Sunderland held to third successive draw in familiarly frustrating Hull City draw

Lee Johnson’s side had to fight back from conceding an early goal against Hull City, after a seemingly injured Lee Burge made a major error from a set piece.

A superb header from Aiden McGeady levelled the scores not long after, but the game settled into a familiar pattern of frustration for the Black Cats as they struggled to carve out a regular attacking threat.

After missing some significant chances in the opening half an hour, Hull’s attacking threat faded to nothing in the second half but Sunderland didn’t do enough to force the win.

The game had started in open fashion, a high tempo reflecting two sides eager to stress their promotion credentials.

That early rhythm was disrupted by the injury to Burge, who needed five minutes of treatment after being caught by the trailing leg of Mallik Wilks s he raced off his line to gather his oose ball.

Within minues of the restart, George Honeyman whipped a dangerous free-kick into the box and under little pressure, Burge spilled the catch. Reece Burke was quickest to the loose ball and rifled in the opener.

Sunderland were rocked, uncertain defensively as Wilks and Tom Eaves found time and space on the counter.

When the equaliser came, it was somewhat against the run of play. Leadbitter spotted an opportunity from a free kick, playing a ball over the top of the defence for the onrushing Jack Diamond. The winger did well to keep it alive, standing up a cross to the back post. McGeady found the far corner with a superb header, towering above the imposing Eaves to get his side back on level terms.

The goal lifted the hosts and though they looked a threat, particularly through DIamond down the right, it was Hull who had the best chances to go ahead.

Twice they forged a clear opening through Wilks down the left, Eaves heading onto the crossbar from a matter of yards, before drawing a fine stop from Burhe when he again found himself unmarked at the back post.

It was a relief to the Sunderland defence when Eaves limped off five minutes before the break with an injury.

The Black Cats had struggled to create clear openings, but inconsistent refeering left them irate and particularly when Diamond burst through on goal after a moment of indecision in the Hull backline.

Goalkeeper George Long blocked the winger off as he looked to chase the loose ball, but Scott Oldham inexplicably waved play on.

Johnson replaced Burge at the break after that early knock, while also reshuffling his pack by introducing Lynden Gooch.

In a surprise move, Max Power dropped into the right-back position and the Black Cats were fortunate when Wilks smashed an effort high into the Roker End when bursting into the box within minutes of the restart.

Sunderland were seeing most of the ball, though, and went within inches of taking the lead when Power made an excellent overlapping run on the right.

His low cross was played into a dangerous area, but a touch from substitute Josh Magennis proved crucial as the ball struck Wyke and dropped wide of the far post.

The game was being played mostly in Hull’s half, the visitors threating only sporadically through Wilks on the break.

The issues for Sunderland were familiar, though, struggling to turn possession into chances and threatening only really through the pace of Diamond on the right.

Johnson made a triple substitution in search of some attacking inspiration. Sunderland continued to dominate the ball without testing Long in the Hull goal.

It was the visitors who came closest late on, with the lively Wilks seeing an effort blocked well by McFadzean.

An ultimately tepid contest faded to a stalemate, leaving Sunderland with an all-too familiar frustration.

Sunderland XI: Burge (Matthews, 45); McLaughlin (Gooch, 45), Wright, Sanderson, McFadzean; Leadbitter, Scowen, Power; Diamond (Maguire, 76), McGeady (Embleton, 76), Wyke (Graham, 76)

Subs: Younge O’Brien, Graham, Embleton, Maguire

Hull City XI: Long; Emmanuel, Burke, Jones (Lewis-Potter, 66), Fleming (Elder, 83); Smallwood, Honeyman, Docherty; Wilks, Greaves, Eaves (Magennis, 41)

Subs: Ingram, Coyle, Elder, Slater, Lewis-Potter, Mayer, Magennis

Bookings: Wright, 13 Honeyman, 45