SUNDERLAND ................................................................ 0 Black Cats rue missed chances in stalemate

SUNDERLAND halted their losing streak with a goalless draw against Burnley – but saw the gap between themselves and safety widen to seven points.

The Black Cats fought out a stalemate against the Clarets on Wearside for the second time this season, with the sides also drawing a blank in the FA Cup in January.

But while the clean sheet and the point ended a run of three defeats, Sunderland should have won this game comfortably after creating five clear-cut chances in the second half alone.

Billy Jones and Seb Larsson missed the target, but Burnley’s England keeper Tom Heaton made fine saves to deny Fabio Borini twice, and Adnan Januzaj.

Burnley had opportunities of their own, with Ashley Barnes missing a sitter in the first half and Jordan Pickford making a vital save late on to frustrate sub Sam Vokes.

But, with owner Ellis Short looking on, Sunderland drifted further from safety as wins for relegation rivals Crystal Palace, and also Leicester City, lifted them further away from danger.

David Moyes made two changes to the side that started the defeat against Man City a fortnight ago, one of which was forced upon him with Lamine Kone missing out after suffering an injury in training.

The second change saw Jack Rodwell come into the team at the expense of Didier Ndong, who dropped to the bench.

Burnley boss Sean Dyche stuck with the same side that began their 2-1 defeat at Liverpool last weekend.

Burnley edged possession in the first half, but both sides struggled to create clear-cut chances.

Larsson saw an effort from outside the box blocked, with Rodwell firing the rebound over the bar.

But the Clarets should have scored with their first serious attack.

Stephen Ward sent a low cross into the box from the left which picked out George Boyd at the near post, but he took a swipe at the ball and failed to make contact, and Sunderland were able to clear.

Sunderland went close just after the half-hour mark when they won a corner on the right which Januzaj played to Darron Gibson on the edge of the box but his powerful shot flew a yard over the top.

Ten minutes before the break, Boyd shot wide from just outside the area after Barnes had chested down a long free-kick from Heaton.

And Sunderland had a huge let-off five minutes before half-time when Jermain Defoe and Burnley’s Michael Keane battle for the ball and inset, a frustrated Jordan Pickford during the game yesterday Scott Arfield’s shot across the face of goal fell perfectly for Barnes six yards out, but somehow he managed to stab his shot wide.

Sunderland started the second half strongly and created three excellent chances within 10 minutes of the restart.

First Bryan Oviedo played a fine ball over the defence into the left-hand channel for Borini to chase and he brought it under control as he got into the penalty area, but his sidefoot shot was straight at Heaton.

And then a couple of minutes later Jermain Defoe collected the ball inside the area on the right and crossed to the far post where Januzaj hit a volley which Heaton did brilliantly to parry.

Januzaj picked up the loose ball again and fed it to Oviedo on the left, his cross was met by Larsson on the stretch. But he could only divert it over the bar from just six yards out.

Jones missed a gilt-edged chance shortly after the hour when Larsson picked him out at the far post with a precision cross from the right flank, but the unmarked defender managed to send his diving header across the face of goal.

Sunderland almost gave the game away a couple of minutes from time when a mistake by Denayer let in Vokes, but Pickford got down smartly to make a magnificent one-handed save and John O’Shea completed the clearance.

And then the Black Cats could have won it in injury-time when Borini had another opportunity from a tight angle inside the area, but Heaton managed to turn the shot round the post.