TWO years ago, Fabio Borini and Connor Wickham were the central characters as Sunderland staged their ‘Great Escape’ under Gus Poyet. Last night, the pair were pivotal figures again as the Black Cats clambered out of the relegation zone for only the second time all season to suggest another act of escapology is possible.

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Wickham, now leading the line for Crystal Palace, looked to have condemned his former employers to what would have been an extremely damaging defeat when he scored twice in the space of six second-half minutes to overturn a deficit created by Dame N’Doye’s deflected strike.

But having come onto the field as an 80th-minute replacement, Borini salvaged what could prove a priceless point as he rifled home from an acute angle on the right-hand side of the penalty area.

The Italian scored crucial late-season goals against Chelsea, Cardiff and West Brom during his first spell on Wearside, and while his opportunities have been limited under Sam Allardyce this season, last night’s intervention lifts Sunderland to 17th position for the first time since November.

A point might not have been what they wanted at the start of the evening, but it was far more than they looked like getting with one minute left. On such moments, entire seasons can change.

Allardyce will hope the equaliser helps generate some much-needed momentum, as for much of last night’s game, Sunderland suffered from the failings that have plagued them all season. Undone by Wickham at the back, the Black Cats hadn’t even looked like scoring after the interval until Borini struck. Perhaps, as a result, the former Liverpool forward will be a more regular presence in the games that remain.

His last-gasp leveller ensured Sunderland would not completely waste the advantage they were effectively handed on a plate shortly before the break.

Having been responsible for the Black Cats’ winner in November’s 1-0 success at Selhurst Park when he directed a dreadful back-pass straight to Jermain Defoe, Scott Dann was at it again as his rash decision to kick out at N’Doye’s tame strike enabled Sunderland to make the breakthrough.

Having received the ball from Defoe, N’Doye drilled in a 25-yard effort that would have been easily saved by Wayne Hennessey had Dann not lunged into the path of the ball to wrong-foot the goalkeeper diving behind him.

It was a fortuitous way for Sunderland to claim the lead, but the Black Cats should have doubled their lead in first-half stoppage time. Younes Kaboul, who was an early replacement for the injured John O’Shea, outflanked his marker to meet Wahbi Khazri’s free-kick inside the six-yard box, but his instinctive volley flew over.

Palace, so impressive as they scored four at the Stadium of Light last season, were mainly a threat on the counter-attack, although they struggled before the break with both Wilfried Zaha and Yannick Bolasie displaying an infuriating tendency to over-elaborate in possession.

Zaha and Jordan Mutch both failed to find the target with early opportunities, but Dann was much more clinical as he met Yohan Cabaye’s corner on the half-hour mark, only for Vito Mannone to deny him with one of the saves of the season.

Dann’s powerful header was goalbound until a diving Mannone flung out his left hand to somehow divert the ball over the crossbar.

He should have been called into action again within 40 seconds of the restart, only for Wickham to head over from eight yards as he peeled off to meet Zaha’s right-wing cross.

Fifteen minutes later, however, and Wickham was displaying the kind of clinical finishing that was an all too rare sight during his Sunderland career.

Receiving the ball from Bolasie, he shuffled inside Lamine Kone before drilling in a ferocious finish that beat Mannone via the inside of the right-hand post.

Wickham scored 15 goals in 91 appearances during his four years as a Sunderland player, but having also scored twice in last weekend’s 3-2 defeat at West Brom, he made it four goals in the space of two games as he took full advantage of some slack Black Cats defending five minutes after claiming his equaliser.

Mile Jedinak nodded Mutch’s corner into the six-yard box, and no one was close enough to challenge Wickham as he swivelled to rifle home a close-range volley.

The striker celebrated both of his goals gleefully, much to the anger of the home support, and his euphoria was matched by Alan Pardew on the touchline.

Pardew, who had a dreadful record at the Stadium of Light during his time as Newcastle manager, must have felt his side were heading for their first league victory in 11 games.

Borini had other plans, however, and his equaliser could hardly have been more dramatic or well taken. Receiving the ball from DeAndre Yedlin on the right-hand side, he arced a searing strike beyond Hennessey and into the far bottom corner.