Sunderland salvaged a potentially very useful point at Hull City with a late Jack Rodwell equaliser with a little hint of handball.
Gus Poyet named a team he said would be "strong (physically) and compete", but it was the introductions from the bench of Patrick van Aanholt and Ricky Alvarez that seemed to turn the game in the Black Cats' favour and saw them earn what was probably an undeserved point in the end.
For much of the game, though, it didn't look like it was going to go Sunderland's way at all. The 'strong and competitive' side conceded from an early soft set piece through a Dame N'Doye back-heel, and going forward there was just no semblance of width or invention at all.
Poyet himself was clearly feeling the pressure too, getting himself sent to the stands during the first half for kicking a water cooler. Before leaving, the Uruguayan confronted Steve Bruce with an ironic handshake, applause, and a word, prompting the Hull manager to require to be held back by officials. That was fun.
The second half didn't start well for Sunderland either. Lee Cattermole picked up a stupid booking - ruling him out of the games with Aston Villa and West Ham - and there didn't really look like there was much hope of ending the Hull-hoodoo.
The substitutes changed that, though. Collecting a pass from Alvarez, Van Aanholt galloped down the left and crossed for Rodwell at the back post. He couldn't miss, though he seemed to try, and the ball eventually sneaked into the corner via his hand, No one cared. Except Bruce and Hull probably.
It's not a season-changing point at all, but it's a very handy one. It is, remarkably, Sunderland's 14th draw in 28 games this season.