Full-time: Sunderland 1 West Ham United 1

SUNDERLAND recorded their fifth draw in six games after their match with West Ham United finished 1-1 at the Stadium of Light.

Jordi Gomez gave Gus Poyet’s men a 22nd minute lead from the spot after James Tomkins fouled Adam Johnson, but Sam Allardyce’s men hit back shortly after through former Middlesbrough winger Downing.

There was an early scare for the Black Cats when Anthony Reveillere’s headed clearance fell to the feet of Carl Jenkinson, but Costel Pantilimon got down quickly and palmed the defender’s shot away from goal.

The hosts responded well to the Hammers’ early chance, though, and could have taken the lead in the tenth minute when Gomez’s low cross was almost met by Jozy Altidore, who was waiting in the area.

Straight away, West Ham went up the other end and Stewart Downing served up a great cross to Andy Carroll, although the former Newcastle striker couldn’t direct his header on target.

Jenkinson’s forward runs seemed to expose Reveillere on the Black Cats left and the right-back got past the French defender to cut inside and shoot straight at Pantilimon in the 15th minute.

Six minutes later, Sunderland took the lead.

Adam Johnson was proving the hosts’ biggest threat in the opening 45 and his weaving run was halted by a foul from James Tomkins that saw referee Phil Dowd point to the spot.

Up stepped Gomez, who tucked his low spot kick into the bottom right-hand corner to give Sunderland a 22nd minute lead.

Hammers boss Sam Allardyce was furious with the decision, but less than eight minutes later his team was level.

Former Middlesbrough winger Downing carried the ball towards the box unchallenged and cut inside before unleashing a shot that deflected off Gomez and past Pantilimon.

After a lively start the game went flat following West Ham’s equaliser, but Sunderland had a glorious chance to re-take the lead on the stroke of half time that was spectacularly missed.

Johnson cut a low cross back to Altidore, who was waiting in front of an open goal less than six yards out, but the USA striker completely miss-hit the ball with no defenders around him.

Ten minutes after the break Alex Song gave a free-kick away on the edge of the Hammers box and Adrian had to be alert to palm Johnson’s effort away.

Five minutes later it was Pantilimon’s turn to be the hero when he saved well from Aaron Cresswell, who had latched onto Downing’s neat flick.

Diafra Sakho and Andy Carroll combined moments later to create an opportunity, but the latter could only dink his shot onto the roof of the net from ten yards.

Winston Reid headed over from a Downing corner, but at the other end the West Ham defender was lucky not to give away a penalty moments later when he clearly handled Ricky Alvarez’s cross.

Strong appeals followed from Sunderland, but Phil Dowd waved them away.

With time ticking neither side seemed content to settle for the draw and Sunderland were denied their chance to score a late winner by a fantastic save from Adrian.

A superb knock-down from Steven Fletcher set Connor Wickham clear, but the Hammers keeper got a hand to the striker’s rasping drive.

At the other end, Carroll’s low shot whistled past the post after the ball had fallen to him on the edge of the box.

Sunderland: Pantilimon; Vergini, O'Shea, Brown, Reveillere; Cattermole; Johnson (Alvarez, 71), Larsson, Gomez, Wickham; Altidore (Fletcher, 63).

Subs (not used): Mannone, Coates, Bridcutt, Rodwell, Buckley.

West Ham United: Adrian; Jenkinson, Reid, Tomkins, Cresswell; Downing, Nolan (Valencia, 81), Song, Kouyate; Sakho, Carroll.

Subs (not used): Jaaskelainen, O’Brien, Collins, Amalfitano, Zarate, Cole.