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Ten-man Sunderland hold on for draw

Sunderland come from behind to claim a 1-1 draw against Stoke City despite having Craig Gardner sent off in the first half.

Sunderland have moved three points clear of the relegation zone after holding Stoke City to a 1-1 draw despite being forced to play most of the game with 10 men.

Jon Walters celebrates with team mate Cameron Jerome after scoring the opener against Sunderland on May 6, 2013© AP Photos

The visitors took the lead after just nine minutes when Jonathan Walters poked the ball past Simon Mignolet at the second attempt having been found by Charlie Adam's corner.

Adam was also involved in the game's next big talking point as he was on the receiving end of a heavy Craig Gardner tackle. The referee adjudged the foul to be a dangerous one and showed Gardner a straight red card.

Sunderland came close to restoring parity right on the stroke of half time when Adam Johnson let fly from a free kick, but his effort fizzed just past the post.

Craig Gardner is shown a red card by referree Lee Mason during the first half against Stoke on May 6, 2013© AP Photos

Stoke almost doubled their lead just before the hour mark when Peter Crouch and Adam combined to tee up Cameron Jerome, but his goal-bound effort was well blocked.

It was the hosts who got the game's crucial second goal, however. Dean Whitehead got a touch to a Sebastian Larsson's corner, inadvertently flicking it on to John O'Shea, who poked it under Asmir Begovic at the back post.

John O'Shea celebrates after scoring the equaliser against Stoke on May 6, 2013© AP Photos

Whitehead almost made amends with 15 minutes left when he hit a well-struck shot from the edge of the area, but it was straight at Mignolet, who managed to hold on.

Sunderland then came within inches of nicking all three points in the 80th minute when Danny Rose cut inside from the left and fired a shot towards the near post. Begovic was nowhere near the ball as it flicked off the outside of the post on its way out.

Neither side could find a dramatic late winner in the closing stages as Sunderland picked up a point that lifts them up to 15th in the Premier League table.

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Stoke City player Jon Walters celebrates scoring his sides second goal in their FA Cup third round replay on January 15, 2015
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1Sunderland149322391430
2Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd149321871128
3Leeds UnitedLeeds147522291326
4Burnley146621761124
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom14572148622
6Millwall146441712522
7Watford147162222022
8Middlesbrough146351816221
9Swansea CitySwansea14545119219
10Blackburn RoversBlackburn145451616019
11Bristol City144731819-119
12Norwich CityNorwich144642320318
13Derby CountyDerby145361818018
14Stoke CityStoke145361718-118
15Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds145361724-718
16Oxford UnitedOxford Utd144551717017
17Coventry CityCoventry144371819-115
18Hull City143651518-315
19Luton TownLuton144371621-515
20Preston North EndPreston143651420-615
21Cardiff CityCardiff144371320-715
22Plymouth ArgylePlymouth144371425-1115
23Queens Park RangersQPR141761223-1110
24Portsmouth141671327-149


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