Blacks Cats promotion hopes take a dive as Palace cling on for a point

Sunderland 0 Crystal Palace 0

The home side were chasing their fourth league win in a row to continue their promotion push but could not outwit a stubborn defence.

The lively David Connolly and Dwight Yorke had their clearest openings in the first half while the second half produced little to excite the crowd.

Palace could even have stolen the points with Stuart Green denied by an excellent Darren Ward save early on.

Anthony Stokes recovered from a groin strain to take his place up front for Sunderland while Peter Taylor gave Paul Ifill his first start in a Palace shirt.

The Black Cats began the better and after Stokes fluffed a far-post header, Connolly was foiled by a brave block from Leon Cort.

Palace, unbeaten in their previous six league games, were barely out of their own half in the first 10 minutes but should have taken the lead through Green.

The midfielder exchanged passes with Shefki Kuqi but his shot from 10 yards out was palmed over by the flying Ward.

It was Gabor Kiraly’s turn to excel next, the Hungarian keeping out Dwight Yorke’s deft flick from Tobias Hysen’s free-kick before Yorke blazed the follow-up over the bar.

Kiraly then had to claw away Liam Miller’s corner from under his own bar as Sunderland again piled on the pressure.

Stokes then shot straight at Kiraly after a strong run into the area. And the former Arsenal striker started the second half with an identical effort after Connolly played him in.

The home side picked up where they left off but Palace did have a sight of goal from Mark Kennedy’s free-kick – only for Cort to head straight at Ward.

Sunderland were showing some nice touches but the crowd became increasingly frustrated by their failure to create clear chances.

Hysen weaved his way into the box but again a body was in the way of his shot as Danny Butterfield came up with another good block.

Keane brought on Grant Leadbitter, Ross Wallace and Daryl Murphy but they could not find a way through the resolute Palace defence.

Leadbitter let fly from 25 yards with time running out but Kiraly was safely behind the shot.

SUNDERLAND: Ward, Whitehead, Nosworthy, Evans, Collins, Edwards (Leadbitter), Miller (Murphy 77), Yorke, Hysen (Wallace 73), Connolly, Stokes.

CRYSTAL PALACE: Kiraly, Hudson, Butterfield, Cort, Lawrence, Green (Freedman 76), Kennedy, Fletcher, McAnuff, Ifill (Soares 74), Kuqi.

Referee: T M Kettle (Rutland).