Sunderland 1, Newcastle Utd 1

Nov 11 2007 by Sunday Sun

SO, on Remembrance weekend, fortune abandoned the brave.

The meek returned home with blushes spared, pride salvaged but reputations anything but enhanced.

And one stout, middle-aged man in the away end narrowly avoided the embarrassment of being urged to join in with chants berating his chief employee.

But, just as his ears are unlikely to be ringing with Geordie endorsements of Sam Allardyce, Mike Ashley’s eyes will not have deceived him.

He may have seen Newcastle maintain an unbeaten run on Wearside which stretches back more than a quarter of a century, but precious few other positives.

Certainly, both he and those around him (or rather, those around the stewards around him) had a right to expect more of a star-studded team than the pursuit – yet again – of a single point.

Afterwards, Allardyce insisted avoiding defeat had been everything.

He should try telling that to the Tynesiders who arrived expecting victory – and the Wearsiders who went home wondering why they were not celebrating a win.

But just as relief will not mask mounting Magpie concerns with Allardyce, so frustration should not hide Sunderland’s shortcomings.

While Big Sam’s teamsheet – Mark Viduka one of three up front and Emre preferred to Geremi in midfield – merely disguised the caution which has become his watchword, both Roy Keane’s selection and strategy were positive.

Yet without ruthlessness in front of goal, superiority can count for little in the Premier League.

Keane cannot afford for that lesson to be lost on Ross Wallace, Grant Leadbitter or Kenwyne Jones.

Superior as Sunderland were in a first half in which the only mark Newcastle made was on Dickson Etuhu’s unmentionables by Joey “Studs” Barton, neither Wallace nor Leadbitter could hit the target.

Jones, who did so much to ruffle Magpie feathers throughout, should have curtailed their second-half comeback almost before it began.

And if their finishing remains less than clinical, the Black Cats must learn to keep their nerve when asked to defend a lead.

But just as the last 25 minutes gave a generally proud Keane reason for harsh reflection, Allardyce should take note of the change in his side when forced to chase the game.

Where Charles N’Zogbia – from left-back – had been their main threat in the opening half, others got up in support of the classy but isolated Viduka either side of James Milner’s equaliser.

The message is clear: if safety-first does not work at Derby, Reading and Sunderland, it will do Newcastle precious little good when they come to visit more formidable foreign fields.

But Allardyce’s post-match pride in the man-marking job done by last week’s centre-forward Alan Smith on the aforementioned Jones spoke volumes.

The onus too is on Sunderland supporters to keep the faith.

Granted, this was no footballing classic, but the hosts – conducted by Leadbitter – hit enough high notes to suggest they are about to level out their recent yo-yo existence.

Jones has fast become a talisman, Leadbitter has come of age and Danny Higginbotham and Paul McShane bristle with defensive defiance.

The return of Carlos Edwards, while far from his barnstorming best after three months out, is further cause for long-term optimism.

Yet frustration enveloped the Stadium of Light like a smog last night.

If they could not put one over Newcastle on home soil yesterday, the Sunderland faithful can be forgiven for wondering whether they ever will.

Their Newcastle brethren? The immediate reaction was ecstasy at having defied the old enemy yet again.

While Big Sam reckons his glass is half-full and his critics’ is half-empty, the fans’ cup runneth over.

But that sense of euphoria has a fortnight to wear off, and the reality of Newcastle’s recent form will surely bite.