SUNDERLAND ended a three-game losing run, and scored their first goals for more than 700 minutes, but a 2-2 draw with West Ham has done little to ease their relegation fears.

The Black Cats twice came from behind to claim a draw at the Stadium of Light, with Fabio Borini’s 90th-minute finish earning a point.

Borini’s goal followed Wahbi Khazri’s first-half strike, which came direct from a corner, with the two Sunderland goals cancelling out West Ham successes from Andre Ayew and James Collins.

The Wearsiders’ spirited display tempered some of the ill-feeling within the Stadium of Light crowd, with the first half having witnessed chants of “We want Moyes out” directed at Sunderland boss David Moyes.

However, the result means Sunderland remain nine points adrift of safety with just six games remaining. As a result, survival continues to look like a forlorn hope.

Moyes made four changes from the side that started last weekend’s defeat to Manchester United, with by far the most notable seeing Khazri return to the starting line-up for the first time since October.

The Tunisian has barely featured at all under Moyes, but his determination to make a positive impression was apparent from the outside as he charged around the field looking to close down his opponents at every opportunity.

He was to end Sunderland’s lengthy wait for a goal midway through the first half, but not before the Black Cats had fallen behind thanks to some predictably poor defending.

Sam Byram charged down the right-hand side in the fifth minute, with Sunderland’s stand-in left-back Javier Manquillo failing to close him down.

Andy Carroll hammered the full-back’s cross back across goal, and Ayew found himself with the freedom of the 18-yard box as he casually slotted home. Darron Gibson should have been marking Ayew, but instead stood motionless as the striker ran off him.

Sunderland’s slow start might have been punished further when Robert Snodgrass rolled a 21st-minute effort narrowly past the post, and the opportunity proved the spark for a sustained chorus of “We want Moyes out” from the home support.

Moyes was booed whenever he went into his technical area during a ten-minute spell midway through the first half, but just as the atmosphere looked like turning nasty, Sunderland hauled themselves back into the game in the most unlikely of fashions.

Khazri whipped in an inswinging corner from the left-hand side, and with West Ham midfielder Edmilson Fernandes missing his attempted header at the front post, the ball curled all the way into the net as Victor Anchiebe successfully blocked off Darren Randolph.

It was Khazri’s first goal of the season, and ended a wait of 701 minutes for a Sunderland goal that stretched all the way back to Jermain Defoe’s final effort in February’s win at Crystal Palace.

Sunderland went close again when Billy Jones dragged a shot wide shortly after, and while Ayew threatened to claim a second goal as he swivelled on the edge of the six-yard box before shooting over, the first half ended with the hosts on the front foot as Defoe teed up Khazri for a low effort that Randolph gathered.

Sadly, their dominance was not to last. Their defensive failings were apparent again within two minutes of the restart, and West Ham took full advantage to reclaim the lead.

Snodgrass whipped over a corner from the right, and Collins stole between Anichebe and Jones to plant a powerful header past Jordan Pickford.

Khazri continued to look like Sunderland’s best chance of restoring level terms for a second time, but the home side struggled in the central areas with Gibson and Didier Ndong offering little on the front foot.

Khazri curled a free-kick over the bar with 19 minutes left, and having turned provider moments later, the winger must have thought he had set up his side’s second equaliser.

Having surged down the right-hand side, he picked out an unmarked Ndong in the heart of the penalty area, but the midfielder somehow side-footed over from ten yards with the goal seemingly at his mercy.

 Sunderland’s injury curse returned in the closing stages as Jones left the field on a stretcher following a lengthy spell of treatment. The full-back was involved in a shoulder barge with Arthur Masuaku, and appeared to sustain a serious injury as he fell awkwardly.

The delay meant play was stopped for around six minutes, but when it resumed, Jones’ replacement, Borini, fired Sunderland level.

Randolph made a complete mess of trying to deal with Gibson’s cross from the right, and when his weak punch could only find Borini, the Italian drilled home a precise low finish from the edge of the area.

With ten minutes of added time, Sunderland went in desperate search of a winner, and their task was made slightly easier when Sam Byram was dismissed for a second yellow card following a foul on Adnan Januzaj.

Sunderland (4-3-3): Pickford; Jones (Borini 87), Denayer, O’Shea, Manquillo (Kone 89); Gibson, Cattermole (Januzaj 76), Ndong; Khazri, Defoe, Anichebe.

Subs (not used): Mannone (gk), Djilobodji, Pienaar, Rodwell.

West Ham (4-2-3-1): Randolph; Byram, Collins, Fonte, Masuaku; Kouyate, Fernandes; Snodgrass (Nordtveit 81), Ayew (Calleri 90), Lanzini; Carroll.

Subs (not used): Adrian (gk), Cresswell, Feghouli, Fletcher, Rice.