But there were times at the weekend when a measly 330 Fulham supporters outsang a shell-shocked crowd more than 100 times that number as Black Cats' fans were stunned into silence by their heroes' first-half failings.

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After a candidate for the poorest 45 minutes from a Sunderland side under Roy Keane, the home supporters had seen their side lucky to go in at half-time only a goal down and it could have been curtains in the second period had a Diomansy Kamara goal not been somewhat generously chalked off.

Thankfully for Sunderland supporters, he who laughs last, laughs loudest.

Kenwyne Jones grabbed an equaliser just five minutes from time and substitute Anthony Stokes might have nicked all three points in time added on had he made the most of a wonderful opening.

Not that too many supporters headed home chuckling at Jones' late facesaver – for there was precious little to smile about from a fixture where Sunderland really should have been looking for all three points.

Fulham were as moderate as we had expected them to be, mediocre even, and – having not won away from home in more than a year – understandably tentative.

But Sunderland contrived to hand them the initiative almost from the opening whistle thanks to poor passing, questionable positioning and uncertainty in possession.

The most glaring error was that of Danny Higginbotham in the 10th minute when, under pressure from Kamara and not on the same wavelength as goalkeeper Craig Gordon, he clipped a ball across his own 18-yard box to the feet of the unmarked David Healy, who was so shocked by the opportunity that he curled his shot wide of an open goal.

Fulham grew in stature from that moment on, encouraged by the sluggishness and sloppiness of their rivals' play.

But while Higginbotham's error was the most eye-catching of the first-half, it was never in danger of dying of loneliness, with Sunderland seemingly intent on shooting themselves in the foot at almost every opportunity.

The home side's best hopes lay in the imposing shape of in-form Jones and the striker went desperately close to getting a head on a Ross Wallace cross at the start of the half and a great Greg Halford delivery at its end.

In between though, Fulham enjoyed the lion's share of possession, holding on to the ball well when they had it and making the most of Sunderland's tendency to give it away cheaply.

Dwight Yorke has his detractors and we are yet to find out whether Graham Kavanagh still has what it takes to command a Premiership midfield, but Sunderland were crying out for a player to do what both of those did last season – which was to be able to put their foot on the ball, calm things down and create composure.

Experience was in short supply in Saturday's side and on this occasion it showed – only Higginbotham in the starting line-up could boast more than 50 Premiership appearances – and, as we have already seen, that proved to be no guarantee of grace under pressure.

Fulham finally made the most of the opportunities that were coming their way in the 32nd minute when they earned a free-kick 30 yards out and left of goal.

Specialist set-piece taker Simon Davies had already caused problems earlier in the game with deliveries into the box which might have yielded a goal or two off the head of fellow midfielder Clint Dempsey.

But this time he went for goal himself with an effort which flew into Craig Gordon's top right-hand corner.

It was a strike of wonderful accuracy, but it came from a long way out and has to go down as a goalkeeping error – Gordon caught flat-footed when the ball came in, seeming to assume that Davies would put a cross into a crowded penalty box rather than go directly for goal.

It was not the best way for the young Scot to celebrate the 150th league appearance of his career.

The soft goal did nothing to either lift the home team's confidence or the supporters' spirits and having expected so much and been delivered so little, the fans booed Keane's men off at the break for the first time this season.

"I felt like booing myself," smiled Keane afterwards when asked about the fans' reaction.

The minds of Sunderland's players were focused by a forcefully critical but also genuinely constructive half-time team talk from their manager and they started the second half with the sort of purpose they ought to have shown in the first.

Jones signalled his intent with two speculative but positive shots inside the opening couple of minutes and, within five minutes of the restart, Sunderland fans were right back on board, cheering the team to the rafters.

For the first time, uncertainty began to spread among Fulham's players and keeper Antti Niemi had to be at his best to keep out a goal-bound header from Dickson Etuhu in the 55th minute.

Fulham, though, remained dangerous on the break and Dempsey should have doubled his side's lead a few minutes after Etuhu's header, but the American snatched at an effort in the six-yard box, ballooning it over bar when time was on his side.

That chance might have tempted Keane to exercise restraint, but instead he threw caution to the wind on the hour, introducing the attacking threat of strikers Daryl Murphy and Stokes at the expense of Etuhu and Michael Chopra.

Despite the changes, Sunderland still struggled to get up a head of steam and their afternoon should have been ruined by the disastrous events of the 67th and 69th minutes when, first Greg Halford was sent off for a tug of David Healy's shirt, his second bookable offence, and then Fulham striker Kamara scored.

But, surprisingly, the striker's goal was ruled out for him being too strong challenging Nyron Nosworthy for possession and – downright bizarrely – Sunderland went on to play better with 10 men than they had with 11.

Perhaps their fear of failure was replaced by the wounding of pride, but they suddenly started to tear into the visitors and, in the 70th minute, Grant Leadbitter's sweetly struck volley from a Jones lob was denied only by a brilliant Niemi stop – the second time in consecutive games that only a wondersave had thwarted a Leadbitter thunderbolt.

It was a sign of things to come, though, as Sunderland began to dominate and Fulham players went down with mystery injuries trying to wind the clock down.

Just when it looked as though the game was petering out and all of Sunderland's efforts would be in vain, Leadbitter, in the left-hand channel in the 85th minute, hoisted a teasing cross goalwards and Jones rose to power home a header from eight yards out which gave Niemi no chance.

It was the striker's fourth goal in six games.

Full-strength Fulham might have been expected to go for goal in the dying stages, but instead it was Sunderland who went on a charge, earning three corners in sucession as full-time came up on the scoreboard.

And what a result it would have been if Stokes could have made the most of two chances in the closing stages – one good, the other glorious – only for his touch to let him down both times.

The point taken was a glowing tribute to Sunderland's now renowned fighting spirit and never-say-die attitude.

It keeps the relegation wolf from the door for the moment, but what a pity they could not have started the game in the manner in which they ended it.

On Saturday night, it felt like a point gained for Sunderland – given the battling, against-the-odds manner in which it was obtained.

But, in the long run, this has to be seen as two points dropped and the return of key players can't come soon enough if Sunderland are not to continue bumping along with strugglers at the wrong end of the table.

1 Gordon: Should have done better for Fulham's goal. Was at sixes and sevens with his defence at times 5
2 Halford: Started promisingly, ended miserably by being sent off for the second time this season 5
5 Nosworthy: The pick of the back four, a couple of tremendous clearances under pressure 7
14 Higginbotham: Early error should have cost his side a goal. Improved as the game progressed 5
15 Collins: Generally solid, fortunate to escape punishment for challenge on Kamara in early stages. Coped well when switched to right-back late on 6
12 Miller: Some clever play although not as influential as he would have hoped 7
4 Etuhu: A generally quiet game and was sacrificed as Sunderland went on the offensive 5
(Sub Murphy, 60: Had an impact and was a threat down the left 6)
18 Leadbitter: Braveheart display. Never stopped trying to spark the side into life. Great cross for Jones's equaliser 7
33 Wallace: Showed right attitude but couldn't make the difference 6
(Sub Harte, 70: Brought on for scoring prowess from free-kicks but never got the chance 6)
16 Chopra: Usual busy workrate but the lad needs a goal 5
(Sub Stokes, 60: Missed gilt-edged chance to become a hero and steal all three points 4)
17 JONES: Tremendous effort from a player who hadn't trained all week – an impressive overall display capped by his fourth goal in six games 8
Subs not used: Ward, Connolly.