Sunderland 1-1 Stoke City: Black Cats claw back

Sundelands Craig Garnder fouls Stoke Citys Scottish midfielder Charlie Adam. Picture: SNS

John O’Shea snatched a potentially priceless point for Sunderland as they held Stoke to a draw despite seeing Craig Gardner sent off after only 34 minutes.

Scorers: Sunderland - O’Shea (63); Stoke City - Walters (9)

Referee: Lee Mason

Attendance: 38,130

Defeat at the Stadium of Light would have left the Black Cats in a perilous situation just above the relegation zone but, having gone behind to Jonathan Walters’ early effort, they showed great heart in the second half and deserved to see O’Shea prod home a 63rd-minute corner.

Gardner can take little credit for the result, though, and his red card for a dangerous challenge on Scotland midfielder Charlie Adam was fully warranted.

Danny Rose almost stole victory for the hosts ten minutes from time but his low shot hit the outside of the near post.

As it stands, Sunderland are now level with Norwich and Newcastle on 38 points – three ahead of a Wigan side who have a game in hand.

After a pre-match appearance by members of Sunderland’s FA Cup-winning side of 1973 the opening moments yielded little of consequence, although Alfred N’Diaye won warm applause for a couple of firm challenges.

Indeed, neither side had managed a shot on goal before Walters put the visitors in front in the ninth minute.

Ryan Shotton’s first long throw of the match played its part, with his delivery earning a corner. Adam took it and when Walters’ header was blocked by Danny Graham on the line the Republic of Ireland international reacted quickest to power the loose ball home via the underside of the bar.

Adam and James McClean exchanged a couple of full-blooded challenges, but in terms of influence Adam was comfortably winning their head to head.

Adam Johnson, playing off Graham, was Sunderland’s best attacking outlet but he was struggling for support.

Sunderland’s task became even harder when Adam’s charge down the right flank was ended by a dangerous studs-up challenge from Gardner.

Referee Lee Mason was close by and it was no surprise when he produced a red card.

The dismissal led to a reshuffle from Di Canio, who rarely moved from the edge of his technical area, with Jack Colback filling in at right back and Johnson withdrawing slightly to the wing.

Stoke did not overdo attempts to punish their opponents’ numerical disadvantage and the Black Cats retained a decent amount of possession, albeit with little to show for it.

Johnson went closest to producing an equaliser with a free-kick just prior to the break but it squirmed wide.

Stoke swapped Marc Wilson for Geoff Cameron at half-time and the American almost gifted Sunderland a way back with a weak clearance. James McClean could not cash in.

But Sunderland had plenty of energy, not least Rose pushing up from full-back.

Nevertheless, they might have been punished on the counter had Adam not met Walters’ pass with an air shot in the 52nd minute.

O’Shea almost got on the scoresheet on the hour, prodding goalwards only to see Dean Whitehead block on the line.

And the captain went one better two minutes later, popping up at the far post to side-foot Seb Larsson’s corner over the line after Whitehead failed to get a solid connection.

The crowd roared their approval and manager Paolo Di Canio struck an imperious pose, fists clenched and arms out at his sides. The Italian caught the eye moments later too, dashing angrily on to the pitch after the referee halted a Sunderland attack to allow Walters treatment.

Although Stoke appeared reasonably content with a draw chances still appeared, Whitehead striking well from the edge of the area to seriously test Simon Mignolet.

Remarkably Sunderland’s ten men did not appear to tire and Rose was inches away from putting them ahead in the 80th minute with a skidding attempt that struck the outside of the post.

Steven Nzonzi went closest to winning it for the visitors, hooking a shot over with his back to goal, but there was to be no late drama.

Sunderland: Mignolet, Colback, Cuellar, O’Shea, Rose, Larsson (Vaughan 86), Gardner, N’Diaye, McClean, Johnson (Bardsley 90), Graham. Subs Not Used: Westwood, Kilgallon, Mangane, Marrs, Mandron.

Stoke City: Begovic, Shotton, Shawcross, Huth, Wilson (Cameron 46), Nzonzi, Adam (Etherington 83), Whitehead, Walters, Crouch (Jones 90), Jerome. Subs Not Used: Sorensen, Palacios, Owen, Kightly.