Power salvages a point for Sunderland at home to Fleetwood

Posted Wednesday, February 26, 2020 by PA

Max Power salvaged a point in the sixth minute of stoppage time as his dramatic late strike secured Sunderland a 1-1 draw against Fleetwood at the Stadium of Light.

Power scored with what was effectively the last kick of the game to cancel out Barrie McKay’s early opener and keep the Black Cats in the thick of the Sky Bet League One promotion race.

Fleetwood arrived on Wearside on the back of a five-game winning run, and it did not take Joey Barton’s side long to get into their stride.

McKay almost broke the deadlock after just 21 seconds, firing a low shot into the legs of Sunderland goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin, and the forward did not have to wait too much longer to claim his first goal of the season.

Paddy Madden’s slick fifth-minute pass released him into the penalty area, and after turning inside a flummoxed Jordan Willis, he slotted a calm finish into the corner.

Sunderland came within inches of an equaliser midway through the first half, with Chris Maguire crashing a shot against the crossbar after Luke O’Nien pulled the ball back from close to the byline.

Lynden Gooch also fired narrowly wide before the break, but for all that the Black Cats dominated possession for most of the night, they struggled to seriously test Alex Cairns in the Fleetwood goal.

However, that changed at the end when Power received the ball from substitute Duncan Watmore and drove home from close to the penalty spot.