CHRIS Samba stopped Coventry City dumping Blackburn Rovers out of the FA Cup for the second consecutive season with an injury time equaliser.

Second half goals from Aron Gunnarsson and Michael Doyle had wiped out Roque Santa Crus's second minute opener to put Coventry on the brink of the quarter finals.

Samba though turned home from close range after Keith Treacy's long-range strike had been fumbled by goalkeeper Andy Marshall in the dying seconds.

Carlos Villanueva almost added to Rovers' lead at the start of the second half but his deflected 20-yard free-kick was just scrambled wide by goalkeeper Andy Marshall.

Coventry then started to pile forward and, bouyed on by their vocal travelling support, forced a series of pressure as Rovers were put under their first period of sustained pressure.

The equaliser came on 61 minutes when a Coventry corner was cleared to Aron Gunnarsson 25 yards out from goal and his volley looped over Paul Robinson into the net.

Rovers thought they had regained the lead on 69 minutes when Gael Givet flicked David Dunn's free kick past Marshall.

With players and fans celebrating though, referee Mr Tanner had already blown for a supposed tug on Gunnarsson's shirt by Givet.

On 76 minutes, Michael Doyle fired the visitors into the lead via a deflection off Chris Samba, as the ball looped over the stranded Robinson.

Substitute Benni McCarthy rightly had a goal disallowed for offside with 10 minutes remaining before Samba converted on the turn on 92.

Rovers had been handed the perfect start inside two minutes as Santa Cruz scored his first goal since mid November.

Paul Robinson's long clearance was knocked down by Chris Samba and the Paraguayan striker brilliantly drilled the ball across goalkeeper Andy Marshall into the far corner from the left of the penalty area.