Despite creating plenty of chances against their Championship opponents, Roy Keane's side went behind on the hour, and needed a late equaliser to take the game to extra-time.

They were then indebted to Healy - who came on as sub for his first appearance since his £2m move from Fulham - for the goal which gives them a place in Saturday's third-round draw.

Keane - who had made West Ham's Anton Ferdinand his ninth signing of the summer earlier in the day - gave a full debut to loan signing Djibril Cisse after his matchwinning substitute appearance at Tottenham on Saturday.

He also recalled Pascal Chimbonda, who had been left out at the weekend as a disciplinary measure after missing a pre-match walk.

Other than that, his starting line-up was the one which won 2-1 at White Hart Lane.

Danny Collins had the first chance of the match, heading wide from Andy Reid's corner after just three minutes, and Daryl Murphy blazed a shot wide three minutes later.

Sunderland suffered a blow in the 18th minute when wide man Steed Malbranque, who had been hurt in a challenge, limped off, to be replaced by Liam Miller.

Djibril Cisse came closest to opening the scoring on 24 minutes when he rattled the post with a drive.

Forest were making it difficult for the Black Cats, and enjoyed plenty of possession, without creating many chances of their own, though Craig Gordon had to save from Chris Cohen on the half-hour.

Murphy had a header tipped round the post and volleyed wide, and Cisse also had a chance as Sunderland continued to enjoy the lion's share of the goal opportunities.

On 39 minutes Whitehead enjoyed the best chance of the game when he forced Forest keeper Paul Smith into a diving save, and couldn't convert the rebound.

A Cisse effort from 25 yards which went wide was the last action of the half as the score at the break remained 0-0.

Sunderland went straight on the attack from the re-start, and Reid had a shot saved by Smith.

Forest continued to shade the possession, and Garath McCleary had a chance on 52 minutes, which he put over the bar.

Robert Earnshaw was starting to cause the Sunderland defence one or two problems, and just failed to get on the end of a cross on 56 minutes.

Whitehead then went off, replaced by Gareth Leadbitter, and handed the captain's armband to Reid.

He had been barely been off the field a minute when the deadlock was broken - though not in Sunderland's favour.

Forest striker Robert Earnshaw was fouled by Nyron Nosworthy on the edge of the Sunderland penalty area, and picked himself up to curl the resulting free-kick into Gordon's top left-hand corner to make it 1-0.

It was his fourth goal in five games this season - double his tally with Derby in the Premier League last season.

Keane responded by bringing on Northern Ireland striker David Healy for his Sunderland debut, at the expense of Murphy.

Chimbonda, Reid and Leadbitter had half-chances as Sunderland sought an equaliser, but Forest were defending stoutly and restricting their visitors.

Healy shot badly wide as Sunderland's attempts on goal became more desperate, and Forest had two players booked in the last five minutes as their defending became increasingly scrappy.

Sunderland at last equalised in the 86th minute through the unlikely figure of left-back Phil Bardsley. Miller forced a fine save from Smith, and Bardsley followed in to net the rebound from six yards. It was his first goal in English football.

Within a minute Leadbitter almost won it for Sunderland with a right-footed effort which went agonisingly close, while Thornhill did likewise at the other end with a header.

Miller had the best chance to clinch it in normal time, but shot over, and the score at the end of 90 minutes was 1-1.

The game went into extra-time, and Healy marked his debut in typically predatory style just three minutes into the added period.

Forest 'keeper Smith could only parry Leadbitter's 12-yard effort, and Healy tucked away the loose ball - the third time the Irish striker has marked his club debut with a goal.

The goal knocked the stuffing out of Forest,and even the introduction of Sunderland old boy Andy Cole as a 95th-minute substitute couldn't give them a lift.

Chimbonda and Healy picked up bookings as Sunderland dug in for the win.

Midway through the second period Forest came within a whisker of taking the tie to penalties when Luke Chambers headed Earnshaw's free-kick onto the top of the Sunderland crossbar.

That was as close as they came to an equaliser, and the Black Cats were content to run the clock down until the end of the game to take their place in the next round.

Forest: Smith, Chambers, Morgan, Breckin, Bennett, Perch, Moussi (Sinclair 108), Thornhill (Cole 95), McCleary (Tyson 79), Earnshaw, Cohen. Subs not used: Roberts, Moloney, Heath, Reid.

Sunderland: Gordon; Chimbonda, Nosworthy, Collins, Bardsley; Malbranque (sub Miller 19), Reid, Whitehead (Leadbitter 57), Diouf; Murphy (Healy 62), Cisse. Subs not used: Ward, Higginbotham, Edwards, Stokes.
Attendance: 9,198.