MICHAEL PROCTOR had no need to reproach himself as he struggled to comprehend how Sunderland had again conspired to concede a late goal.

The striker had created Sunderland's first goal, scored their second, struck the bar in the last minute and given a wonderful exhibition of forward play.

Proctor was distraught as he hauled himself off the Ewood Park pitch, frustrated that his hard work had not brought with it the spoils of victory.

But the striker had achieved one thing: he had presented a compelling case for being given an extended opportunity to shoot Sunderland to Premiership safety.

Despite impressing in loan spells at York City, Halifax Town and Bradford City, Proctor was repeatedly overlooked as the Black Cats sought a cure for their scoring woes.

And when Howard Wilkinson recalled Proctor from Bradford, Valley Parade manager Nicky Law told his Sunderland counterpart that the 22-year-old was not good enough for the Premiership.

Are you sure, Nicky? Proctor has grown in stature over the last three months to such an extent that he now looks every inch a top-flight player.

He's not the finished article, of course, but the Sunderland-born forward is a rough gem who is sparkling more than some of his illustrious colleagues.

Take Tore Andre Flo. The Norwegian has struggled even to flatter to deceive in recent weeks, notably at Everton.

While Proctor is all movement and invention, Flo has been almost statuesque at times.

The contrasting fortunes of the two players is such that the £8.2m signing of Flo is looking more and more like an act of folly with every game that passes.

As Peter Reid desperately tried to buy a striker in August, he ignored Proctor's claims for a place in the team.

Five months on, Flo is scratching around for form - he has scored just once since mid-November - while Proctor is hitting his peak.

Not once did he show any hint of dissent as Wilkinson asked him to play on the right wing.

His exemplary attitude has been rewarded with sporadic outings up front in recent weeks, and do not be surprised if he partners Kevin Phillips from the start against Southampton tomorrow.

Wilkinson said: "It was a question of needs must when we put Michael in midfield.

"Since I came here, I think we've had plenty of strikers to choose from, despite all the injuries.

"But Michael is not far away from being our leading scorer. He always nicks a goal and he could have had at least two at Blackburn."

Flo was absent on Saturday with an ankle injury that Wilkinson revealed should clear up in time for him to figure in one of this week's two home games.

But it would be extremely harsh on Proctor if he were to be omitted at the expense of Sunderland's record signing, or even shunted out to the wing again.

He showed a true striker's eye for goal on Saturday, beating Phillips to a loose ball in the penalty area and sweeping it home.

The finish oozed quality, and he clearly hopes he has earned the right to lead Sunderland's survival campaign from the front.

He said: "It's nice to play as a striker - I've always said I wanted to play there. The manager has given me a chance and I'm glad to have got the goal."

Kevin Kilbane certainly admired the Phillips-Proctor partnership, which caused a host of problems for Blackburn Rovers centre-backs Andy Todd and Martin Taylor.

He said: "Kevin and Michael played fantastically together. They built up a good relationship and there were some good goals.

"Hopefully, Tore will play a massive part in us staying in the Premiership, but Michael is an up-and-coming player with bags of ability and potential."

Graeme Souness described Balckburn's defending as "shambolic", and Sunderland were indeed helped by their opponents' incompetence.

But one ought not to take anything away from Sunderland's best attacking performance of the season, with Marcus Stewart impressive as an auxiliary forward.

At times, the Black Cats - so anaemic so often in the last couple of years - were playing with a swagger.

When did Jody Craddock last produce an extravagant backheel to set up a goal, as the defender did when he enabled Phillips to put Sunderland 3-1 up?

But after getting it right up front, Sunderland suddenly look vulnerable in defence - first at Everton then again on Saturday.

Shorn of four players who could have played at right-back, Wilkinson gave Ben Clark his debut in the problem position.

The England Under-20 international coped well in difficult circumstances, but Blackburn had a worrying amount of joy down their left flank.

In the end, Sunderland were hugely relieved that Damien Duff was absent, as the winger would surely have capitalised on the visitors' principal weak point.

Stewart opened the scoring inside 75 seconds after good work from Michael Gray and Proctor had carved a swathe through the Blackburn backline.

Andy Cole soon equalised, but Proctor and Phillips seemed to have put the game beyond Rovers as Sunderland led by two goals with 20 minutes remaining.

Blackburn would not be cowed, however, and Cole's second set up a dramatic finale in which Proctor hit the bar in stoppage time before Rovers went down the other end of the pitch and levelled again through Dwight Yorke.

Result: Blackburn Rovers 3 Sunderland 3.

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