SUNDERLAND 1
Possession 59% 41% Shots On Target 7 3 Shots Off Target 4 2 Blocked Shots 9 4 Corners 11 2 Fouls Conceded 13 10 Offsides 2 1 Yellow Cards 2 5 Red Cards 0 0 JAMES VAUGHAN climbed off his sick bed to plunder the opening goal and halt Sunderland’s four-game losing run.
But it was Simon Grayson who was left sick as a parrot as sub David Meyler came off the bench to notch a late equaliser.
Grayson was beginning to get that winning feeling before midfielder Meyler fired home with the help of a deflection on 81 minutes to spoil the Black Cats’ day.
But Grayson (below) was still able to hail Vaughan, who insisted on playing despite being laid low by a stomach bug until the day before the game.
He said: “We really needed to break that cycle of defeats and I’m delighted.
“I’m also really happy for James getting his first goal for us – especially as he climbed off his sick bed to play.
“I’m also disappointed because we didn’t hold out to get the win we deserved – but we are going to get stronger now.”
Hull piled on the early pressure, and came close on four minutes when Ola Aina whipped in a cross which found Kamil Grosicki unmarked at the far post.
The Poland winger let fly with a low, angled drive which keeper Robbin Ruiter did well to push away to safety.
But Vaughan broke the deadlock after 17 minutes. The former Everton forward powered a header into the roof of the net from Callum McManaman’s cross.
It was just the tonic Sunderland needed but their failure to cement the lead cost them as Meyler, on for Michael Hector, equalised with a drive that flew in off a sea of legs.
Hull boss Leonid Slutsky said: ”David changed the game. He wasn’t ready for a full 90 minutes after coming back from international duty with Ireland but he’ll start next week, that’s for sure. We were terrible in the first-half, but much better in the second-half with David on the pitch.”