A late Darren Bent goal won the Blues a point from an entertaining 2-2 draw with Sunderland. All the goals came after the break, Marcus Stewart having missed an earlier penalty, Richard Naylor scoring for Town before Stephen Elliott and Carl Robinson put the visitors ahead prior to Bent's strike.

The Blues moved back to a 4-4-2 formation with Darren Currie coming in for Matt Richards, while Kevin Horlock came in for skipper Jim Magilton in the centre of midfield.

Sunderland's goalkeeping crisis saw Michael Ingham, who has already been told he will be released at the end of the season, make his first league start for the Black Cats. Former Blue Marcus Stewart received the expected warm welcome back to Portman Road.

The returning Horlock picked up the first yellow card of the game in just the fourth minute, after a foul on Dean Whitehead not far outside the area. Kelvin Davis tipped Liam Lawrence's freekick wide.

The Blues came close to opening the scoring in the eighth minute when a lengthy Fabian Wilnis throw reached Darren Bent at the far post, the England U21 rising high but heading over.

On 23 a Darren Currie freekick was sentd straight up in the air by a defender, Richard Naylor getting his head on the ball but failing to trouble Ingham.

A minute later, Whitehead shot wide from a Lawrence pass, although the Town players felt that Currie had been fouled when the Black Cats won the ball in the centre circle.

Kuqi headed a Bent cross wide with Town well on top possession-wise, if not in terms of chances created. Westlake hit a shot which was blocked, the rebound falling to Horlock, but the former Northern Irish international screwed the ball wide.

Sunderland were handed a fantastic chance to go ahead in the 24th minute. Marcus Stewart was sent away from what the Town defence felt was an offside position. The former Town striker cut back inside Fabian Wilnis and struck a shot off the Dutchman. Referee Steve Bennett pointed to the spot, indicating that Wilnis had handled the ball.

The ball had clearly hit the Town full-back, possibly on the hand, but given his close proximity to Stewart there was no plausible way that it could have been a deliberate manoeuvre. Stewart himself took the kick but sent it wide of Kelvin Davis's left post. Justice, to those with a Town viewpoint, was done.

Town fans serenaded their former hero with Walking in a Stewart Wonderland, before Darren Currie hit a 30 yarder straight at keeper Ingham.

There was a scare for the Blues a minute later, when Stewart held off Naylor as they sought to gain control of the ball, Chris Brown shooting weakly to Kelvin Davis when he probably should have scored.

Bent went wide from the edge of the area, before Tommy Miller was fouled 25 yards out. David Unsworth took the kick and went inches wide of Ingham's left post. Soon after, Carl Robinson picked up a yellow card for a series of fouls.

Sunderland broke quickly through Lawrence and Whitehead, Wilnis and Unsworth getting back to block. Brown headed the subsequent cross over.

Town had enjoyed much of the possession in a breathless half, with Sunderland preferring to attack on the break. The visitors had had the best chance of the game from the penalty, while the Blues had failed to really test the inexperienced keeper.

The second half started much as the first had ended and Currie almost carved out a chance for Town in the opening minute, his chipped cross only succeeding in finding a Sunderland head. The visitors immediately broke, Jason De Vos heading a cross from the left over the bar.

Currie hit a deflected 25-yard shot through to the keeper and then Lawrence went wide at the other end. Sunderland were enjoying more of the ball in the second half and full-back Stephen Wright tried his luck from 30 yards but Davis claimed.

Shefki Kuqi became the second Town player to get his name in the book in the 54th minute after disputing an award of a goalkick with a linesman. The ball had clearly been headed out by Gary Breen, one of innumerable poor decisions made throughout the game by Premiership referee Steve Bennett and his assistants.

Liam Lawrence went wide from a freekick for Sunderland, before Ingham dropped a Currie freekick, but reclaimed before a Town player could get onto the loose ball.

Soon after, Kuqi went high and wide from a tight angle and then Arca shot well wide as the action continued to switch rapidly from end to end.

Fabian Wilnis received a yellow card in the 65th minute for a foul, although McCartney had appeared to have dived. From the resultant freekick, Caldwell hit the bar with a header.

On 66 the Blues finally broke the deadlock. Currie whipped in a corner, the ball slipped through the hands of Ingham and Richard Naylor scrambled the ball over the line with his knee, Jason De Vos following up to make sure.

The Blues firmly had the bit between their teeth and within a minute Tommy Miller volleyed wide. Sunderland, who had looked relatively happy with the score at 0-0, made two changes as they went looking for an equaliser, Stewart applauded off by his old fans, and strike partner Brown making way for Brian Deane and Stephen Elliott.

Within three minutes the pair combined to put their side back on terms. Wright crossed from the right, Deane headed the ball back and Elliot netted from close range. It was a bad goal to concede with keeper Kelvin Davis staying on his line, perhaps misjudging that the ball was going out of play before Deane nodded across goal.

Jason De Vos picked up a yellow card for a foul on Lawrence in the 73rd minute, Fabian Wilnis making an important challenge on Brian Deane not long after. On 76 Magilton replaced Horlock.

Kuqi flicked on a freekick from deep a minute later, Bent holding off defenders and Miller shooting wide. Thornton's 25-yard freekick also went wide, Naylor having fouled Elliott.

There was a scare for the home side in the 81st minute when Ian Westlake under-hit a pass to Naylor, Whitehead nipping in between them and running through one-on-one with the keeper. Kelvin Davis stood his ground and did superbly to tip the shot wide, referee Bennett characteristically awarding a goalkick.

Pablo Couñago took over from Darren Currie on 82 as the Blues went looking for the winner. However, two minutes later Sunderland went in front. George McCartney crossed from the left, De Vos failed to clear Deane's flick and the ball fell to Carl Robinson who scored from close range.

As time started to run out, Couñago started make inroads into the Sunderland defence with one or two runs, although seeming loath to shoot.

However, in the 89th minute the Spaniard was involved as Town go back on terms. Kuqi headed the ball on, Couñago diverted the ball into the path of Darren Bent who slammed home from close range.

The five minutes of injury time - partly caused by Sunderland's languid approach to taking freekicks and throw-ins - were frenetic as the Blues put on the pressure and Sunderland sought an equaliser on the break.

Unsworth lofted a freekick in a promising position well over, play switching to the other end where Thornton forced Davis into a save.

With seconds remaining, Ingham, well off his line, mis-punched to Westlake. The keeper stuck out an arm and diverted the midfielder's shot into the path of Kuqi, Caldwell blocking his effort, possibly with his hand, Kuqi certainly convinced that the Blues should have been given a last seconds spotkick.

A draw was probably not an unfair result and either side could have won it. Sunderland had the better clear-cut chances (and the woeful refereeing), while Town had a lot of possession but found the Black Cats' backline a solid proposition throughout.

Wigan will perhaps be the happiest of the three clubs challenging for automatic promotion after this weekend's results. They gained two points on Sunderland and so are still in with a chance of the Championship title, while the Blues are now two points behind them.

The point means Town now require Wigan to lose a game if they are to usurp their second position and realistically must win all their remaining games if they are to avoid the play-offs. The weekend results now mean that the Blues can now not finish any lower than sixth in the table.

Town: Davis, Wilnis, Unsworth, De Vos, Naylor, Horlock (Magilton 76), Westlake, Currie (Couñago 82), Miller, Kuqi, Bent. Unused: Price, Richards, Scowcroft. Att: 29,230.

Photo: Action Images

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