Black Cats ride luck as wild Rovers fail to fire

AS TWO managers with enormous respect for each other embraced at the final whistle, Blackburn’s Sam Allardyce offered a succinct verdict on a game that indicated neither team will go down without a fight this season.

“You’re lucky, aren’t you?” he asked Sunderland’s Ricky Sbragia, who was minded to agree after witnessing an astounding miss by the Rovers forward Jason Roberts seconds earlier.

The game was in stoppage time when Roberts broke into the area and rounded the Sunderland goalkeeper Marton Fulop before steering the ball wide of the vacant net.