Premier League: Sunderland 2 Aston Villa 2

Stephane Sessegnon struck late on to give Sunderland a share of the points against Aston Villa in their 2-2 draw at the Stadium of Light.

Connor Wickham also netted his first goal for the Black Cats, but it was a miserable return to Wearside for Darren Bent as he missed a sitter and endured a torrid afternoon from his former legion of fans.

Sunderland started the brighter of the two sides seeing a lot of possession in the opening 10 minutes with Sebastian Larsson’s free-kick from distance which was saved comfortably by Shay Given being the closest either side came to breaking the deadlock.

Wickham, who had an impressive start last week against Bolton, should have done better when he was put through by David Vaughan however the teenager blasted his effort well over the bar.

Aston Villa had a quiet start to the game but had an excellent chance to take the lead after a great move involving Emile Heskey and Gabriel Agbonlahor. The latter hit a wonderful cross to the back-post where Bent’s effort was blocked back onto him by Kieran Richardson and out for a goal-kick.

The visitors then took the lead after counter attacking from a Sunderland corner when Agbonlahor broke up-field and hit a cross field pass to the right where Alan Hutton played the ball to Petrov who was free on the edge of the area and hit a blistering left-footed shot into the top corner.

Steve Bruce’s side nearly hit straight back through Michael Turner but his headed effort from a corner flew just inches over the bar with Given beaten.

Sunderland again came close to an equaliser before Warnock came to Villa’s rescue as he cleared Wickham’s header off the line and cleared the danger away from the box.

The hosts finally got their deserved equaliser and it was Wickham who got the goal with a smart left-footed finish past Given following great play from Sessegnon to slip him behind the Villa defence.

Villa started the second half well and put early pressure on the Sunderland defence but couldn’t carve out any clear cut opportunities as their delivery from set-pieces was particularly poor.

Their onslaught however did take its toll on the Black Cats as keeper Mignolet was taken off with a suspected broken nose and replaced by Keiren Westwood.

Bruce’s side grew into the half as it wore and should have ahead through Turner who blazed a free header over the bar from six-yards from another dangerous Larsson corner.

Nicklas Bendtner then wasted another glorious opportunity minutes later when he headed a dangerous Larsson ball over the bar when all it seemed he had to do was direct it goalward.

Villa were always dangerous on the counter and former Sunderland man Bent nearly played the role of the pantomime villain after being put through on goal by Agbonlahor but his shot was well saved by Westwood.

The visitors were coming more into the game and seemed the most likely to get a winner but their delivery and finishing let them down however in the 85th minute, Petrov’s cross found Collins who headed into the net t send the Villa fans into raptures.

Bruce’s side rallied and threw everything at the Midlands club and got an equaliser through Sessegnon who headed in from close range from Larsson’s free-kick to give the Black Cats a deserved share of the points.