Support during injury

the pitch and start repaying the club for everything they have done for me.”

Chandler’s return to the home of the Moors saw him reach a notable landmark in his painstaking recovery.

The midfielder made tentative steps with a ball at his feet and progressed into a light jog as he racked up a notable milestone in his attempts to return to full fitness.

There is still plenty of work to do before Chandler is likely to be considered for a return to training – but he revealed that he is targeting a pre-season return.

“I am looking forward to trying to get playing and training again as soon as possible – although that might get me in trouble with Andy.

“He doesn’t like setting dates on a comeback, he’s always going on about that fact.

“But pre-season is my aim, that is what I am working towards in my head.

“It will be strange coming back, but hopefully, come August, I can be back out at Brewery Field and helping repay the club for the support they have given me over the last year.”

LEE Johnson described Sunderland’s draw at Crewe as “a wonderful point” after watching his side deliver a poor performance.

The Black Cats came from 2-0 down to force the draw, thanks to goals from subs Jordan Jones and then, in the 97th minute, Chris Maguire.

Johnson wore the look of a relieved man when he spoke to the media at Gresty Road, knowing that his team had got out of jail in a game in which Crewe could have scored four or five.

“It was a wonderful point, won by two bits of individual brilliance in terms of those finishes – I would expect both to be in the top 10 of the goal of the season competition,” said Johnson.

“We needed it because in the first half it was tough to watch. I couldn’t give you an answer why, whether it was the number of games back to back, maybe I have to look at myself and ask whether this was the one where I should have made five or six changes, but you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t.

“What upset me most was the lack of enthusiasm. Where does the enthusiasm come from? It comes from the team energy, from attitude to receive the ball, there’s a body language that comes with that, there’s a communication that comes with that, and there’s an interplay which we didn’t have today.

“When we are flying, we are like the Red Arrows. But we had no service in to Charlie Wyke, we were static, our pressing was laboured and slow, we were out-enthused and out-performed in that first half.

“It was a hard half-time team talk because it wasn’t based on tactics or any sort of strategy, it was about saying that if you want to be a positive squad and a positive energy in this division, you have to come back.

“I’m really happy deep down to have come out with a point after a really poor first 60 minutes.”

Johnson will conduct a full post-mortem into Sunderland’s display, to ensure that lessons are learned ahead of Tuesday’s home game against Swindon Town.

He said: “We have to find out the reason for that performance.

“Sometimes it’s technical; if it’s technical we can work with the players.

“If it’s tactical, it’s probably my fault – particularly with the time I have had to work with the players now.

“If it’s attitude, I’m coming down on you like a ton of bricks.

“We got away with one today, but won’t get away with too many more – particularly in March where we have got those big games coming up.”

Jones’ goal in the 76th minute was his first for the club since he joined on loan from Rangers in January, while Maguire has spent much of his time on the bench since Johnson took over, and this was his first league goal since the win at Gillingham in October.

Johnson said: “It’s a squad game and there were a couple there that had a point to prove.

“Jones’s strike was struck with real venom after coming in off the left and going past a couple – I’d like to see that on video again because it looked like an absolute worldy.

“As for Chris, we’ve been open and honest with him right from the start and he has been open and honest with us.

“He scored a great goal and it was a great moment for him, one that was fully deserved.”

CHRIS Maguire’s 97th minute stunner salvaged a point for Sunderland at Crewe Alexandra.

The Black Cats delivered comfortably their worst performance under Lee Johnson’s reign, as they made mid-table Crewe look like world-beaters at Gresty Road.

They were swept away in the first half as Crewe tore their back four to shreds, with Chris Porter and Tom Lowery helping themselves to goals before the interval – and the 2-0 scoreline flattered Sunderland.

And it was not until the final 15 minutes of the game that Sunderland belatedly began to look a threat.

First sub Jordan Jones pulled a goal back with a terrific strike that was in itself a goal of the season contender.

But fellow sub Maguire then went one better, smashing home the equaliser to leave Crewe dejected.

Make no mistake, Sunderland got out of jail against the Railwaymen – they did not deserve a point – but they got their reward for keeping going right to the end, and for two moments of individual brilliance.

Sunderland could have moved up to fourth had they won, but instead they remain fifth in the table.

Lee Johnson made one change to the side that started the midweek win against Fleetwood Town at the Stadium of Light.

Josh Scowen was fit again after recovering from a slight hamstring problem and he came into midfield in place of Grant Leadbitter, who dropped to the bench.

Johnson also switched from 3-4-3 to a 4-2-3-1 system, with Lynden Gooch playing in midfield and Conor Mclaughlin moving to right-back.

Crewe Alexandra boss David Artell stuck with the same XI that began the home win against Accrington Stanley on Tuesday night.

There were half-chances for both sides in the early stages, with Aiden O’brien sending an early effort high over the top, while at the other end Lee Burge had to get down smartly to save from Lowery.

Gooch also brought a good save out of David Richards with a volley from the edge of the box after good work from O’brien.

But as the half wore on, Crewe took over and exploited a Sunderland defence that looked like it was walking on eggshells.

Dion Sanderson misjudged the flight of a long throw-in, allowing Charlie Kirk to nip in and he lobbed the ball over Burge, but Sanderson atoned for his error as he got back to head clear just in front of the line.

Burge then made an excellent save to tip a header from Nathan Wood over the bar, after the defender had met a Harry Pickering corner.

But Sunderland did not heed the warning signs, and they paid the price on the halfhour.

Slack defending allowed Crewe to feed the ball into the left side of the area for former Sunderland man Mikael Mandron, and he squared to leave Porter with a tap-in