www.safc.com/news/team-news/2019/april/burton-albion/report-v-burton-albionLads held to point on home turfSunderland 1-1 Burton Albion
Jack Baldwin scored a crucial equaliser for Sunderland against Burton Albion to edge the Black Cats into the automatic promotion places in League One.
Burton Albion took the lead in the 19th minute through an own goal by former player Tom Flanagan.
Sunderland levelled eight minutes later through a Jack Baldwin header.
The result leaves the Black Cats in second place as they moved ahead of Barnsley who they still hold one game in hand against.
After a quiet first five minutes, Sunderland were the first side to conjure up a chance as Dylan McGeouch hit a pinpoint cross onto Charlie Wyke’s head and the striker grazed the bar with his effort.
From the resulting goal-kick, Burton nearly took the lead themselves as Marcus Harness played the ball into Liam Boyce who fired over from close range.
Will Grigg got his first sight of goal in the 12th minute as he dribbled expertly past a couple of Burton defenders before firing a hard shot which was well saved by the Burton stopper Bradley Collins.
The deadlock was broken in the 19th minute for Burton as their former player Flanagan deflected a cross into his own net.
Harness did well down the right side and hit a hopeful ball into the box that cruelly hit off Flanagan and left Jon McLaughlin helpless in the Sunderland goal.
Sunderland got themselves level in the 27th minute through a wonderfully worked corner.
Grant Leadbitter, as he has done countless times since re-joining Sunderland in January, crossed for Baldwin who thundered a header into the right corner.
Four minutes later, Sunderland should have been ahead as substitute Max Power found Charlie Wyke unmarked eight yards out from goal, but he directed his effort straight at the goalkeeper.
Burton nearly got their second own goal of the game in the 36th minute as Stephen Quinn crossed in a delicious ball that Baldwin nearly directed into his own goal, however it drifted just past the right post.
The second half began with the visitors on the front foot and they had two chances in quick succession.
In the 49th minute Harness capitalised on a defensive error and fed in Liam Boyce who was denied by McLaughlin.
Two minutes later, Boyce was played in again and this time he beat the Scottish stopper but Baldwin was there to clear the ball on the line.
Sunderland began to apply some pressure and in the 65th minute Wyke nearly but the hosts ahead as Leadbitter chipped a delightful ball into his path but he saw his volleyed effort hit the bar from 12 yards out.
The skipper, Honeyman, continued to lead the charge for Jack Ross’ men and he fed Kazaiah Sterling down the right channel, the Spurs loanee cut past a defender but fired his effort well wide of the goal.
Substitute Sterling continued to have an impact on the game and his hard work led to a great chance for Grant Leadbitter. He passed the ball across the box, Honeyman then dummied it and it landed to Leadbitter who fired a wicked effort off the post in the 75th minute.
Four minutes later and it was Burton who nearly snatched the third goal of the game as Harness countered down the left side but was stopped superbly when one on one by McLaughlin.
Both sides continued to trade possession and pressure heading into the last ten minutes and five minutes were added on at the end of the 90.
Sunderland thought they had the winner in the 91st minute when a Leadbitter corner was fumbled by Bradley Collins into his own goal but the referee deemed that there was a foul.
The hosts continued to put pressure on in added time but the closest they came was through a tame Benji Kimpioka header that drifted wide of the post.
Attendance: 29513
Sunderland: McLaughlin, Oviedo, Flanagan, Baldwin, O’Nien, McGeouch (Power 29), Leadbitter, Morgan (Kimpioka 82), Honeyman ©, Grigg (Sterling 67), Wyke
Subs not used: Ruiter, Ozturk, Dunne, Hume,
Burton Albion: Collins, Brayford, Buxton ©(McCrory 90), Allen, McFadzean, Fraser (Wallace 56), Akins, Harness (Fox 77), Quinn, Daniel, Boyce
Subs not used: Bywater, Bradley, Hutchinson, Clarke
