Gray secures vital point

DERBY day in the North East was not dissimilar to Grand National day in the North West - a non event.

With away supporters banned because of a serious clash at Newcastle train station on the final day of last season, the atmosphere was intimidating and sinister, and this has brought about the perverse situation where everybody waits for the opposition to score to establish if any dare devil enemies have broken the blockade.

Thus, when Michael Gray cut inside a string of black and white shirts in the 32nd minute and hooked the ball past Shaka Hislop with his wrong foot, 36,500 Geordies looked to see if their neighbours were smiling, laughing or, Sir John forbid, cheering.

And, just as there had been at Roker Park in September when Peter Beardsley equalised, a few dissenting voices were heard. At these moments finding the black legs and tearing them apart overtakes football as the number one sport but it was a surprise on Saturday to witness an outbreak of scrapping in the executive boxes. It soured more than the mushroom vol au vents too, and surely something must be done about the ban before next season.

The timely arrivals of Chris Waddle and Allan Johnston have installed a new creative dimension to Sunderland, and the return of Niall Quinn should also be influential in their relegation battle. The big Irishman came on for the last eight minutes and had an important flick in an 85th minute move that nearly gave Sunderland a winner.

Hislop saved the initial effort from Kelly but knew nothing of Ball's follow up shot that "hit him right in the dish" as Ball put it. Shearer, back 39 days after his third groin operation in a year, had given an unimaginative Newcastle - an equaliser eight minutes earlier. He said he felt no reaction to the injury, particularly not as he tapped the ball in.