IN the absence of Ross Stewart and Ellis Simms, Tony Mowbray’s Sunderland side lacked the cutting edge in front of goal for the second game running as Blackpool stood firm on Wearside.

The second consecutive goalless draw maintains their solid start to the Championship campaign but given the chances in tonight’s game against the Tangerines, it will have felt like a missed opportunity for the Black Cats.

They were in the ascendancy from the off and monopolised possession. Blackpool stood firm but Elliot Embleton provided a scare for the Tangerines when Jack Clarke’s driving run opened up space for the midfielder in the box. He opened his body out but saw his bending shot clip the top of the crossbar.

From there, Michael Appleton’s side woke up to the danger and provided a fright of their own. Gary Madine climbed highest to win a long free-kick into the Sunderland’s box and his knock down eventually found it’s way to Callum Connoly but his shot on the turn whizzed wide of the post. A let off for the home side.

However, Sunderland eased themselves back into an assertive position and Blackpool had to sustain the pressure of continued attacks. After a spell of pressure, a 25-yard bending shot from Clarke forced Chris Maxwell into a smart save palming the ball around the post.

Mowbray’s side continued force the issue and kept finding gaps in the right areas but Blackpool were putting their bodies on the line to keep them out. Successive efforts from Amad Diallo and Patrick Roberts inside the box were bravely blocked by Jordan Thornley.

Amad couldn’t capitalise on a run in behind from Embleton’s ball as the Manchester United took too long to get his shot away before he was crowded out by recovering Blackpool defenders. Another example that justified Tony Mowbray’s pre-match comments about him being more ruthless in the box.

Sunderland ended the half with Alex Pritchard’s sailing free-kick on the edge of the box and Clarke’s deflected shot over the bar from a counter attack but there was little reward for their first half dominance as they went in level at the break.

Appleton’s side showed their prowess from set pieces in the second half. From a corner ball, Connolly’s header was palmed away by Anthony Patterson before Marvin Ekpiteta hacked the ball agonisingly wide of the post. The young shotstopper was called into action again moments later when another corner was swung into the front post. Charlie Wright’s glancing was clawed out by Patterson off the line. A huge save for the hosts.

Tensions began to rise around the Stadium of Light from Blackpool’s spell of pressure but the referee began to get an earful when the away side received a succession of bookings for cynical challenges stopping Sunderland on the counter attack. Thorniley and Charlie Patino were punished by referee Jeremy Simpson for their respective challenges.

The clock was ticking on Sunderland’s evening and neither side were able to make the breakthrough. Mowbray’s side tried the more conventional route from a corner as Clarke’s cross found Danny Batth in the box. He diverted his header on target with a flurry of markers around him but Maxwell held onto the ball well.

Connolly is an unlikely source of goals for the Tangerines but he could have had three at the Stadium of Light. He got on the end of a high cross into the box but his header crawled agonisingly wide of the post ten minutes from time.

In stoppage time, Maxwell produced an incredible save to keep the game level. Jewison Bennette dink a cross into the box and Clarke’s goalbound header was clawed away. Confirmation that it just wasn’t going to by Sunderland’s night.

With both sides unable to find a way through, the game petered out with the closing stages mainly backed by a noise of groans and moans from the home crowd. For the second home game in a row, strikerless Sunderland drew blank.