Stern John grabbed a late equaliser for Sunderland in tonight's 2-2 draw at Birmingham City.

After getting their season off to a flyer with a last-gasp win over Tottenham on Saturday, Roy Keane's men refused to accept defeat after sub Garry O'Connor gave Birmingham an 82nd-minute lead.

After heading against the crossbar a minute later, John - who left St Andrews for the north-east last season - pounced to bundle home after Ross Wallace's 90th-minute free-kick.

It was a dramatic ending to a low-key game which Blues looked like shading through a first-half own-goal from Paul McShane, until Michael Chopra's stunning 75th-minute leveller.

Blues new boy O'Connor swept home a clinical left-foot effort to seemingly wrap up the points - before John pounced to level.