I suppose, for the sake of symmetry, I should say this is a draw that felt like a defeat as the Hammers had done to them what they did to Arsenal last week; but that would be a lie as Sunderland bossed the second half and a point seemed only fair and was, in any case, probably a result I would have taken before the game began.

Gianfranco Zola though looked dispirited after the match and was obviously annoyed at the way the Hammers let a two goal lead slip away by allowing the home side to dominate for long spells in the second half even though they were down to ten men for most of it.

It was Guillermo Franco who opened his account with the Hammers, scoring after 30 minutes after Darren Bent had missed a good opening for the home side and West Ham had come under early pressure. It was the excellent and influential Collison who did the damage, breaking down the right and keeping onside while Sunderland - incorrectly - appealed before slotting a pass for Franco to side foot home.

The Hammers could have doubled their lead when Sunderland keeper Craig Gordon superbly saved from Carlton Cole but the England forward, who is in cracking form at the moment, wasn't to be denied as he took a pass from Collison, again, to slam home after 36 minutes. Shortly after, Cole seemed to be brought down after by Nosworthy when clean through on the last man but the referee deemed otherwise.

However, the ref had no trouble giving a free kick to Sunderland after Behrami had been booked for a foul on Malbranque and the Hammers defence could only watch as Reid curled a free kick over the wall and into the corner to make it 2-1 three minutes later. It looked the type of goal that even a good defence couldn't stop but there is a feeling we are giving away too many kicks in dangerous areas and the keeper and defence don't seem to be able to stop the balls landing on target.

Even so, it did seem to be going the Hammers way when Jones was booked and sent off with a straight red for an arms up push on Ilunga just before half-time. Steve Bruce as incensed by the Hammers left-back holding his face when Jones' arms didn't seem to be up quite that high and, though the sending off probably followed the letter of the law, the pole-axed manner of Ilunga was bound to annoy Bruce who was always one of the hit 'em hard and fair school of players.

There's much debate going on over at the unofficial websites with Bruce, inevitably, getting some stick, but I hate to see play acting be it one of my own players or that of another club, and I'd feel much better if players didn't act in this manner. Jones would have gone anyway so I don't see what is gained other than to annoy the referee when the wounded soldier jumps to his feet without blood or ice pack after 30 seconds.

Down to ten men for 45 minutes, the inevitable happened as, after Franco had a good header well saved by Gordon, West Ham were forced back with Sunderland making all the running. In these situations, the Hammers need the suspended Parker who can provide protection for a rickety defence, as it was it was left to Robert Green to produce two excellent saves from Turner and Da Silva to keep the Irons in front.

There was a feeling it couldn't last though and it was no great surprise when Richardson equalised, although it was annoying that the goal came from a Bent cross which took a deflection of Upson to land kindly for the in-rushing ex-Man U man. Although Cole was denied by a last ditch challenge by Nosworthy when he broke through, Darren Bent was now causing all manner of problems and the draw looked to be the best result for the visitors particularly after the referee sent of Kovac for a second bookable in the 87th minute in the type of incident that refs always seem to produce to level things when one sending off has been controversial (Another consequence of play-acting in my view!).

Bent then had two chances to win it late on while Noble had a shot cleared off the line as both sides produced an exciting climax. All square was probably the right result though and the point ensured West Ham was excused dropping to the bottom of the table. With their game in hand to come on Wednesday night, it promises to be a cracking night in East London as the Irons will be looking for three points to move them out of the drop zone.