Wilkinson questions Sunderland fitness
In his third game in charge, Wilkinson's men took the lead through Tore Andre Flo's impressive first-half strike at The Valley, but Gary Rowett equalised for the home side to leave the Black Cats boss reflecting on a defeat and two draws so far.
''It was hard - physically probably our hardest game,'' said Wilkinson. ''In the last half hour, I don't know how many balls they put into our box. I can't criticise them for effort. We ran out of legs and we have got to address it, although that's difficult to address when there are sometimes two games a week. If we are not good enough then that's a problem; if we are not fit enough then we have got to do something about it.
''They are terribly disappointed not to have come away with a win. But the disappointment is a good sign because it is deep and bitter disappointment.
''We all agree we are moving in the right direction because they are improving with each game. If the result had gone against us I would have said the same thing.''
Flo was on the end of Sunderland's first chance. His header from Michael Gray's cross lacked power and Dean Kiely gathered comfortably, but the Norwegian showed clinical finishing from his next opportunity, putting Wilkinson's men ahead after 14 minutes. Robbie Mustoe lost the ball to Thirlwell just outside the Charlton area and when McCann's shot found Kevin Phillips with his back to goal, his lay-off struck powerfully around the diving Kiely from just inside the box.
Drawing confidence from their opener, Sunderland gained the upper hand and poured forward at every opportunity, Kevin Kilbane shooting wide from one such breakaway.
They could have been two goals ahead shortly before the half hour when Phillips' deflected header from a corner was cleared off the line by Scott Parker, but Sunderland were thankful for a similar intervention by Stephen Wright, who flung himself to block Jensen's goal-bound attempt after Euell and John Robinson combined down the right to tee up the midfielder.
After the break it was Sunderland who might have altered the scoreline on a 58th-minute raid when Kilbane strode forward to take aim from 25 yards and his Republic of Ireland team-mate, Kiely, turned his fierce drive onto the crossbar.
Michael Gray and Jensen had long-range attempts held at either end before Charlton found an equaliser 13 minutes from time. Mark Fish headed Powell's free-kick into Euell's stride and the striker's centre across the six-yard box was met by Rowett, who beat team-mate Robinson to force the ball in.
Sunderland, who had four players booked in all, could have left with nothing had substitute Kevin Lisbie not got the ball stuck under his feet six yards out in the closing seconds.
Then, right at the death, Kiely extended himself to grasp Flo's header on his line.
BLACKBURN: Friedel, Neill, Short, Taylor (Tugay 76), Johansson, Thompson, Dunn (Gillespie 65), Flitcroft, Duff, Cole, Yorke (Ostenstad 65).
ASTON VILLA: Enckelman, Delaney, Staunton, Mellberg, Samuel, Leonhardsen, Taylor, Kinsella, Barry, Dublin (Crouch 76), Angel (Moore 70). Subs Not Used: Hitzlsperger, Johnsen, Postma.
Referee: M Dean (Wirral).
Aston Villa boss Graham Taylor admitted that scoring has become ''a psychological barrier'' for his players after a goalless draw against Blackburn.
Villa may have six strikers in the squad but none of them have scored more than a single goal in the Premiership, and Dion Dublin was guilty of a shocking miss at Ewood Park. Taylor said: ''No goals again - it's a pretty regular occurrence for the Villa. I don't think I have managed such a low-scoring team before - in 12 games we have managed only seven goals. It is becoming quite mystifying and very frustrating. We had what was obviously the best chance of the game and Dion cannot believe it."
Dublin was not the only culprit because Juan-Pablo Angel was guilty too, but fortunately for Villa their keeper Peter Enckelman was in superb form and denied Blackburn with three top-class saves. Enckelman thwarted Andy Cole twice in the first and last minutes of the match and also did brilliantly to save with his foot from Damien Duff when he was going in the opposite direction.
Blackburn looked weary however, and manager Graeme Souness blamed tiredness from Thursday's UEFA Cup trip to Celtic where they ended up losing 1-0 despite playing some excellent football.
CHARLTON: Kiely, Rowett, Rufus, Fish, Robinson (Johansson 90), Parker (Kishishev 85), Mustoe, Jensen, Powell, Bartlett (Lisbie 73), Euell.
SUNDERLAND: Macho, Wright, Bjorklund, Craddock, Babb, Kilbane, McCann, Thirlwell (Williams 65), Gray, Flo, Phillips (Piper 80).
Referee: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire).
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
