Wasteful to goalless

SUNDERLAND dropped two points in the play-off race as they were held to goalless draw by Lincoln City at Sincil Bank.

The Black Cats created a series of chances against a poor Imps side, but were unable to convert.

Corry Evans came closest when he hit the post just before the hour, while Jack Clarke and Ross Stewart also chances to score.

But Lincoln held on for the draw, with goalkeeper Jordan Wright making a brilliant save to deny Stewart in injury time.

Earlier, Lincoln had almost won it and it needed a fine stop from Anthony Patterson to prevent substitute Liam Cullen finding the net.

Sunderland kept their fourth clean sheet in five games and stay sixth in the table, but this was a missed opportunity against a Lincoln side that had lost five of its last seven games going into this match.

Alex Neil made two changes to the side that beat Crewe on Wearside last weekend, with Dan Neil and Roberts coming into the side in place of Jay Matete and Jermain Defoe.

Lincoln boss Michael Appleton made three changes, in his case to the side that lost at League One leaders Rotherham in midweek.

In came ex-sunderland man Chris Maguire, Regan Poole, and Conor Mcgrandles, with Timothy Eyoma, Ted Bishop, and Anthony Scully, making way. Sunderland had the better of the first half, but without testing Lincoln keeper Jordan Wright.

Roberts saw a shot from range deflected over the bar for a corner, while Neil fired over the top after being set up by Lynden Gooch.

On the quarter-hour, Roberts was inches away from making contact sliding in at the far post with a low Jack Clarke cross when any touch would have resulted in a goal.

Clarke looked a threat down the left, and when he intercepted a loose pass just outside the box he then curled a shot narrowly wide of the far post.

And on the half-hour, a defender’s slip presented Luke O’nien with the ball near the corner flag on the right and his cross found Clarke at the far post, but his firsttime effort flashed across the face of goal.