Yet another opportunity slips past for Sunderland

THIS had the feel of a must-win game.

It wasn’t, of course – at least not in terms of Sunderland’s promotion chances, because with 15 games remaining there is a lot of ground still to cover.

But the Black Cats desperately needed a win against Accrington Stanley to calm the nerves which have come to the fore in recent weeks.

This was the middle game in a run of three home fixtures which was expected to reignite Sunderland’s promotion campaign. After an inauspicious midweek draw against Blackpool, this was an opportunity to get the show back on the road against an Accrington side situated in the lower third of the table.

But, yet again, Sunderland slipped up, falling 2-0 behind as Jack Baldwin’s clumsy challenge on Paul Smyth allowed Billy Kee to end Accrington’s drought from the penalty spot in the first half, before Smyth headed home the second just after half-time.

Yes, Sunderland rallied to claim their seventh draw in nine league games, thanks to goals from George Honeyman and Aiden Mcgeady .

An eternal optimist might try to argue that Sunderland’s fight-back showed character, that they extended their unbeaten home record,moved up a place to third in the table – at least temporarily – and cut the gap between themselves and the automatic promotion places to three points.

However that optimist would have been laughed out of town.

As it was, while the crowd within the Stadium of Light were right behind the team as they pushed for a third goal, the chorus of boos on the final whistle told its own story.

Sunderland fans know this was the kind of game that a team with designs on promotion should be winning on home soil, and Jack Ross knows it too.

It was not all bad news, however. Chris Maguire has found himself left out in the cold in recent weeks but responded in exactly the right manner with a man of the match turn after coming off the bench to replace Wyke just after Accrington’s second goal went in.

Sunderland complete this run of home games on Tuesday night when Gillingham visit Wearside, and they cannot afford to let more points slip through their fingers.