AN X-RATED Jeff Whitley challenge and a controversial refereeing display cost Sunderland dear on a night of high drama at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland may have extended their good run to just two defeats in 14 games against Preston, but this was a contest that had a lot, lot more.

After the 3-3 draw both managers - Mick McCarthy and Craig Brown - confronted official Phil Prosser for his part in a game which threatened to boil over.

When Preston's Tyrone Mears handed Sunderland the lead with an own goal midway through the first half, things were going according to plan for the Black Cats.

And even when David Healy curled in an equaliser just before half-time, the hosts still looked as though they may have the edge.

However, Whitley's horrific tackle - he jumped in with two feet, before leaping up and pushing Graham Alexander in the face - on Richard Cresswell led to him being shown an instant red card.

That dismissal, which rules him out of Sunderland's FA Cup semi-final on April 4, sparked an action-packed last half hour.

Mr Prosser should have sent Preston goalkeeper Andrew Lonergan off when he handled outside the area and there were several strange decisions throughout.

But while the complaints centred around the referee, there were also some outstanding goals to ensure McCarthy had to settle for a point to celebrate his 12 months in charge tomorrow.

Sean Thornton put ten-man Sunderland 2-1 up with a superb free-kick before Mears equalised for a second time.

A penalty from Marcus Stewart looked to have secured the points for the Wearsiders with seven minutes remaining but a late, late free-kick from Eddie Lewis, the result of an unnecessary foul by sub Darren Byfield, ensured Sunderland are still just shy of a play-off place.

It was at Preston, back in August, when the times really began to change for the better under the McCarthy regime.

That day Stewart and Thornton also scored the goals at Deepdale to end a run of 17 consecutive league defeats - just one short of equalling Darwen's 104-year-old record.

But a similar result against Darwen's more illustrious Lancashire neighbours in the North-East last night was craved just as much, albeit for an altogether different reason - promotion.

After Sunday's narrow victory over Sheffield United in the FA Cup, goal-hero Tommy Smith retained his place in attack alongside Kevin Kyle.

Injured Julio Arca's replacement was Paul Thirlwell. So, as at Walsall a week earlier, Jason McAteer was drafted out to the flank to accomodate Thirlwell in the middle alongside Whitley.

Preston boss Brown only had 14 fit players. That meant two of his youth team, Kyle Armstrong and Mark Jackson, had to be given squad numbers for the rearranged fixture.

Preston went close to taking the lead on 14 minutes, Ricardo Fuller's free header from skipper Graham Alexander's corner flying over Mart Poom's crossbar.

John Oster, playing on the left wing, had the ball in the net when he headed Whitley's centre past Lonergan but the linesman ruled he was offside.

On 25 minutes Oster's bursting run through the heart of the visitors' backline enticed Lonergan. Defender Rob Edwards blocked but the ball rolled to Kyle, who had an empty net to aim for from the corner of the box.

The big Scot's first-time effort could only be headed goalwards by defender Mears, an emergency striker by trade, and Lonergan's best attempts to save saw him push the ball into his own net off the underside of his bar.

Preston bounced back and former Manchester United forward Healy managed to level matters just two minutes before half-time.

Alexander's cross from the right was chested down by Fuller. Sunderland's failure to deal with the loose ball allowed Healy to wriggle free from his markers before shooting on the turn in off the foot of the unsighted Poom's far post.

Whitley's lunge on Cresswell reduced the hosts to ten men with still half an hour to play but Sunderland attacked and Thornton delivered an exceptional free-kick in off the crossbar to put Sunderland in front ten minutes later.

But then Mears made amends for his earlier gaffe when he reacted first to a long free-kick to fire past Poom on 79 minutes.

Edwards' pull on Stewart gained a penalty and the same player gave Sunderland the lead for a third time. But Preston hit back with a stunning free-kick from Eddie Lewis to share the points.

Result: Sunderland 3 Preston 3.

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