McCarthy stunner sinks Gunners

Benni McCarthy heaped more knockout woe upon Arsene Wenger's Arsenal after clambering off the bench to shoot Blackburn into the FA Cup quarter-finals with a dramatic late winner courtesy of a 1-0 victory at Ewood Park.

The South African striker - surprisingly left on the bench by boss Mark Hughes - responded by tearing down the left flank and firing an unstoppable 87th-minute winner past Manuel Almunia.

It was a roaring ending to a largely disappointing fifth-round replay which was punctuated by Graham Poll's whistle and seldom generated any incidents for Wenger's team to get fractious about.

Referee Poll's tactic of blowing for even the slightest infringement gave Morten Gamst Pedersen a handful of set-piece chances he failed to take, while Julio Baptista was the Gunners' main threat.

The visitors had a strong penalty appeal turned down by Poll in the 28th minute after Freddie Ljungberg's run into the corner of the box was cut out by Brett Emerton from behind.

Baptista should have put Arsenal ahead on the half-hour after the Gunners were presented with a dangerous free-kick 25 yards out from goal on the right flank.

Denilson floated the ball into the box where the unmarked Baptista rose highest but directed the simplest of headers inches over the bar with Brad Friedel beaten.

Rovers might have snatched the lead just before the break when Tugay dispossessed Denilson but his attempt to play Matt Derbyshire clear was well cut out by Phillippe Senderos.

After a relatively quiet start to the second period, Rovers boss Hughes opted to introduce McCarthy and it would prove to be a match-winning decision.

The big striker latched onto David Dunn`s through-ball, cut inside the defender and fired jubilant Rovers into a last eight tie against Manchester City at Ewood Park on March 11.