Amad Diallo was the Sunderland hero as his spot-kick kept their hopes of reaching the play-offs alive.
The Black Cats have suffered a loss of form in the English Championship with just one win in their last seven league outings following the 1-1 home draw with promotion chasing Luton Town. That slump in form has seen Tony Mowbray's men slip to 11th in the league standings with seven points standing between themselves and sixth spot. The former Celtic gaffer will still hold out hopes of reaching the play-offs in a bid to reach the riches of the English Premier League - but it will be a tall order with just eight games to play.
Former Rangers loanee Diallo - who has been in sparking form this season - stepped up to fire his penalty kick high into the net with just four minutes to play to rescue what could prove to be a big point after Alfie Doughty had given the visitors the lead in the 51st minute. They themselves are still in the hunt for automatic promotion with the draw denting those hopes of catching Sheffield United with the gap now at six points - having played a game more. But they are fourth and well in the play-off picture, boasting a seven point cushion over Norwich City in seventh.
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Giving his reaction to the penalty and the share of the points, Mowbray said post-match: "Whether it was a penalty or not, ultimately it was given. We've had enough bad decisions go against us, going back to midweek there, so you take them when they come, we scored and we take the point and move on.
"We got there in the end. Was it a penalty or wasn't it a penalty? I don't really go in there and watch stuff [replays].
"My opinion is that I don't think we deserved to lose the game, so we'll take the point and move on."
On the Sunderland fans, he added: "I think it's right to say that the supporters really played a part today.
"I felt as though, at 1-0 down, they really got behind the team - and I hope that's because they see the ingredients of the team and they see a team that is fighting and working hard for the football club. I don't normally praise the supporters - and not because I don't appreciate them - but I really felt it today, I stood there and thought 'wow, they were there with the team right in the middle of it'.
"Hopefully that's part of the reason we got back in it and didn't lose the match."
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