Lee Connelly’s last-minute equaliser earned Sunderland U23s a point against ten-man Fulham at Eppleton.
Connelly scored in the 89th minute to cancel out Jerome Opoku’s first-half opener to spare the Black Cats defeat in their final home game of the Premier League 2 season.
But Sunderland should have made more of their man advantage, which they held for more than half the match after Fulham keeper Magnus Norman was shown a straight red card by referee Garreth Rhodes for using his hand outside the penalty area to stop a goal bound shot from Benji Kimpioka on the stroke of half-time.
Sunderland – who included fringe first-teamers Kimpioka and Bali Mumba in their starting XI against the third-bottom Cottagers – are already assured of finishing at the foot of the Group 2 table, and Elliott Dickman’s side round off their campaign with a trip to Southampton in a fortnight’s time.
There was little in the game in the early stages, with chances at both ends.
Sunderland start to flag in the run-in - but nerves must not give way to blind panic
Connelly saw an attempted chip from the edge of the box clear the bar, while Jake Hackett sent a long-range free-kick straight at Norman, and the keeper also saved another effort from distance, this time from Jack Connolly.
At the other end, Jayden Harris sent a couple of efforts wide of the target, and Nicolas Santos Clase was also unable to test Max Stryjek.
But Fulham went in front in the 32nd minute from a set-piece, with Opoku reaching Tyrese Francois’ corner ahead of Stryjek to nod home from close range.
The goal put the Londoners in a commanding position, but they found themselves a man light on the stroke of half-time when Norman was sent off for handling the ball outside his penalty area as he rushed out to block a shot from Kimpioka.
Kimpioka’s free-kick hit the wall and Dan Neil’s follow-up shot took a big deflection, with substitute keeper George Wickens reacting quickly to change direction and claw the ball away for a corner.
Sunderland were unable to make their numerical advantage count in the second half, and if anything Fulham looked more likely to extend their lead.
Lewis Morgan shows his class but Sunderland positives are buried under nine-goal avalanche
Stryjek made a good save to push away a shot from Luca De La Torre, and midway through the second period an overhead-kick from Opoku went across goal and narrowly wide.
But Sunderland snatched a late leveller when a corner kick from the right came all the way to Connelly beyond the far post and his shot from a tight angle went across the keeper and found the net.
SUNDERLAND: Stryjek, Evans (Kokolo 62), Taylor, Bainbridge, Hunter, Neil, Connolly (Gamble 62), Mumba, Hackett, Connelly, Kimpioka. Subs not used: Johnstone, Young, Storey
BOOKED: Hackett
Sunderland's massive summer: Stewart Donald explains how Black Cats plan to move forward
FULHAM: Norman, Fossey, McAvoy, Opoku, Sessegnon, Harris, Francois, De La Torre, Edun, Clase, Kait (Wickens 45+1). Subs not used: Asare, Abraham, Hilton, Garrido
BOOKED: Harris, Edun, Clase, Opoku
SENT OFF: Norman
REFEREE: Garreth Rhodes (York)
ATTENDANCE: 193
