Relief for Reid as Blackburn's friends reunited draw blank

Blackburn Rovers 0 Sunderland

Last week, Peter Reid had a pint of lager thrown over him by a disgruntled fan. Last night, Sunderland's more sophisticated followers may have felt moved to propose a toast to their manager for negotiating a tricky first fixture unscathed. Let's hope it was no more than a half of lager, though, because celebrations would be premature.

In truth, Sunderland rode their luck to pinch a point from a superior Blackburn side for whom the reunited strike partnership of Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke did enough to suggest they can rediscover their old potency under the prompting of the impressive Damien Duff. Between them, the trio created plenty of chances. They can't be this unlucky every week.

Graeme Souness, the Blackburn manager, was pleased enough with the performance of the former Manchester United pair despite their failure to find the net. "I can't fault anyone in my team. We tried to be creative and go forward all the time but Sunderland came with a game plan to frustrate us and they succeeded."

Reid's inability to sign a partner for Kevin Phillips is well-documented, and with the England striker left largely to his own devicesit was clear that attack was never going to be Sunderland's first priority. They did win a couple of free kicks in dangerous positions early on, but Claudio Reyna wasted them. From them on it was their defenders on whom Reid's uncertain future depended.

He did manage to sign a couple of those in the close season, and drafted both Phil Babb and Stephen Wright straight into his starting line-up, the latter earning the dubious distinction of the first Premiership yellow card of the season for a rash challenge on Duff after just two minutes.

The Irishman's response was to show that the tackle, his World Cup exertions and his flirtations with other prospective employers had not dulled his edge. He gave notice of what was to follow by embarking on an electrifying run down the left that took him half the length of the pitch, only for his cross to evade his new strike partnership. Cole, with his back to goal 10 yards out, then turned and hooked over. Not to de outdone, Yorke sent a rising drive narrowly too high.

Come the second half, Blackburn looked unstoppable and Cole and Yorke, who helped United to the Treble four years ago, must have thought that, in Duff, they had found a new David Beckham. He had Sunderland on a pin, prising open their defence again and again, but the final incisive touch continued to elude them.

Cole had a goal-bound drive deflected after another Yorke knock-back, Craig Short came up for a cross that cleared the bar, Keith Gillespie failed to reach the ball when put clear, and Duff, in a rare lapse, drove a cross straight into Thomas Sorensen's arms when Yorke was loitering unattended at the far post.

If Souness was frustrated at his side's inability to turn possession into goal, at least Reid could take comfort from the fact that it's not only Sunderland who can't score. But his defence led a charmed life, and their luck continued when Sorensen punched away another Duff effort and Lucas Neill's header again flew straight at the keeper.

With Phillips now handicapped by a bandaged head from a first-half knock, Sunderland were never going to raise the siege. But their pluck and their luck lasted the course, and for sides in their position these attributes can sometimes be as valuable as expensive strikers.

Reid knows he is still the bookies' favourite to be the first Premiership manager to be shown the door this season, but he took comfort from a hard-earned point. "To keep a clean sheet against a good attacking side was very pleasing," he said. On Wearside, they may drink to that.

Blackburn Rovers 0 Sunderland 0

Attendance: 27,122