim moments later.

Fulham countered from the corner that followed and Wilson showed great pace to get beyond the last man, but Patterson got a strong hand to push it behind.

Diallo called Rodák into action again with a powerful strike in the 55^th minute. It had too much venom for the Fulham ‘keeper to hold, but he recovered brilliantly to punch it off the toes of Clarke who had looked certain to score.

Roberts then ran half the length of the pitch before picking his spot on the edge of the box, but thankfully the former Whites man drilled wide.

Patterson followed that by denying Wilson for a third time, covering his bases well to absorb the winger’s right-footed effort.

The next goal was going to be crucial, and it went our way. A classy touch from Solomon sent Kurzawa scampering down the left wing, and his pass in-field was perfect for Cairney, who danced beyond two challenges before rifling inside the near post.

Silva made clear his intention to avoid a replay by introducing Aleksandar Mitrović, and it wasn’t long before he got involved, laying off to Andreas who saw his low shot saved by Patterson.

The Mackems stopper was at it again with quarter of an hour to play, getting across well to repel a direct free-kick from substitute Willian, after Palhinha had been fouled 20 yards out.

Solomon had enjoyed a lively afternoon and came close to capping it with a goal, but his snapshot from Kenny Tete’s cross was smothered by Patterson.

The Dutchman was at it again soon after, hanging up a cross for Mitrović but he could only find the grateful palms of Patterson with his header.

The entire Putney End was packed with a vociferous travelling support, and they were on their feet when Pierre Ekwah saw his shot deflect over, with Ballard’s header from the subsequent corner held by Rodák.

15-year-old Christopher Rigg thought he’d won the tie in stoppage time when he lashed home from Abdoullah Ba's cutback, but the midfielder was offside in the build-up when he was played in by Manchester United loanee Diallo.

It had been a terrific contest and there was still time for more Fulham chances. Patterson had been Sunderland’s star man all day, though, and he continued in that vein with a great reaction to deny Bobby De Cordova-Reid’s improvised effort, which he followed up with a smart reflex stop to push Willian’s rising drive over the top.

It would have been the perfect end to an exhilarating match but it just wasn’t to be, with a replay now necessary to see who takes their place in Round Five.