WHAT a difference three days make at Gigg Lane.

On Saturday afternoon, Shakers boss Chris Casper cut a disconsolate figure as he explained away another poor second- half performance against Wycombe. But on Tuesday evening, having watched his side out-play a Sunderland team which was until last season was competing in the Premiership, the smile had well and truly returned to his face.

Black Cats chairman-cum-manager Niall Quinn offered no excuses after the game. He simply accepted that his side were second best on the night, and added that he would be stepping down from his managerial role as quickly as possible; his fingers burned after a nightmarish run of results.

But although the big Irishman stole the national headlines with his after-match promise, the night belonged to the Shakers.

Heroes on the pitch came in all shapes and sizes. Richie Baker, making his first senior start, David Buchanan and Nicky Adams looked like they would be swept aside by the physically superior Sunderland midfield - but they fought like gladiators over 90 minutes and made a timely claim for a starting place against Grimsby this Saturday.

At the back, John Fitzgerald answered his critics with a powerful display capped with a magnificent header. His eventual red card for over-celebrating made a mockery of the game's modern rules.

And leading the line, Andy Bishop ran himself into the ground but saved his classiest moment for the 88th minute when he clipped the ball over England under-21 keeper Ben Alnwick with the petulance of a natural born goalscorer.

The Shakers got an early break when Spanish debutant Arnau Riera was sent off for an apparent elbow on Chris Brass after only three minutes.

It proved the be a massive confidence boost, and for the rest of the game Sunderland were chasing shadows.

Adams stabbed a shot just wide and Buchanan hit the roof of the net with a lob from the edge of the area, but rather than lose their way at the break, Bury simply moved up a gear.

The occasion was proving too much for Black Cats keeper Alnwick, who nearly threw a Richie Baker shot into his own net on 67 minutes, and it wouldn't be the last mistake the 19-year-old would make on the night.

Sunderland had a brief spell of pressure, forcing Scott and Brass to make some telling challenges after a succession of corners, but after Casper introduced Brian Barry-Murphy and Andy Parrish on 80 minutes, the balance would shift decidedly in Bury's favour.

With his first touch, Barry-Murphy swung a wicked corner directly on to the head of Fitzgerald - who powered the ball past Alnwick. His momentum carried him into the crowd, who engulfed him in celebration. When he emerged, referee Michael Jones was holding a second yellow card aloft and the defender's night cruelly cut short.

It was the type of moment which could have given Sunderland hope, and for a brief moment, it did.

A couple of nervy clearances later, however, and Alnwick sliced a clearance directly to Adams, who played the ball through to Bishop for a clinical finish.

The pressure was lifted. The Shakers, and Casper, could finally enjoy the night.

"I'm so pleased for the lads and for the fans, who were magnificent," said Casper, struggling to keep the victorious smile from his lips.

"The lads are slapping themselves on the back, and rightly so, because we were great."

Casper said he would like to draw Manchester City away in the next round, but urged his side to use the result as a catalyst for the league.

"We can enjoy it while we can, and hopefully get a good draw in the next round. It could kick our season on."

The only blot of the night came in the shape of Fitzgerald's sending off, and Casper admitted he was upset by the referee's lack of compassion.

"I can't believe what has happened to him to be honest. To get sent off for something like that is absolutely outrageous, we will have to see what we can do about that."

Shakers: Fettis 6; Scott 7; Fitzgerald 8; Woodthorpe 7; Bishop 7; Brass 6 (Parrish 80); Baker 8; Adams 7; Buchanan 7; Mattis (Barry-Murphy 80) 8; Pittman 6 (Youngs 57, 6). Subs not used: Collinge; Flitcroft.

Bury 2 Sunderland 0