A 10-man Swansea City fought bravely to earn a draw against a dominant Sunderland side - and even had a chance to win it but for a Jamal Lowe penalty miss.
The Swans were against the ropes for much of the game, but their task was made far more difficult when Charlie Patino earned his second yellow of the match just half an hour into the tie. Completely against the run of play, though, the hosts could have taken the lead just before the break, but Lowe's penalty was well saved by the Sunderland shot-stopper.
Sunderland had countless attempts on goal and Carl Rushworth had to be magnificent to keep them at bay. He was perhaps the biggest reason the Swans came away from this one with a point.
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Michael Duff named an unchanged team from the one which beat Blackburn Rovers last time out, but his side were under the pump right from the word go.
After a flurry of attacks from the visitors, Patino got his first booking, clumsily sticking a foot in on Pierre Ekwah and accidentally stood on the Sunderland man's foot in the process. The Swans simply couldn't catch a break and Sunderland pressed with urgency.
Nazariy Rusyn should have been the first name on the score sheet when Jobe Bellingham slid an expertly-weighted pass through to him, but the Mackems striker slid his shot wide of the post despite being one on one with Rushworth.
Rushworth was called into action minutes later when Jack Clarke was found with a low cross, but the winger's well-hit shot was saved by a sprawling Swans 'keeper.
Then came the red card, on the half-hour mark, and it was Patino on Ekwah again. This time the Sunderland midfielder turned the Arsenal loanee on halfway and Patino's momentum carried him into Ekwah. It was softer than the first one, admittedly, but it gave Bobby Madley a decision to make and he decided to send Patino walking.
Sunderland ratcheted up the pressure further after that, with Rushworth's left paw maintaining parity after Patrick Roberts had chopped inside and smacked a low shot towards the near post.
Just before the half-time whistle blew, though, a lifeline for Swansea out of nowhere. Dan Ballard was adjudged to have wrestled Harry Darling to the ground at a corner and Madley pointed straight to the spot. Jamal Lowe, with a stuttered run-up, struck the ball to Anthony Patterson's right, but the Sunderland 'keeper guessed right and kept it out. Given Swansea had been battered until that point, it would have been totally against the run of play.
Clarke struck a lovely free-kick for the visitors just before the half was through and it kissed the top of Rushworth's crossbar before Madley called time on an event-filled 45 minutes.
Duff added some solidity at half time, introducing Jay Fulton in place of Liam Cullen and it did seem to even the balance of the game after the restart.
Lowe fashioned a golden chance to redeem himself for that penalty miss just after the hour mark when he was played in over the top. He did well to control the ball and chop it back on to his left before hitting a low, left-footed shot from the edge of the area. Anthony Patterson, however, got down well to keep Lowe at bay.
The visitors were relentless, though, and kept banging on the door. Swansea were far less open in the second half, though, and reduced Sunderland to fewer big chances.
But you just felt Sunderland would have one last chance to win it - and it looked to have fallen Abdoullah Ba's way with just a couple of minutes left on the clock, when he rifled a shot from 20 yards towards Rushworth's goal, but it cannoned into the crossbar and away from danger. A collective sigh of relief rang out around the stadium and, just like that, the point was secure for Swansea.
Swansea City XI: Rushworth; Ashby, Darling, Humphreys, Tymon; Grimes, Patino; Cullen (Fulton 46), Paterson (Cabango 77), Lowe; Yates.
Subs: Fisher, Pedersen, Tjoe-A-On, Naughton, Wales, Cooper, Congreve.
Sunderland XI: Patterson; Hume, O'Nien, Ballard (Cirkin 76), Huggins (Dack 56); Ekwah; Roberts, Neil (Ba 79), Bellingham (Pritchard 56), Clarke; Rusyn (Semedo 56).
Subs: Young, Burstow, Aouchiche, Seelt.
Key Events
87
Ba smacks one from 25 yards and it clatters off the crossbar! Another close one for Sunderland.
83
Rushworth comes out to claim a dangerous cross and it's met with applause. He's been superb today.
74
Dack is found with a low cross and he stoops to head on goal - but it's just wide of the mark.
72
Another incredible save from Rushworth! The ball bounces off O'Nien foruitously from a corner and is goalbound. Rushworth reacts superbly and tips it over the bar!
68
Ekwah lets fly from 25 yards. Paterson gets in front of it and deflects it over the bar.
66
Chance! Lowe is played in over the top and he does well to cut back inside and hit a low, left-footed effort towards the bottom corner, but Patterson gets down well to deny him.
65
How many more times is Roberts going to be allowed to cut inside and cause carnage? He chops inside Yates this time and lifts a dangerous cross to the back post - but Semedo's foot doesn't reach it.
62
Roberts again gets past Tymon and puts a cross in, but Rushworth gathers comfortably.
56
Rusyn off, Semedo on for the visitors.
Huggins off for Dack. Bellingham off and Alex Pritchard on, too.
54
Madley gives Sunderland free-kick in a dangerous area. Seemed to be nothing in that foul from Ashby. Supporters vent their anger once again at the man in the middle.
50
Yellow card for Fulton, although quite how Madley has come to that decision is baffling. The Swansea player slid in and scooped the ball away from Ballard, but caught the Sunderland man with his studs on the follow through. Swansea were away, too. The home supporters are up in arms.
Michael Duff also gets a yellow for his protests.
HALF-TIME! Swansea City 0-0 Sunderland
That's the end of the first half. Jack Clarke skims the bar with a free-kick with the last kick of the half.
43
First time Swans have been near Sunderland's goal in a while. Cullen smacks a cross in towards Yates but it's just over the striker's head.
39
Tymon having a tough time trying to keep a lid on Patrick Roberts. Roberts zips past him but Tymon gets a foot in this time, doing himself a mischief in the process, though. He goes down and has to receive some treatment.
37
Great save! Roberts is found in acres of space on the right and he chops inside and smacks a low shot towards the near post. Rushworth is down rapidly and tips it on to the post before gathering again. Excellent save and not his first of the afternoon.
36
Patrick Roberts works the ball well past Tymon on Sunderland's right. He cuts one back to the penalty spot but there are no Black Cats shirts there. He had done all the hard work. Swansea really struggling to get a hold on this game.
