27/09/2014 14:00 v Sunderland

Ten-man Swansea City dug in to claim a hard-earned point against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

The home side came closest to opening the scoring in a poor first half when Adam Johnson's half-volley was saved by Lukasz Fabianski.

The Swans, meanwhile, failed to test Vito Mannone in the Sunderland goal and had to play the final ten minutes with ten men after Angel Rangel was shown a second yellow card.

But this stalemate moved the Swans onto ten points from six games.

The Swans made one change to the side that lost at home to Southampton, with Bafe Gomis replacing Wilfried Bony in attack.

Bony, who served a one-match suspension in midweek following his red card against the Saints, dropped to the substitutes' bench.

Sunderland came close to opening the scoring after ten minutes.

Following a cross from the right edge of the box that made its way to the far post, Fabianski had to parry Johnson's sharp effort.

Former Black Cats loanee Ki Sung-Yueng fired over at the other end, while Sunderland came close on 35 minutes when Santiago Vergini diverted a header goalwards that Fabianski did well to turn around the post.

However, that was about as exciting as it got in a somewhat tepid first half.

The visitors started the second period on the front foot, with Ki firing over the bar after being teed up by Bafe Gomis.

Sunderland made their first change of the game just before the hour mark as former Swans man Jordi Gomez replaced Jack Rodwell.

The Swans then made their first substitution of the afternoon on 65 minutes as Nathan Dyer made way for Jefferson Montero, while Sunderland brought on Ricardo Alvarez in place of Johnson.

The hosts came close to an opening shortly after when Will Buckley burst into the penalty area but saw his low cross evade everyone as the ball rolled across the six-yard box.

Swansea made their second change with just under 20 minutes left to play as Wilfried Bony replaced Gomis.

But it was Sunderland who again came close as Connor Wickham rose highest to meet a cross from the right, but he headed over from six yards out.

Gus Poyet then made his third and final change as Steven Fletcher replaced Wickham in attack for the hosts.

And things took a turn for the worse for the visitors with ten minutes to play when they were reduced to ten men for the second league game in succession after Rangel was shown a second yellow card for bringing down Buckley.

With five minutes to play, Sunderland look destined to break the deadlock when Fletcher met Alvarez's cross from the left, but the Scot planted his header a fraction wide of the right-hand post.

But the visitors held on to claim a valuable point.

SUNDERLAND: Vito Mannone, Billy Jones, Santiago Vergini, John O'Shea (capt), Patrick van Aanholt, Jack Rodwell (Jordi Gomez, 58), Adam Johnson (Ricardo Alvarez, 65), Lee Cattermole, Will Buckley, Seb Larsson, Connor Wickham

SUBS: Costel Pantilimon, Liam Bridcutt, Jozy Altidore, Charis Mavrias.

SWANS: Lukasz Fabianski, Angel Rangel, Federico Fernandez, Ashley Williams (capt), Neil Taylor, Jonjo Shelvey, Ki Sung-Yueng, Nathan Dyer (Jefferson Montero, 65), Wayne Routledge, Gylfi Sigurdsson (Jazz Richards, 80), Bafetimbi Gomis (Wilfried Bony, 71).

SUBS: Gerhard Tremmel, Kyle Bartley, Tom Carroll, Marvin Emnes.