Exactly how it played out as Sunderland let the lead slip twice in frustrating Rochdale draw

The Black Cats had twice taken the lead in the first half through headers from Charlie Wyke and Bailey Wright, but slack defending allowed Matty Lund to twice equalise.

Though Sunderland threw bodies forward in search of a winner, and were desperately unlucky to see an effort from Max Power strike the crossbar late on, Rochdale would in truth consider themselves worthy of a point.

They threatened regularly in the first half, and though they saw little of the ball in the second, their goalkeeper was not tested anywhere near regularly enough.

Phil Parkinson had called for a response after a frustrating first league defeat of the season to Portsmouth, but whether he received one of major note was questionable.

Parkinson’s response to that defeat had been to reshuffle the pack considerably, handing a first start to Wolves youngster Dion Sanderson.

George Dobson and Conor McLaughlin also returned, which notably meant a switch to the 3-4-3 system the Black Cats had used for the latter half of the previous campaign.

Pushing Gooch further forward lifted Sunderland’s pressing capacity, but the opening stages perhaps did not play out exactly as expected.

Rochdale have a reputation for being a possession-based side under Brian Barry-Murphy, but Parkinson had hinted in the build up that there have been some moderations to their style and it was clear, here.

Sunderland were happy to sit off and wait for the ball to be played into midfield, hoping then to pounce on any mistake. Rochdale in response were happy to bypass the midfield often. Sanderson was targeted early on with a number of long balls, but coped well.

It was a fairly tepid start, both sides guilty of a slackness and looseness in possession.

When the opener came, it was to the widespread surprise of all present. Sunderland built the play well from deep, but there seemed to be little danger when Gooch picked up the ball just inside the Rochdale half.

He carried the ball and kept on goal, turning away from Ryan McLaughlin when the challenge eventually came. The cross on his left foot was perfect, and Wyke did well to get between the two Rochdale centre-backs. The header was emphatic, Bazunu having no chance in the Rochdale goal.

Sunderland were bouyed by the goal, and began to assert themselves on the contest.

Rochdale’s poise on the ball was affected and it seemed as if they could be on the ropes.

The Black Cats, though, allowed them back into it with 25 minutes on the clock. The visitors couldn’t stop the cross from the right flank and midfielder Matty Lund timed his run to perfection, free to head the ball back across goal and into the bottom corner. Lee Burge was motionless.

Barry-Murphy’s side were in the ascendancy then, carrying the ball forward with more purpose and conviction than their opponents.

They came close to a second when Ollie Rathbone’s low drive was deflected over the bar, and Jake Beesley ought to have done better from the following corner, meeting a bouncing ball near the penalty spot before firing over the bar.

Sunderland were off the pace, fortunate to again be let back into the contest by slack defending.

Bazunu did well to punch a free kick from Chris Maguire clear, but was caught out when Gooch picked up the loose ball and saw his low drive deflected. Bailey Wright met the loose ball, and his weak header somehow beat the Rochdale goalkeeper and trickled over the line.

It was a welcome and perhaps undeserved boost, but the reprieve lasted just minutes.

Sunderland again the architects of their own downfall, again letting a cross in from the left and again not tracking the late run from Lund.

This time the midfielder met the ball on the ground and thumped an emphatic finish past Burge to send his side into the break level.

Parkinson resisted the urge to make changes, but there was a clear shift in the early moments of the second half, the press considerably more aggressive as his side stepped right up the pitch.

It almost yielded an instant reward, with Maguire flashing a cross/shot across goal that a team-mate should perhaps have anticipated.

Sunderland continued to enjoy the majority of possession, but struggled to turn it into chances. Bazunu was rarely tested, other than to make routine stops from Wyke and Gooch as the game entered the final 20 minutes.

The Black Cats did almost produce a goal when McLaughlin advanced down the right before playibng a fine, instinctive first-time cross into the danger area. It was met well by Wyke, who was unfortunate to see his effort turned just wide by Bazunu.

Parkinson shuffled his pack for the final ten minutes, introducing Josh Scowen and Danny Graham.

They looked certain to have secured the winner when Power met a bouncing ball and unleashed a superb dipping volley. Bazumu was beaten, but the ball struck the inside of the bar and bounced clear. Graham met the loose ball, but Bazumu recovered in time to gather the header.

Sunderland XI: Burge; Sanderson, Wright, Flanagan; McLaughlin, Dobson, Power, Maguire (Scowen, 75), Hume; Gooch, Wyke (Graham, 81)

Subs: O’Brien, Grigg, Matthews, Leadbitter, Willis

Rochdale XI: Bazumu; McLaughlin, Roberts, O’Connell, Bola; Newby (McNulty, 86), Morley, Ryan (Done, 81), Lund, Rathbone, Beesley

Subs: Chartlon, Keohane, Tavares, Hopper, Brierley

Bookings: McLaughlin (R), 21 Ryan, 63 Sanderson, 77 Rathbone, 90

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