FORMER Sunderland goalkeeper Mike Pollitt triumphed in a personal duel with striker Kevin Kyle as the Black Cats' promotion push was checked by lowly Rotherham at the Stadium of Light last night.

Mick McCarthy's side were booed off after failing to break down a resolute Rotherham, for whom Pollitt was outstanding.

The keeper, who also had a spell with Darlington, brought off two stupendous stops to deny Kyle.

But the Scotland striker, Sunderland's top scorer with seven goals this season, was barracked by a section of the crowd as he wasted five other chances in a frustrating stalemate.

Sunderland are now unbeaten in seven League games and have suffered only one defeat in 12.

But their failure to secure what should have been an easy victory poses serious questions about the quality of their firepower.

Fans' favourite Julio Arca was back after a one-match suspension and Tommy Smith made his first Sunderland start since he signed last month.

With Arca returning at left-back, captain George McCartney reverted to central defence at the expense of Joachim Bjorklund, while Smith took over on the wing from Thomas Butler, who was ruled out with a recurrence of ankle trouble.

Arca soon made his presence felt, but not before the Millers had given McCarthy's men a first-minute scare when skipper Stewart Talbot, who emerged completely unmarked on the left, screwed his shot embarrassingly wide.

Sunderland's response was swift, Arca scurrying down the left to lift the ball into the middle for Kyle, whose glancing header flew just beyond the far post.

John Oster then sprayed a ball from the opposite flank to Marcus Stewart, but the striker's stinging drive was saved low by Pollitt.

Moments later, the increasingly influential Oster conjured a pinpoint cross for Kyle, but the big Scot's bullet header was met with an instinctive stop from Pollitt.

The Oster-Kyle combination should have produced a goal in the 19th minute, when the wideman delivered a defence-splitting ball which the striker fluffed much to the relief of Pollitt.

Rotherham midfielder Paul Warne then worked a shooting opportunity for himself, but his finish flew over.

If leading scorer Kyle was lacking a killer touch, he at least couldn't be faulted for bravery and endeavour.

When Smith swung the ball over from the left, Kyle climbed to launch an aerial challenge on Pollitt, literally beating the keeper to the punch, but directing his header over.

Pollitt, sent off in his side's 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace on Saturday for handling the ball outside his area, clearly hadn't learned his lesson as he committed the same offence in the 32nd minute, but escaped further punishment.

Sunderland right-back Darren Williams then tried his luck with a rising drive which had Pollitt at full stretch as it cleared the bar.

But Rotherham survived to the interval, the whistle for which was greeted with muted booing from the home faithful.

Sunderland soon forced a corner after the restart, but when Oster's right-wing flag-kick reached Gary Breen, the Republic of Ireland defender could only manage a tame header which looped over.

Kyle then squandered yet another chance when he was sent clear by Stewart. A goal looked certain as Kyle homed in on Pollitt, but the keeper closed him down to pull off a crucial block.

There was no end to Kyle's misery in the 61st minute when he flung himself headlong at Smith's centre but nodded the ball well wide of the near upright.

The home fans' impatience began to surface, but McCarthy, exhorting his players from the touchline, waited a further ten minutes before making any changes.

Sean Thornton, largely marginalised this season, replaced Smith while the introduction of local boy Michael Proctor for Stewart provoked a chorus of boos from the crowd, many of whom were calling for the head of Kyle.

Midfielder Thornton had an immediate impact, supplying a deep cross from the right for Kyle, whose powerful header was tipped over by Pollitt.

The keeper then saved at the feet of Oster in a one-on-one and dived low to his left to deny Thornton, before Proctor turned substitute Paul Hurst and dragged his shot across goal and wide with only Pollitt to beat.

It was, as they say, just one of those nights for Sunderland.

Result: Sunderland 0 - 0 Rotherham United

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