Niall Ennis came off the bench to find an extra-time winner for Stoke City to beat Sunderland and make it into the FA Cup fourth round.

The 25-year-old had only previously scored one goal for Stoke, back on his full debut at former club Blackburn in early February last year, but he showed brilliant tenacity to steal the ball from Dan Neil, take it around the keeper and find a 112th-minute winner at the Stadium of Light.

Stoke had been strong in the first half, taking an early lead with a Tom Cannon penalty after a dreadful backpass from captain Neil had put his team in trouble. But Sunderland found an extra gear in the second half, equalised through sub Milan Aleksic and forced extra-time.

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Big chances were few and far between and the game was edging towards a shoot-out when Ennis steamed forward to play his crucial role and Mark Robins, who reached the semi-finals last season with Coventry, might yet have another adventure.

Just like in the last meeting between these two sides here only a month ago, Stoke got an early goal. Sunderland got themselves in a pickle when Neil played a high backpass to Simon Moore, the back-up keeper who must have cursed him for such a testing moment. Moore chested it down as Cannon smelled blood and hammered in on the press and was able to nudge it to Luke O’Nien – but O’Nien was being put under serious pressure too by Lewis Koumas, who nicked the ball and was then clumsily tripped as he took it away. Ref Elliot Bell was close at hand to point to the spot. Cannon stepped up to slot the penalty down the middle and chalk up his 11th goal of the season.

Stoke continued to look a threat through the half and Baker and Burger both had smart through balls just cut out by vital touches while Andrew Moran, playing from the right wing, decided against putting his foot through one pass from Burger to go for goal himself in preference of a more difficult pass to Baker. Sunderland’s chances were limited to an ambitious long ranger from Adil Aouchiche.

It should have been 2-0 just after the break when Tchamadeu’s blocked cross came back out for Seko to dink to the back post where Baker jumped highest. It looked like he’d planted his header home but it went narrowly wide.

But Stoke couldn’t find that second goal and, instead, were pulled level. Sol Sidibe couldn’t control and Aouchiche pounced to split open the defence with a diagonal pass to Aleksic coming in past Lynden Gooch to supply the finishing touch at close range.

The momentum had shifted yet Johansson was only called upon to make saves that he would be expected to make and the game slid inevitably towards another 30 minutes.

Ennis might have put Stoke back in front at the start of extra-time but he couldn’t get his feet in order in time when Gooch’s cross fell kindly. Emre Tezgel forced a decent save at the start of the second half of extra-time when he showed quick footwork. The stadium seemed to be expecting penalties when Ennis steamed into the Sunderland half with eight minutes to go, nicking the ball off Neil on the bounce, drawing and then rounding Moore after dummying a shot and then slotting home the winner from a narrow angle.

The away end were singing about being in an Ennis wonderland as Stoke go into the hat for the next round. They've been to Carlisle, Middlesbrough, Southampton and here in the cups so far this year so they're due a reward.

Here are the player ratings from the Stadium of Light:

Johansson: Called into action more in the second half and made reasonably comfortable saves to stop Connolly and Aouchiche. 7

Tchamadeu: Looks far more comfortable with licence to get down the right. Tested defensively against Aouchiche. 6.5

Stevens: A good hour on first start since November. Defended strongly when needed and joined in usefully in attack, although crossing wasn’t perfect. 7

Phillips: Adopting a defend first approach which suits him, winning headers and difficult to beat on the floor with his pace and size. 8

Wilmot: Taking on extra responsibility as senior defender next to Phillips and can be quick across the ground when needed. Always looking for a raking pass too. 8

Seko: Swept up to stop Sunderland counter attacks and tried to feed the ball back quickly up the pitch. 7

Burger: A few glimpses of his old self with smart passes into the final third. Still a bit grabby off the ball but made important blocks. 7

Baker: Lifted midfield with strength and control. Able to get into dangerous positions in the final third too. Tired a little as game went on. 7

Moran: Used from the right wing and involved in some quick link play in first half. Should have gone alone when well set up by Burger in first half. 6.5

Koumas: Kept asking questions with his pace and willingness to run with the ball. Alert to win the penalty. 6.5

Cannon: Put pressure on keeper in build up to penalty and then coolly slotted his 11th goal of the season. A decent focal point to build attacks in the first half especially. 7

Substitutes

Gooch (for Stevens, 60): Couldn’t stop fellow sub Aleksic’s run into the box for equaliser. Added to attack in extra-time. 6.5

Sidibe (for Seko, 60): Punished for loose control in build up to equaliser and had to settle into the match. 6

Junho (for Koumas, 75): A little sloppy with his passing and passing choices but kept offering for the ball. 6

Ennis (for Cannon, 75): Rare sighting. A willing runner and a little rusty at times but did brilliantly for goal from making it to the dummy to round the keeper to the finish. 8

Tezgel (for Burger, 95): Forced a decent low save from Moore with decent footwork. 7

Referee: Eliot Bell (Merseyside) 6

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