Ten-man Sunderland came from two goals down at the Stadium of Light to snatch a deserved 2-2 draw and deny West Ham a first Barclays Premier League win since the opening day of the season.
Things looked bleak for the hosts when goals from Guillermo Franco - his first for the club - and the impressive Carlton Cole put the Hammers two up. But Andy Reid's superb free-kick gave them hope and, after Kenwyne Jones had seen red in first-half stoppage time, Kieran Richardson tapped home a cross from the returning Darren Bent to equalise.
West Ham also finished the game a man light after Radoslav Kovac was sent off late on.
The visitors went ahead against the run of play in the 30th minute when Jack Collison ran on to a ball down the right channel and, having been correctly ruled onside, pulled it back for Franco, a summer signing from Villarreal, to side-foot home at the near post.
Cole made it 2-0 in the 36th minute when his diagonal run was picked out by Collison's reverse ball and, after taking a touch, he slotted his finish past Craig Gordon.
Reid curled a free-kick left-footed over the wall and into the near top corner to bring his side back into the match in the 38th minute.
Jones was given a straight red in first-half stoppage time. The striker was fouled by Herita Ilunga and retaliated by pushing him in the face.
Richardson pulled Sunderland level in the 76th minute.
Bent's cross from the right was deflected off Matt Upson and looped high over the head of Robert Green to the back post where the unmarked Richardson was on hand to help it home.
West Ham were reduced to 10 men in the 87th minute when Kovac was sent off, having picked up a second yellow for a foul on Bent.
Comment 2 - 21 of 21
Comment-8 (scumsftm)
2 points clear at the TOP, and 3 of the next 4 games at home - yes i bet the rest are so pleased that the 'wheels have come off' our promotion push!!!!
You are without doubt the worst poster on these pages, a sad, bitter, wishful thinking clown!!!
Usual rubbish on here.........mackems bleating about the shocking ref, cheating opposition etc. SAFC DO NOT HAVE A DIVINE RIGHT TO WIN ALL THEIR FOOTBALL MATCHES!!!!!
Get over yourselves, some decisions go for you some against over the course of the season it evens out I mean come on, a bloody beachball scored for you the other week and somehow the goal stood. I didnt hear any bleating then..........
J.C
Everyone is saying the ref (and linesmen) was poor and somehow think that was how Jones got sent off, what a sack of bollix.
If the ref had left Jones on the field after pushing a player to the ground then his performance would have made the front pages, totally indefensible.
John their not fella, Jones add to go no questions about it, but surely you have watched the incident and must agree, the west ham player looks like he's been floored by Mayweather and he blatantly is play acting.
with regards to the ref and linesman, it's true he add a bad game only eclipsed by the linesman who was not fit for purpose and should not be running a line in the conference let alone the EPL.I was present and know the game too! he was bad beleive me.
You venting your Ashley anger ower the road or what fella??? You could always jump on the Metro and become a spectator at the family club if you choose fella. The club that cares and shares eh?
"The pride of a county eh! County Durham"since 1879
JoJo
have you seen the Toon pages lately; of course you have, so you will know there is absolutely ZIP going on there - plenty rugby mind you!
heslop448, couldn't agree more with your opening sentence and I can't believe the twaddle I've been reading on here today.
Everyone is saying the ref (and linesmen) was poor and somehow think that was how Jones got sent off, what a sack of bollix.
If the ref had left Jones on the field after pushing a player to the ground then his performance would have made the front pages, totally indefensible.
jones deserved the red even if he was provoked and we can't complain we've had our share of decisions go our way this year, did anyone see the beach ball ref at the burnley v hull match he should be demoted to the blue square gave burnley a very dodgy pen then disallowed a hull equalizer for pushing in the wall and the sent a hull player off when he slipped just as he was making a tackle and inadvertently collided with the player
J.C
He was bad mate, mind not as bad as the linesman.Anyway this Liverpool thing and the beach ball is self inflicted and I for one am glad it stands.What we all throw hundreds of beach balls into our keepers box when the other team are attacking thus stifling any form of attack whatsoever.The decision was a right one for the sake of football in this country. A scouser caused the scousers downfall not us.
Fact is, mr westwood, that you have more posts on the SAFC pages than on your own.....now that tells a story...
JoJo
is that a fact?
John Connelly, scumsftm is blinkered man; lift your hands, you walk, simple as!
safcalsmb, 9, utter rubbish. If a West Ham player had pushed over one of your players in the same way as Jones did and got a yellow card for it, you would have been on here baying for blood.
As for the ref being the worst you have all seen, I thought the one who allows beach ball goals was far worse.
Oh! but that went in your favour didn't it so that's alright then is it.
Doncha just love these bar-codes, sitting drooling over their keyboards at 4:45, waiting for the final whistle , hoping that we lose so they can come on here and make themselves feel better about where they are? Go play with your pop bottles , boys and we might see you next year, when you've spent your 20 million transfer fund 'wisely'.
scumftm
you don't know jack; and what have i told you about your bullying!
Great come-back by the Mighty Mackems but what about the cheating diving tactics of the West ham players? (!!) You can tell they've got an Italian manager. Billy Bonds would be disgusted and Booby Moore will be spinning in his grave with those despicable tactics. If they continue playing like that I for one home they get relegated.
I agree with other here, the referee was well and truly out of his comfort zone in reffing the match - to paraphrase the crowd: he didn't know what he was doing. I would hope that Jone's red card will be over-turned, shocking decision when it was clearly a yellow card punishment only.
Skunk leetwangers - offski back to your own pages, you have bigger things to worry about than making pathetic comments about the Mighty Mackems: Ashley stays, you've a second rate coach as your manager and the wheel has come off your promotion push = mid-table finish (as I predicted) and more financial woes for you lot!
Is anyone else sick to death of the same old routine year in and year out with West Ham. Why are they incapable of ever having a really good winning season and having any success. They are a pathetic joke and will be playing in the championship next season. West Ham are a total sham and embarrassement and all the players should have their salaries put on hold until they learn to a) play properly with passion and b) actually win a friggin game or two. I am sick of reading Zolas B.S. platitudes. Either start winning or the lot of you can just F. OFF --- get rid of Dyer and Ashton now.
Worst referee in the EPL The Fa need to watch this game and see how rubbish their so call professinals are doing, He was inconsistant, not up with play and couldnt see what was going on right infront of him
Great team performance again and a good game from Gordon as well , yes i said a good game from Gordon.
lets call the stadium of light "the bermuda triangle"..cos 9,000 people have gone missing there in the last 2 weeks..PART TIME MACKEM SCUM..your crowds are pathetic compared to the toon PTM PTM PTM PTM
lets call the stadium of light "the bermuda triangle"..cos 9,000 people have gone missing there in the last 2 weeks..PART TIME MACKEM SCUM..your crowds are pathetic compared to the toon PTM PTM PTM PTM
"fans who expect to see there best players playing"
In West Hams case their best players ARE playing............................for Chelsea, Man. U., Liverpool, Pompey etc
Down you go you mighty 'ammers
At the match worst referee I have ever seen!
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