Match ends, Sunderland 0, Doncaster Rovers 0.
SunderlandSunderland0DoncasterDoncaster Rovers0
Sunderland missed the chance to move to within three points of League One's automatic promotion places as they were held to a goalless draw by Doncaster.
After a poor first half, Rovers forward Madger Gomes had a shot saved by Black Cats keeper Jon McLaughlin before Jon Taylor headed the rebound wide.
Visiting keeper Seny Dieng was called into action in second half injury-time, saving two efforts from Duncan Watmore.
The draw moves Sunderland up to fifth, five points behind Wycombe in second.
Neither side mustered an effort on target in the first half, with Sunderland defender Joel Lynch sending a near-post header from a corner into the side-netting and Tom Anderson putting a header wide of the post at the other end.
Doncaster forward Niall Ennis blazed over the Sunderland bar from the edge of the area shortly after the restart as the game sprung into life.
The hosts then started to threaten, with Chris Maguire volleying over from eight yards out and Charlie Wyke having a close-range effort brilliantly blocked by Anderson.
On-loan QPR man Dieng comfortably gathered Watmore's glancing header and then scrambled a snap-shot from the substitute behind in the closing seconds, with Phil Parkinson's men finishing the stronger side.
The draw extends Sunderland's unbeaten run to eight league matches, while a point leaves Doncaster three points off the play-off places ahead of Saturday's fixtures.
Line-ups
Sunderland
Formation 3-4-3
- 1McLaughlin
- 4Willis
- 5OzturkBooked at 73mins
- 3Lynch
- 13O'Nien
- 18Dobson
- 6Power
- 33Hume
- 7MaguireSubstituted forWatmoreat 72'minutes
- 9WykeBooked at 42minsSubstituted forLaffertyat 72'minutes
- 11Gooch
Substitutes
- 2McLaughlin
- 8Lafferty
- 10McNulty
- 14Watmore
- 16Burge
- 23Leadbitter
- 26Wright
Doncaster
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 24Dieng
- 2HallidayBooked at 66mins
- 5Wright
- 4Anderson
- 32John
- 8Whiteman
- 6Sheaf
- 10TaylorSubstituted forCoppingerat 83'minutes
- 12Gomes
- 3JamesSubstituted forBlairat 75'minutes
- 31EnnisSubstituted forWattersat 88'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Lawlor
- 16Amos
- 17Blair
- 22Watters
- 26Coppinger
- 27Greaves
- Referee:
- James Adcock
- Attendance:
- 30,251
Match Stats
Home TeamSunderlandAway TeamDoncaster
- Possession
- Home57%
- Away43%
- Shots
- Home12
- Away8
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away1
- Corners
- Home6
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home5
- Away13
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Sunderland 0, Doncaster Rovers 0.
Post update
Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Seny Timothy Dieng.
Post update
Attempt saved. Duncan Watmore (Sunderland) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Post update
Kyle Lafferty (Sunderland) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Joe Wright (Doncaster Rovers).
Post update
Attempt saved. Duncan Watmore (Sunderland) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Luke O'Nien.
Substitution
Substitution, Doncaster Rovers. Max Watters replaces Niall Ennis.
Post update
Attempt missed. Max Power (Sunderland) right footed shot from outside the box is too high following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Sunderland. Conceded by Matty Blair.
Substitution
Substitution, Doncaster Rovers. James Coppinger replaces Jon Taylor.
Post update
Attempt saved. Luke O'Nien (Sunderland) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Matty Blair (Doncaster Rovers) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Benjamin Whiteman.
Substitution
Substitution, Doncaster Rovers. Matty Blair replaces Reece James because of an injury.
Booking
Alim Ozturk (Sunderland) is shown the yellow card for hand ball.
Substitution
Substitution, Sunderland. Duncan Watmore replaces Chris Maguire.
Substitution
Substitution, Sunderland. Kyle Lafferty replaces Charlie Wyke.
Post update
Attempt missed. Luke O'Nien (Sunderland) header from the right side of the box is too high. Assisted by Chris Maguire with a cross following a set piece situation.
Post update
Lynden Gooch (Sunderland) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by Ben Sheaf (Doncaster Rovers).
