Full-time: Hull City 1 Sunderland 1

JACK RODWELL provided Gus Poyet with a much-needed break when a dreadful 48 hours threatened to get a whole lot worse for Sunderland at the KC Stadium.

A frustrated Poyet was sent to the stands and the Black Cats seemed as if they would be heading for a fifth defeat in a row to Hull City just a day after £10m winger Adam Johnson was bailed following his arrest on suspicion of sexual activity with a girl under the age of 16.

A lot more went wrong on the pitch as Dame N’Doye’s 15th minute opener proved the start of Sunderland’s problems on a night when they lacked shape and quality for the vast majority of the game.

Yet despite never looking comfortable Sunderland, who could also have had Liam Bridcutt and Lee Cattermole dismissed for needless challenges, somehow came away with a point courtesy of Rodwell’s third for the club 13 minutes from time.

By that time Poyet, whose side could even have sneaked a win in the end, was watching from stands for kicking a drinks bucket over in the latter stages of the first half before saying something to the officials and clashing with Steve Bruce.

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He sarcastically asked to shake the hand of Bruce, who had to be pulled away from the Uruguayan in an incident which Sunderland could really have done without in a difficult week. In the end he was happy to have escaped from Humberside with a point.

Whatever has gone on off the pitch, Poyet was desperate for improvements on it after a run which has now extended to five league matches without a win. In a bid to address that latest slump he made four changes to the team which lost at Manchester United at the weekend.

As well as the obvious omission of Johnson, there was also no place for Jordi Gomez, Patrick van Aanholt and Connor Wickham. The introductions of Bridcutt, Rodwell, Danny Graham and Santiago Vergini freshened things up but did create a team lacking width.

Rodwell, predominantly a centre midfielder, and Seb Larsson were tasked with providing the balance down either flank, so the onus was on the latter to provide most of the deliveries in to the box.

But after a relatively bright opening few minutes from Sunderland, Hull soon showed a greater willingness to attack at pace, something the visitors did not have in their ranks.

The home side had already threatened a couple of times before the goal arrived inside quarter of an hour. Wes Brown, still in the side because his wrongful dismissal at Old Trafford was rescinded on Monday, was the culprit.

After a heavy touch deep inside his own half, he lunged in to former Sunderland winger Ahmed Elmohamady to earn a caution. After the Egyptian had undergone some extensive treatment, Tom Huddlestone drilled a low free-kick in to a crowded box and N’Doye cleverly flicked a finish over the line.

Hull’s intention to cause Sunderland problems had the desired effect; the biggest surprise was that there was not a second goal because the men wearing red and white lacked cohesion and ideas until deep in to the second half.

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Far too often passes went astray. The amount of times a poor first touch was taken was staggering, while Hull were allowed to control things like a team sitting far higher than their lowly position suggested.

With frustrations running high Poyet was incensed when Rodwell was booked for appearing to dive after he had knocked the ball beyond Alex Bruce in the penalty area. It seemed a correct decision, but the Sunderland boss reacted by kicking over a drinks carrier and he was told to go to the stands by the officials.

Before he eventually disappeared down the tunnel nine minutes before the break he approached Hull boss Bruce to say something as he shook his hand. Whatever his words were, the two managers had to be separated in the Hull technical area.

It was exactly the sort of situation Sunderland did not need but it did stop Hull in their tracks. Sunderland finished the first half stronger, even if they still failed to test goalkeeper Allan McGregor because of a lack of composure in the final third.

Within minutes of the restart Sunderland’s position could have got a lot worse. Bridcutt was only cautioned for a tackle which could have been deemed two-footed on Nikica Jelavic. Then N’Doye wasted a fantastic scoring chance at the back post from the resultant free-kick.

Cattermole, now suspended after collecting a tenth yellow card, was also fortunate when he tamely kicked out at former team-mate David Meyler in the Hull half. He was taken off at the next opportunity as the Sunderland mess grew larger.

But the pace Sunderland cried out for was introduced in the form of van Aanholt. The Dutch full-back got to the byline within four minutes of coming on to float over a delivery for Rodwell to head in with the clock ticking.

It was a complete surprise but raised the question why van Aanholt was not in a side without natural width from the start and either of the teams could have clinched three points from that position.

Sunderland goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon made a stunning point blank save to deny N’Doye a second, while Rodwell volleyed over a chance for a second when van Aanholt sent over a second inviting cross.