Goals:

0-1: Holmes (16, curled in a fine free-kick that was helped into top corner by McLaughlin after Cattermole’s foul)

1-1: Wyke (52, drilled low across the face of Mitchell’s goal to find the net via the post)

Bookings: Maguire (11, foul); Cattermole (14, foul); Gooch (22, foul); Brannagan (26, foul); Oviedo (47, foul); Ruffels (62, foul); Baptiste (71, foul); Love (75, foul)

Sending-off: Power (19, serious foul play)

Referee: Mark Heywood (Walsall) – lacked consistency throughout with his decisions and the fans and players noticed it. 4

Attendance: 32,193

Entertainment: **

Sund Oxf

Shots on 1 6

Shots off 5 10

Corners 1 10

Fouls 20 16

Offsides 2 2

SUNDERLAND (3-5-2):

6 McLaughlin: Made a couple of stops and handling was strong, although fortunate not to have conceded a second when Mackie was ruled offside;

5 Love: One of those booked so was replaced in the second half after a solid if unspectacular display at the back

8 BALDWIN: The pick of the Sunderland players who was strong in everything he did, especially his tackling

6 Ozturk: Could have scored in the first half and defended better than he has so far at Sunderland

6 Gooch: Plenty of running again and delivered the ball for the equaliser

4 Power: A silly challenge made it easy for the official near halfway, even if it might have only been a caution

6 Cattermole: Almost scored for the second week in a row and tried to get things going

5 Honeyman: Fortunate not to have been booked early on and never found his best after that

7 Oviedo: Comfortable in possession again and contributed to the attacks as well as defence

5 Maguire: Booked and then could easily have been red carded for a second late challenge, so was taken off at the break

6 Maja: Ran himself into the ground and made some nice runs even if his shooting boost weren’t on

Subs

Wyke (for Maguire 52): Struck low and hard across the face of goal and in off the far post. 7

McGeouch (for Maja 72)

James (for Love 78)

(not used): Ruiter (gk), Flanagan, Robson.

OXFORD UNITED (4-2-3-1): Mitchell 5; Norman 5, Nelson 6, Mousinho 6, Ruffels 7; Brannigan 6, Baptiste 7; Browne 6, Henry 7, HOLMES 8 (Whyte 64, 5); Mackie 5 (Obika 84). Subs (not used): McMahon, Smith, Shearer, Dickie, Garbutt.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Jack Baldwin – another impressive display from the former Hartlepool defender to help ten-man Sunderland earn something.