JACK ROSS has revealed Sunderland will appeal against Max Power’s third red card of the season, which almost proved costly for the men from Wearside.

The Black Cats were playing well and in command without scoring until Power was dismissed with a straight red for his strong tackle on Walsall’s Liam Kinsella in in the 23rd minute.

The Sunderland midfielder, on loan from Wigan, will now serve a five-match ban, his third suspension of the season, and that means he will have missed 12 games courtesy of his dismissals against Oxford, Bradford and now Walsall. Due to Checkatrade Trophy rules, he will also have missed three more.

But Ross, whose side came from two goals down to earn a point, thinks that would be unfair and he gained support from Saddlers manager Dean Keates, who also agreed that he would appeal against referee Craig Hicks’ decision if it was.

Ross said: “At times we have had decisions go against us. If you take Max’s in isolation, I do think your gut tells you whether it was a red or it wasn’t.

“On reflection I think it was wrong. Bradford was an easy one, but today, my gut reaction was that it wasn’t even a yellow card.

“I have watched it again, it is not even a yellow card. If it isn’t overturned I’d be amazed.

“It was a huge decision to make at that stage of the game, it was just not a red card. It is hugely frustrating because we were very, very good in that opening period of the game. That had an impact on the rest of the game.

“Without a shadow of a doubt we will appeal. If I had no television replays I would have appealed it. I have watched it back and it is not even close. That is just my opinion.

“I asked him at half-time, he said it was for serious foul play. I disagree with it. I have tried to keep my emotions in check.”

Like so often this season Sunderland’s character came to the fore after falling behind. Walsall went two goals up inside the first six minutes of the second half when Josh Gordon’s opener was followed by Josh Ginnelly’s brilliant curler.

But Sunderland fought back to extend their unbeaten run to 13 matches. Aiden McGeady struck the first in the 62nd minute and then Lynden Gooch clinched a point with a fine leveller with a minute left.

Ross said: “The opening period of the second half was when we were disappointed. The reaction to going two down was outstanding. There’s not many teams who will play that way with ten men and go two down.

“They carried that and I thought they were outstanding, brilliant. The chances they created with ten men was brilliant.

"Even if Lynden doesn’t score that last minute goal then I would have said the same thing because there were so many good things about the reaction.”

WALSALL (4-4-2): Roberts; Devlin, Martin, Guthrie, Leahy; Ismail (Morris 37), Kinsella, Dobson, Ginnelly; Cook, Gordon (Ferrier 80). Subs (not used): Dunn (gk), Fitzwater, Wilson, Osbourne, Ronan.

SUNDERLAND (4-2-3-1): McLaughlin; Matthews, Baldwin, Flanagan, James; Honeyman, Power; Gooch, McGeady, Oviedo (O’Niel 49); Maja (Maguire 61). Subs (not used): Patterson (gk), Loovens, Sinclair, Ozturk, Mumba.