Sunderland earned themselves a point at the Stadium of Light as their clash with Queens Park Rangers finished goalless.
With Adil Aouchiche handed a place in the starting line-up, the Frenchman teased a cross from the left with Asmir Begovic scrambling as the ball clipped the top of the woodwork.
Anthony Patterson came to the Lads’ rescue on his 100th consecutive league game with Lukas Anderson latching onto a loose ball only to see his bending effort palmed away from goal.
After some brief pressure from the Lads, Ilias Chair was next to test the Sunderland defence but saw his whipped shot curl around the outside of the post.
Aouchice charged away with the ball but a sliding intervention from Jake Clarke-Salter deflected his shot wide just before the half-hour mark.
Pierre Ekwah and Chris Rigg were thrown into the action in the second half in the hopes of finding a breakthrough.
Sinclair Armstrong tested Patterson with a stinging shot from a narrow angle but the Sunderland number held the ball strongly.
Patterson once again came to the rescue as Armstrong’s cutback to Chris Willock saw the keeper sprawl across his goal and palm the shot away.
The Lads battled their way to draw and go into the international break in the top half of the Sky Bet Championship table.
SAFC XI: Patterson; Hume, Ballard, Hjelde, Styles; Neil, Jobe; Mundle (Burstow 78’), Aouchiche, Ba (Rigg 56’); Luis Hemir (Ekwah 56’)
Subs: Bishop, Pembele, Dack, Kelly, Bainbridge, Jones