THIS might only have been Sunderland’s first game of October but make no mistake about it this had the feel of a promotion tussle and Jack Ross’ side had to settle for a point.

Second-placed Peterborough United are still sitting four points ahead of the Wearside counterparts, even if the Black Cats can feel aggrieved not to have edged this one.

Referee David Coote was roundly booed by another 28,000-plus crowd at the Stadium of Light when he left the pitch at the final whistle for a string of strange decisions, particularly in the second half, that went against the home team.

But Sunderland full-back Bryan Oviedo would also have deserved a huge share of the criticism for the way he stupidly kicked out at Marcus Maddison when Ross’ side were ahead with 22 minutes remaining.

That red card, after Josh Maja’s eighth goal of the season in the 21st minute, meant an even greater challenge to claim three points and within six minutes Joe Ward had levelled matters for Posh.

Sunderland’s ten men kept digging in. Jerome Sinclair put them ahead again in the 79th minute only for Peterborough to level again when former Newcastle striker Ivan Toney found the net with a tidy finish.

Given the circumstances Sunderland should be satisfied to have claimed a point, but they could easily have won this and instead they still have work to do to close the gap to the top – as leaders Portsmouth have extended their lead over them to seven points.

Just like on Saturday at Coventry, Sunderland could feel aggrieved by some of the decisions that prevented them from winning, meaning they have now won just one of their last six.

That was why Ross wanted a big performance from his team on home soil, like the one he got when Rochdale visited ten days earlier. Preparations were hardly ideal either, with skipper George Honeyman joining a list of four other casualties from Coventry, including the suspended Lee Cattermole.

Ross was still able to name a team capable of delivering, with Adam Matthews, Oviedo, Aiden McGeady and Sinclair all in the team and boasting Premier League experience. The bench did have a youthful feel, with Bali Mumba, Jack Diamond, Benjamin Mbunga-Kimpioka and Ethan Robson among the substitutes.

There was certainly no hint of Sunderland approaching this tentatively because Maja and Sinclair started as a two in attack, with McGeady and Chris Maguire out wide but asked to play high.

But Peterborough quickly showed why they had only suffered one defeat so far and that was to leaders Portsmouth. After quickly winning possession, Jason Cummings directed a 20-yard effort just wide of the upright.

During that opening 20-minute spell it was the visitors who had looked more comfortable. Sunderland tried a few things which didn’t come off and on a number of occasions they gifted possession to a blue shirt with stray passes.

Yet Sunderland struck the first blow. Matthews’ little clip into the area was controlled instinctively by Maja, who then turned, got the ball out from under his feet and struck the sweetest of curling efforts inside the far post from 14 yards with his left boot.

That goal sparked Sunderland into life, seemingly instilling greater confidence and McGeady threatened to make it a quick second when his trickery created a shooting opportunity and his effort went over.

Peterborough still threatened. The nearest they came to levelling before the break was when Cummings waited and waited before laying off for Toney to strike low into goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin.

Sunderland started to knock the ball around with more confidence after the opener. Time and again they worked themselves into good positions, with Matthews and Maguire effective down the left and Oviedo and McGeady the same on the right.

Peterborough boss Steve Evans, who has never been afraid to make harsh decisions, clearly felt something was required to stop Sunderland from taking command because he made a double change for the restart. Maddison and Ward were introduced.

Evans had opined beforehand that he had let Jack Baldwin join Sunderland in the summer because he wanted “better players”. This was another defensive performance from the former Hartlepool man that suggested there aren’t many centre-backs in League One.

And when there was an effort on target from the visitors, Sunderland goalkeeper McLaughlin was on hand to thwart. The former Hearts shot-stopper made a fine save to his left to turn Ward’s 20-yard curler behind for a corner.

Peterborough cranked up the pressure as they went in search of a leveller, but the Baldwin-inspired defence held firm and that allowed Sunderland to grow again.

They had just started to look dangerous once more when Oviedo had his moment of madness, directing a kick at Maddison as they charged for the ball and that justified a red, and that changed things completely.

Ward found the corner just six minutes later with a lowly driven effort inside McLaughlin’s after Baldwin had been able to stop a ball in his direction – and then it seemed if anyone would win it would be Peterborough.

But Sunderland were not finished. When Maguire rolled a ball into the area, Sinclair controlled and turned his man and from six yards he hammered a finish high into Aaron Chapman’s net.

Peterborough, with the extra man, soon went on the attack again and with five minutes left Toney delivered when he flicked a finish beyond McLaughlin from a tight angle.

After that it was Sunderland who were in the ascendancy again. They were just unable to test Chapman further – even if young striker Mbunga-Kimpioka almost turned in a winner late on - and had to settle for a point that leaves them chasing the top two.