A DIRE encounter at the Stadium of Light yesterday saw Sunderland make it just four points from 12 over a festive period Mick McCarthy will be keen to forget.

A poor first half which saw Chris Brown cancel out Darius Henderson's opener was merely the starter for a second half main course of truly awful football.

The Northern Echo sponsored the matchball and this newspaper could be forgiven for demanding it be returned to Darlington with both sets of players guilty of using it without due care and attention.

The majority of the 26,000 plus fans made their feelings clear at the final whistle with a chorus of boos that quickly fizzled out when supporters realised they would better served getting as far away as possible, as quickly as possible, from the scene of a truly miserable encounter.

The only positive note McCarthy can take from the Christmas and New Year games is that other results have ensured that Sunderland remain on the coat tails of the top two.

How long they can remain there appears dependent on how quickly they can get back to playing good football - a commodity that has been sadly lacking over the past few weeks.

The debacle of the first half at Deepdale on New Year's Day apparently still rankled with McCarthy who opted to switch personnel and formation.

Out went Julio Arca (knee injury) and Matt Piper with Sean Thornton and Chris Brown in the starting XI - Thornton rewarded for his impressive second half performance at Preston with his first league start of the campaign.

Piper began on the bench and although McCarthy opted for a 4-3-3 formation Michael Bridges also had to settle for a substitute's spot.

The game began like both sides were playing their fourth game in the last nine days.

Careless and error-strewn would best describe both side's passing and Sunderland were the worst culprits.

After Henderson got the better of Gary Breen - only managing a weak shot at Thomas Myhre - Dean Whitehead almost gifted the Gills the lead.

His weak back pass from a central position let in, of all people, Darren Byfield. The former Sunderland player appeared to get the better of Myhre but the Black Cats somehow cleared the danger.

The close call appeared to galvanise Sunderland who had the ball in the net through Thornton in the 11th minute only for the goal to be ruled offside.

Four minutes later and the ball was in the net - only this time it was in Sunderland's goal.

Byfield escaped the attentions of Jeff Whitley and crossed from the left for Henderson to too easily beat Breen at the near post and flick his header past Myhre.

If Sunderland needed a reminder of the need to take no team for granted in the Championship then this was it.

But back they came and they were level four minutes later. With a narrow three-man midfield the Wearsiders needed their full-backs to support down the flanks and when George McCartney obliged, the Black Cats were level.

Holding off the challenges of three Gills defenders he cut inside and delivered a low cross that Brown turned home at the near post.

Sunderland spent the next ten minutes asserting themselves and just as it seemed they were getting on top they almost let the Kent side grab a second - McCartney stepping in to clear Henderson's cross as Byfield got ready to pull the trigger.

As well as covering at the back McCartney was also providing the main attacking threat and another run down the left in the 33rd minute gave Brown the chance put the home side in front.

The Northern Ireland international's cross found Stephen Elliott at the back post and he headed across goal for Brown to swivel and shoot on the turn only to fire his effort off target.

A knee injury to Breen forced the Black Cats into a substitution before the interval with Neill Collins replacing the skipper.

The Wearsiders continued to press the Gills defence and a free kick in first-half stoppage time fell to Whitley who shot just over from 20 yards.

Any inclination to draft in Piper and switch to 4-4-2 was ignored by McCarthy who gave the starting XI - minus Breen - the chance to turn a draw into victory after the break.

That thought lasted little more than ten minutes with Piper replacing Whitley.

However, McCarthy opted to stick to 4-3-3 and Sunderland remained stuck for that flash of creativity.

With more than hour played the careless and error-strewn play had returned with a vengeance. A surging run down the right by Whitehead produced a 65th minute corner but that, like a lot of the Wearsiders play, came to nought.

Stan Ternent's side were happy to sit and wait for their chance to break, and when they broke in the 69th minute they produced the best chance of the second half.

The impressive Matthew Jarvis skipped down the left and when his pull back was half cleared it fell invitingly for Richard Rose. He accepted the invitation only to shoot horribly over the bar.

Three minutes later Rose broke again and the Gills should have been in front.

Jarvis again caused the problems breaking down the left and his cross fell perfectly for Byfield.

The chance to put one over on his old team-mates proved just too much for the striker whose effort was weak and easily held by Myhre.

Three chances then arrived in three minutes - two to Sunderland and one to the visitors. The calls were for penalty in the 79th minute when Barry Ashby blocked with his hand but a direct free-kick was awarded.

Thornton cracked his effort straight at the wall and then a minute later Whitehead fired a volley from the edge of the box which was well saved by Steve Banks in the away goal.

Gills almost hit back only for Myhre to turn his effort from the left edge of the area past his near post. A late winner for either side would have been unfair, with neither side actually deserving of all three points.

Sunderland 1 - 1 Gillingham

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