I just watched Sunderland drop two vital points in the promotion race - here's what I think went wrong

This might be the afternoon that you look back and think really cost Sunderland.

Unbeaten at home against a team with a dire away record, this was a great opportunity to close the gap to the top two. But they were below par from the start, Plymouth plucky in the first half and then good value in the second.

Regis Le Bris had sprung a surprise for the game, bringing Salis Abdul Samed back into the starting XI. The return of Patrick Roberts in place of Chris Rigg had been more of an expected move, with the youngster looking a little tired out of position in midweek.

Sunderland did start relatively brightly, getting into some decent areas and with Dan Neil enjoying the licence to break into Plymouth's final third.

Once the visitors rode the early storm, though, they looked fairly happy with their position in the game. They were happy to stay in a disciplined shape out of possession, only very rarely applying pressure on the ball when they felt there might be an opportunity to catch one of the central defender's out. Generally their strategy was to launch the ball forward and hope to catch Sunderland out that way.

While Samed's presence did give an extra layer of protection against those counter attacks, much of the first half played out with Wilson Isidor isolated and frustrated up front. There were some moments of promise when Enzo Le Fee drove to the byline with some encouraging footwork, but it said much that Sunderland's best openings were a (superb) potshot from range from Neil and a couple of set plays.

The main issue for the hosts in the first half had been their sloppy passing and lack of intensity, but they were also struggling to get enough players close to Isidor and as a result, balls into the box were too easy for Plymouth's three central defenders to deal with.

Sunderland were given a major let-off at the start of the second half when Ryan Hardie nodded wide from a matter of yards after the dangerous Bunda crossed from the right. It was a warning sign that the home side didn't heed, Hardie left free in the box again not long after and despite O'Nien's best efforts to clear, the striker's effort landed over the line following a deflection off Patterson.

It was if falling behind was the catalyst Sunderland needed to lift their game, Isidor hooking an excellent first-time volley into the far corner from Hume's cross within minutes. At this point, Le Bris gambled and threw on Mayenda for Samed.

There was something of an irony in the fact that the passage of play that followed, Le Bris's decision not to go for a 4-4-2 from the start was vindicated. Suddenly vast swathes of space opened up in the middle of the pitch, and Plymouth threatened in a way they had never managed to in the first hour. Sunderland were indebted to Patterson that when Callum Wright raced clear and drove a low effort towards goal, he was equal to it and turned the effort onto the post.

A surging run from Cirkin moments later won a foul and from there, Hume gathered a loose ball and fired a brilliant half-volley into the goal. Sunderland had been more than a little fortunate, but they were ahead.

Le Bris then tried to lock the game down, first moving back to a 4-3-3 and then to a back five. Instead of giving the hosts control it invited Plymouth on, and their barrage of the box paid off when Ogbeta finished well at the back post, Sunderland unable to clear their lines.

Despite some late pressure, Sunderland couldn't find a winner. It had looked for a while like their good finishing would save them but it proved not to be the case.The simple fact was they never got close to the intensity and quality in possession that they needed to win - Plymouth deserved their draw. They had dug in through the first half and waited for their moments, by the end of the game they had probably had the better of the chances.