IF Mick McCarthy ever needs a new career then he may see a bright future in clairvoyancy.

"You don't win promotion by looking good on a Tuesday and so-so on a Saturday."

Surprisingly not the Sunderland manager's post match reaction to a disappointing draw against newly-promoted Queens Park Rangers but his programme notes ahead of the game.

The players apparently read the notes but ignored the 'don't' part of the message.

Even so-so would be a generous description of a Sunderland performance that was fitful at best.

After three games they now have the full set - a defeat, a win, and a draw. They only achieved the draw on Saturday thanks to a last-gasp equaliser from Steve Caldwell.

McCarthy believed Sunderland deserved the point but Rangers should have been home and dry before Caldwell's late header.

Soon after going 2-1 down the Wearsiders' defence went AWOL twice in a minute.

Firstly substitute Mark Lynch dithered allowing Gareth Ainsworth to force a good save from Thomas Myhre. Gino Padula's resulting corner saw Matthew Rose put a free header from eight yards wide of the target.

It seemed only right that the defence's collective blushes were saved by a defender.

Mick McCarthy was none too pleased with the rearguard's display. He said: "I thought we could have defended better. What I would like is a clean sheet.

"If we score two goals at home we shouldn't be coming away with a point."

The main reason they only came away with a point was their inability to deal with the threat of former Chelsea and Birmingham striker Paul Furlong.

The 35-year-old was rested last Monday as Rangers went down 3-0 at Watford but he was the scourge of the Wearside defence on his return.

His goal in the 12th minute was pure class coming directly from a Sunderland attack. Jeff Whitley was superbly tackled by Matthew Rose in the visitors' box, and QPR broke quickly.

Furlong held up possession as the Sunderland defence backed off before cracking a sweet 20-yard left-foot effort past the despairing dive of Myhre.

He also set up Martin Rowlands for Rangers' second and certainly impressed his manager Ian Holloway.

"Paul Furlong was a credit to his profession," said Holloway. "I left him out against Watford because I thought three games in a week wouldn't do him any favours.

"He was the best player by a mile."

The Black Cats levelled Furlong's opener on the half hour with Marcus Stewart sliding home from John Oster's long ball into the box.

They did have chances to take the lead with Stewart forcing a great save from Chris Day in the 40th minute but after the break the best they could muster was a deflected shot from Liam Lawrence on the hour that Day tipped over.

Lawrence was the supply line but the QPR defence dealt admirably with his crosses.

The home side's defence was missing again on 71 minutes allowing Rowlands to put the visitors 2-1 up.

Another goal the manager was far from pleased with.

"What I didn't want to us to do was get caught napping, leave the backdoor open and concede again which is what we did," said McCarthy.

The backdoor to QPR's goal was left on the sneck with injury time approaching.

Kevin Kyle was arguing with the referee who refused to allow him back on for a last-minute corner after treatment.

His place on the back post was taken by Caldwell and the Scotland international headed home Sean Thornton's corner.

QPR boss Holloway certainly didn't see that coming.

* Former Leeds striker Clyde Wijnhard is the latest forward to be linked with a move to Sunderland.

The 30-year-old Dutchman saw a deal with Oldham Athletic collapse when he failed to agree personal terms after spending last season with Portuguese club Beira Mar.

He was released in the summer and had previously enjoyed spells with English clubs Huddersfield Town and Preston North End.

Result: Sunderland 2 QPR 2.

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