DESPITE the efforts of Sunderland manager Peter Reid to keep the news of Liverpool's two-goal half-time lead over Ipswich Town from his players striker Niall Quinn revealed afterwards that word had got round the team - and they took their foot off the pedal.

Liverpool duly went on to condemn the Tractor Boys to the First Division with a 5-0 blast, and the game against Derby County - entertaining in an action-packed first half - petered out into a draw, which would still have been enough to stave off the nightmare threat of relegation from the top bracket.

Quinn admitted: "We found out that Ipswich were getting a good hiding at Anfield and whether we meant to or not subconsciously we took our foot off the pedal.

"Derby got one chance and scored and we suddenly realised that my gosh we weren't going to win the game."

When the final whistle went there was a mixed reception for the Sunderland players as they made their way to the centre circle to salute the fans - the majority applauded their favourites while others booed, called for Reid's removal, and some demonstrated their dissatisfaction by hurling their empty season-ticket wallets towards the home dug-out.

Everyone was in agreement, however, that it was a huge relief to see the spectre of relegation laid to rest after a season of immense disappointment.

Sunderland had managed to redeem themselves against a very poor Derby team which could struggle in its bid to bounce straight back next season - but really, after a one-sided first half in which young winger Thomas Butler shone out as a great prospect, they should have matched Liverpool's five-goal success.

As it was they had, once again, to thank their ace marksman, Kevin Phillips, for the all-important goal, though it was a bizarre affair when it came in the 17th minute.

Phillips, looking sharp and alert after his recent injury troubles, tore clear of the Derby defence on to a great through ball from Niall Quinn. But the ball seemed to get tangled between his feet on the edge of the box and the chance looked lost until former Newcastle fullback Warren Barton crucially gave his back possession, and he slotted home his 13th goal of the season.

That should have settled Sunderland and opened the floodgates, but Phillips was to suffer the kind of awful luck which had dogged him all season.

He had laid a goal on a plate for Quinn, whose shot was cleared off the line, and then he was denied himself by a spectacular one-handed response by goalkeeper Mart Poom.

And when he crashed in a first-time volley the ball struck the underside of the bar and rebounded to safety.

Phillips, industrious and alert, could have gone in at half time with a hat-trick. Instead Derby were still hanging on, and Sunderland obviously needed the security of a second goal to steady their nerves.

The edge went off Sunderland's attack and Derby started to press tentatively forward until they were rewarded with an equaliser when substitute Marv Robinson took advantage of a blocked clearance, which left him clear, to beat Thomas Sorensen in the 68th minute.

The home fans, who had earlier roared their approval of Sunderland's efforts were clearly alarmed at the prospect of an upset, but news kept filtering through of Liverpool's additional goals, tempering the reaction to worrying uncertainty from the home side.

But Sunderland still held the upper hand and Derby would have crashed to a record eighth consecutive League defeat but for the efforts of Poom, who made tremendous saves from hard-working midfielder Claudio Reyna and on-loan Cameroon international international Patrick Mboma, who thought he had claimed his second goal from the club with a point-blank header after replacing Quinn late in the game.

Reid was clearly relieved at the outcome of the final fixtures, and he congratulated his players on their performance.

He said: "I think we played some really good stuff and we created a lot of good chances, but we didn't the goals to kill Derby off.

"Their goalkeeper made some good saves but I'm just a little disappointed we didn't win."

He added: "We didn't talk about what was happening at Liverpool at half time, but I'm not sure if someone didn't whisper it in their ears."

Reid admitted that it would take a few days for him to make a full analysis of Sunderland's season.

But he conceded: "It has been one of the most trying seasons I have had as a manager."

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