Millwall 1-1 Sunderland: Concerning trend continues, changes pay off and Patterson shines

Sunderland fought back to take a point from their trip to Millwall after Jack Clarke's late penalty took him to ten goals for the campaign.

Kevin Nisbet had given the hosts the lead shortly before half time but after a laboured first hour, Sunderland's substitutes helped them take something from the game.

Here's the story of the game and it's key talking points...

SUNDERLAND START BRIGHTLY - BUT CAN'T MAKE IT COUNT

Mowbray had expected a response from his side after the disappointing defeat to Huddersfield in midweek, and up to a point he got it. Four changes were made to the side, with the introduction of Mason Burstow enforced given concerns of Eliezer Mayenda's game time and Nazariy Rusyn's injury.

The reintroduction of Ba, Ekwah and Huggins was more about freshening the side up and the start was encouraging. Ekwah looked like his old self in midfield, O'Nien found Clarke in space with some excellent switches of play and Adil Aouchiche was seeing a lot of the ball. Turning that good play into good chances was a different task, the only two efforts of note coming from Dan Neil on the edge of the area. Both were created by clever play from Aouchiche, but the first effort was well over the bar and the second, on Neil's weaker foot, was an easy save.

Millwall looked tentative but began to settle after that tricky opening and frustratingly from a Sunderland perspective, they were able to turn the contest into a scrappy affair that suited them far better.

MILLWALL TAKE THE LEAD BEFORE THE BREAK - AND IT WAS DESERVED

There looked to be a confidence about Sunderland to begin with but as the half developed, they began to give it away with concerning regularity. Neither goalkeeper had really been worked, and it said something about the end product on show that Ryan Leonard's long-range effort from around 30 yards was the closest either had come.

The warnings signs were there for Sunderland, though. Only excellent covering defending from ballard denied Nisbet after Ba gave it away in his own half, but the next time the defender came out to try and cover for a poor concession of the ball, he was too late. The referee waved play on as he clattered into the Millwall midfielder, and Norton-Cuffy was able to pick up the ball and cross. Nisbet was there to meet it with a first-time volley, leaving Sunderland again with work to do in the second half. A big concern was that they had managed only three shots in the half - all from outside the box. Another soft goal conceded, but this time not much created at the other end.

POOR START SEES MOWBRAY RING THE CHANGES

Sunderland started the second if anything even poorer than they had ended the first, fortunate to escape one goalmouth scramble after O'Nien and Huggins had gone for the same ball. Mowbray turned to the experience on his bench, with Ba, Burstow and Aouchiche struggling to keep the ball and impact the game.

The contest changed almost instantly, Sunderland finally beginning to find some intensity to their play and keep Millwall penned in near their own box. Dack probably should have scored when Clarke found him near the post, flicking his effort wide from a narrow angle. The Black Cats needed Patterson to make an excellent stop from Bradshaw's volley as the contest started to break open.

Sunderland then forged their best opening yet when Roberts broke to the byline, but his cross was blazed well over the bar by Ballard - who had to hit the target.

THE PRESSURE TELLS

Sunderland were playing far better, Dack having an influence and finding team-mates in space. The pressure eventually told when Clarke again burst by Leonard in the box, and the defender's attempt to win the ball back saw him swipe the winger's leg from underneath him.

After a long pause as Millwall tried to put him off, Clarke scored. Bialkowski guessed the right way, but the effort was too low and powerful. The game had now broken entirely open as both teams pushed for a winner, with Patterson making a superb 1-v-1 save after Bradshaw burst through on goal.

GRANDSTAND FINISH LEAVES MIXED EMOTIONS

Sunderland had the equaliser but they also had an ultra-attacking line up on the pitch, and if either side looked most likely to score late on it was Millwall. Time and time again they broke off Sunderland's midfield to threaten, with Patterson making a huge stop to deny Bradshaw after he burst through on goal.

The final whistle blew leaving Sunderland with mixed emotions. They had earned a point that at a couple of times in the game looked beyond them, and that at least brings an end to their losing run.

Yet they will also rue what could have been had they produced the intensity of the last half hour throughout the contest, and knowing they needed Patterson to be at his very best. The pressure is on ahead of two very tough home games. Up front, the answers look further away than ever.

Millwall XI: Bialkowski; Wallace, Cooper, Harding; Norton-Cuffy, Saville, Honeyman (Longman, 62), Mitchell, Leonard; Flemming (Watmore, 73), Nisbet (Bradshaw, 62)

Subs: Sarkic, McNamara, Hutchinson, Campbell, Emakhu, Esse

Sunderland XI: Patterson; Huggins, Ballard, O'Nien, Hume; Neil (Mayenda, 73), Ekwah; Ba (Roberts, 55), Aouchiche (Pritchard, 55), Clarke; Burstow (Dack, 55)

Subs: Bishop, Jobe, Hemir, Roberts, Mayenda, Taylor, Pritchard, Triantis, Dack

Bookings: Burstow, 24 Clarke 32 Saville 66 Bialkowski, 74 Bradshaw, 77 Cooper, 80 Watmore, 90