The story of the game as Sunderland are held by MK Dons in open and often contentious contest

A much changed and much more threatening MK Dons side fought back from an early Sunderland goal to take a well-deserved lead at the break, and though Lee Johnson’s side fought back in the second, their failure to land a final punch in an open, fiercely contested conclusion left them counting the cost of another draw.

The Black Cats had given themselves that early advantage with a superby taken goal, superb composure from both Aiden O'Brien and McGeady allowing Wyke to get free of his marker in the box.

On his left foot, the instinctive finish was delivered with the kind of composure that has come to define this fine goalscoring run.

The response from MK Dons was emphatic, Sunderland opened up too often and left chasing the game within fifteen minutes.

McGeady was a constant threat on the left but his position high up the pitch was leaving the home side the chance to switch the play with regularity and from the off they targeted Jake Vokins on debut.

The equaliser came from the other flank, Lee Burge twice making a save but twice unable to clear the danger. Joe Mason, so wasteful in front of goal on Tuesday night, this time had the simplest of finishes.

The pressure on the far flank eventually told when midfielder Matt O'Riley, who drove into dangerous positions all afternoon, cut inside and drove a low effort towards goal. Cameron Jerome was the quickest off the mark in the box, intervening to poke the ball past Burge.

Though Wyke did draw a good save from Fisher shortly afterwards, the home side were dominant and constantly found themselves opening up Johnson's side, who were struggling to keep their shape off the ball.

When Mason sliced an effort from a dangerous position in the box, it looked as if the fourth goal was only going one way.

Yet even as they struggled to keep Russell Martin's team at bay, it was only a lack of composure that prevented Sunderland going into the break level.

Both Wyke and Max Power missed good opportunities to score and it was those frailties in the MK Dons defence that looked to convince Johnson not to make changes at the break.

Sunderland started the second half sluggishly but levelled after a touch of fortune and a fine finish.

The danger from a short corner looked to have passed when McGeady scuffed his effort, but O'Nien had pulled into space and hisfinish on the second touch was superb.

It was the lift Sunderland needed, and they were adamant that they should have had a penalty handball when McGeady crossed into the box.

The Black Cats were on top at the stage but MK Dons recovered strongly and the last twenty minutes were a frenetic, end-to-end affair.

Either side would have felt they should have taken the points on another afternoon of eventual frustration for the Black Cats, who were denied with the last kick of the game as Fisher denied McGeady with an outstanding close-range block.

Sunderland XI: Burge; Power, Willis, Wright, Vokins (Sanderson, 83); Leadbitter, O’Nien (Scowen, 77), Gooch (Jones, 67), McGeady; O’Brien (Maguire, 83), Wyke

Subs: Matthews, Neil, Diamond

MK Dons XI: Fisher; Laird, O’Hora, Jules (Harvie, 60), Darling, Lewington; Thompson (Surman, 42), Fraser, O’Riley, Mason (Brown, 72); Jerome

Subs: Nicholls, Brown, Sorensen, Harvie, Sorinola, Johnson

Bookings: O’Nien, 48 Jerome, 52 Laird, 61 Leadbitter, 67 Willis, 72 Surman, 83