Sunderland gave up a two-goal advantage to be held to a 2-2 draw by West Ham United at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.
The Black Cats skipped away to a nice lead in the 22nd minute but the visiting Hammers produced a fightback to grab yet another point away from home.
Steven Fletcher opened the scoring for the Wearside club when firing home Yann M'Vila's low cross in the 10th minute before Jeremain Lens added a second with a delightful chip over Adrian from just outside the area.
West Ham pulled one back on the stroke of half-time when Arsenal loanee Carl Jenkinson rifled home Victor Moses' cut-back pass from the left side of the area.
Sunderland were reduced to ten men just before the hour-mark when Lens was sent off for a second bookable offence and it paid dividends for the Hammers as Dimitri Payet netted an equaliser in the 60th minute after Costel Pantilimon failed to hold onto Manuel Lanzini's initial effort.
The draw allowed Sunderland to move off the bottom of the table but it proved to be Dick Advocaat's final game in charge of the club while Slaven Bilic's Hammers dropped to sixth despite extending their unbeaten run to five matches.
MATCH OVERVIEW
Sunderland: 2 (Steven Fletcher 10', Jeremain Lens 22', red card: Lens 57')
West Ham United: 2 (Carl Jenkinson 45+1', Dimitri Payet 60')
Stadium of Light, Sunderland - 42,932
TALKING POINTS
- Sunderland found a way not to win after a great start. Are they capable of turning their best into consistent results?
- West Ham have the best away form in the league. Can they produce a top-six finish if they start to win at home?
WHAT'S NEXT?
Sunderland will be after their first win when they head to West Bromwich Albion after the international break as the Hammers get set for a short trip to South London to take on Crystal Palace.
TWITTER INSIGHT
Thank you to all the fans for the support were behind us the whole game! #SAFC@SunderlandAFC
— DeAndre Yedlin (@yedlinny) October 3, 2015We Still alive! We are alive! Could got the 3 pts with my chance I know! head up and look high to… https://t.co/db0mAnU8pk
— Fabio Borini (@borinifabio29) October 3, 2015Tough game but boys worked hard to get a result and we move on to the next now
— Victor Moses (@VictorMoses) October 3, 2015
QUOTES CORNER
Advocaat on his decision to leave Sunderland:
“I have made the decision to go after only eight games as I felt it was important to give everyone time turn things around - like we did last year. I am thankful to the chairman for understanding my feelings and I remain on good terms with everyone at the club."
West Ham's Bilic on his side's ability to fight back:
"The way we played today was very, very positive for everybody. There was not a player who was not in the game. Overall, I am very proud of what they showed today, the commitment was really great."
STATS SPECIALS
*Thanks to Opta
11 - Eleven of Sunderland's 12 shots against West Ham came in the first half. Retreat.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 3, 2015
TEAM LEADERS
SUNDERLAND
Goals - Jermain Defoe, Steven Fletcher, Jeremain Lens 2
Assists - Jeremain Lens, Yann M'Vila 2
Yellow cards - Billy Jones, Sebastian Coates, Jeremain Lens 4
Red cards - Younes Kaboul, Jeremain Lens 1
WEST HAM
Goals - Dimitri Payet 4
Assists - Dimitri Payet 3
Clean sheets - Darren Randolph 2
Yellow cards - Mark Noble 4
Red cards - Adrian, Mark Noble, Carl Jenkinson 1
