Sunderland had to settle for a FA Cup replay on Teesside after coming from a goal behind to draw 1-1 in the Wear Tees derby on Sunday at the SOL. Boro took the lead early in the first half after an impressive Barry Robson strike but the returning Frazier Campbell ensured the lads were in the draw for the last 16 with a cool second half goal.

Despite having an impressive start to the season under Tony Mowbray, Boro made the short trip north to Wearside on the back of two defeats and with a squad depleted by a number of injuries. Also former SAFC favourite and current Boro midfielder Julio Arca missed out on a return to the SOL having been showing a straight red at Coventry for a two footed lunge. Lee Cattermole was also un able to line up against his hometown club as he missed out through injury.

The news that Nicklas Bendtner’s facial injury was worse than first thought forced Martin O’Neill into two change s with Connor Wickham replacing the Dane and Craig Gardner replacing Sunderland skipper Cattermole . Bendtner’s injury looks to have forced O’Neill into action in the transfer market and it now looks possible we’ll have another striker in by the time we face Norwich on Wednesday, even though Fraizer Campbell continued his rehabilitation with a run out for the reserves on Tuesday and forced his way onto the bench today.

Sunderland started sluggishly and Boro had the first effort on goal with a long range volley which Mignolet did well to hold before we hit back and went close when Larsson headed Bardsley's cross wide. We threatened again down the right this time Vaughan went close with a free kick that landed on the roof of the net before O'Shea got on the end of Vaughan's corner to glance over.

Boro took the lead against the run of play when a ball down the right wasn't cleared and eventually found its way to the box where Barry Robson finished clinically with his left foot to give the visitors the lead.

Boro had a spell where they kept possession well and frustrated us although McClean went close with a drive from long range which was palmed away. A nice bit of link up play between Gardner and Sessegnon saw the midfielder loop a volley over the bar prior to the big talking point of the first half.

Craig Gardner looked to have equalised for Sunderland when he controlled McClean's cross on his shot before shooting goal wards with his left foot. The ball took an eternity trickling along the grass before ricocheting off the post and over the line. However the linesman instantly raised his flag for offside which saw Sunderland surround the referee forcing Kevin Friend to consult his assistant. The goal was chalked off presumably for either Wickham or Larsson touching the ball when in an offside position. Boro had a glorious chance to double their lead right before half time though Emnes made a hash of his finish.

We made a change at half time with the disappointing Wickham making way for the returning Fraizer Campbell. Boro had a couple of sights at goal, one a free kick from Barry Robson which curled wide before Emnes blasted over on the edge of the box.

Craig Gardner blasted a free kick over the bar and then Martin O’Neill was forced into his second change after Wes Brown landed in a heap after conceding a corner. We actually equalised with only ten men on the pitch as Brown went off for treatment and from the Boro corner we counter attacked superbly with McClean crossing for Fraizer Campbell to slot home confidently on his return to the side. Campbell’s introduction breathed life into Sunderland and the striker went close soon after with a header which looped over the bar from Larsson’s cross.

We ended the game on top, Jack Colback came on for the last ten minutes for David Vaughan and Boro were also forced to change their keeper. It was disappointing that we didn’t actually test the young keeper who had a nervy moment slicing a clearance and Sunderland lacked composure in the final third where a few passes strung together would have caused Boro problems. Instead on separate occasions, McClean, Sessegnon and Campbell all tried to dribble the ball into the back of the net and were duly tackled. James McClean did have a late chance in injury to nick the tie when he was found in space but his low drive crashed into the side netting.

Final Score: Sunderland 1 Boro 1

ALS Man of the Match: Fraizer Campbell

Aidan Crowe

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