It was honours even at the Stadium of Light as Rovers picked up a useful point on their travels.

The encounter may have ended goalless but it was a match of high drama as Jason Roberts could have won the game for Rovers but missed an open goal deep in injury time.

The home side had the better of the first half, Cisse being denied by Robinson after just four minute, then Kenwyne Jones fired over as Rovers struggled to contain Sunderland's strikeforce.

Rovers came out with purpose in the second half and had the ball in the back of the net just two minutes later. David Dunn's free-kick found its way into the back of the net but it went in via the arm of Chris Samba.

Martin Fulop then twice denied Rovers, firstly making a fantastic save to push a Pedersen free-kick around the post, then saving from Andrews following a swift attack.

Sunderland came on strong towards the end but some excellent defending from Ryan Nelsen and Chris Samba kept them at bay.

But at the death Rovers should have claimed all three points, Pedersen with a ball over the top, Roberts took it round Fulop but somehow put his effort wide of the gaping goal.

So the points had to be shared, but after two clean sheets in Sam Allardyce's first two games, the manager will be pleased to have tightened up at the back.

Both managers named unchanged starting eleven's. With neither Vince Grella nor Roque Santa Cruz available for selection, manager Sam Allardyce kept faith with the same side that defeated Stoke City six days earlier. Likewise Ricky Sbragia with Sunderland following their 4-1 away win at Hull City.

The home side started quickly, as early as the fourth minute the Rovers defence were tested, a long ball over the top caught them out and Djibril Cisse was free, but Paul Robinson was off his line quickly and blocked the Frenchman's effort on the edge of his area.

McCarthy headed over a Morten Gamst Pedersen cross on twenty, but that was a rare forward foray in the first half from Rovers.

Kenwyne Jones fired narrowly over from inside the area after a header from Nelsen fell kindly for the Sunderland striker, Rovers relieved to see the ball flash over the bar.

The second half saw Rovers come out with more purpose and just two minutes after the restart the ball nestled in the back of Sunderland's net. David Dunn's inswinging free-kick ran through and into goal, but along the way Chris Samba helped it into the net with his arm and the goal was chalked off and Samba received a card.

Undeterred Rovers continued to press, Morten Gamst Pedersen's 20 yard free-kick looked set to open the scoring only for a flying Martin Fulop to tip the ball away off the post.

Moments later and Fulop again came to Sunderland's aid. A flowing move involving Pedersen and McCarthy saw the ball played into the path of Keith Andrews, but his low effort was beaten away by the Sunderland stopper.

But Rovers were then dealt a blow when David Dunn limped off with a suspected hamstring injury, the Rovers midfielder had a quiet game by his standards, but worked hard to close down space in the centre.

The final ten minutes saw Sunderland come back in the ascendancy, but some heroic defending from Samba and Nelsen kept the home side at bay.

But right at the death the match should have been Rovers'. Morten Gamst Pedersen's clipped pass over the top saw Jason Roberts take the ball down, beat the advancing Fulop, but with the goal at his mercy he rolled the ball inches wide of the post.

Before the game a point would have been very welcome, but the miss at the end, allied to results elsewhere left the players with the feeling of two points dropped rather than one point gained.

SUNDERLAND: Fulop, Bardsley, Tainio (sub Whitehead 62 mins), Nosworthy. Malbranque, Cisse (sub Murphy 81 mins), Richardson (c) (sub Leadbitter 81 mins), Collins, Jones, Reid, Ferdinand.

Subs not used: Colgan (GK), Edwards, Diouf, Chimbonda.

ROVERS: Robinson, Ooijer, Samba, Nelsen (c) (sub Mokoena 90 mins), Warnock, Emerton, Andrews, Dunn (sub Tugay 62 mins), Pedersen, McCarthy (sub Derbyshire 88 mins), Roberts.

Subs not used: Brown (GK), Khizanishvili, Treacy, Olsson.

Booked: Ooijer, McCarthy, Samba (Rovers)

Attendance: 44,680