BOTTOM club Bradford City spoiled the party as Sunderland tried to celebrate their 100th Premiership game in front of a record 47,812 crowd at the Stadium of Light.

New England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson watched as Peter Reid's men failed to extend their run of four consecutive home League victories and open up a four-point gap on third-placed Arsenal.

But Sunderland could have no complaints against a hard-fighting City side, the last team to win on Wearside last April, and which might well have had the distinction of snatching three priceless points if Middlesbrough target Dean Windass had accepted a wonderful opening early in the second half.

City - beaten 4-1 by Sunderland at Valley Parade four weeks earlier - defended as though their Premiership lives depended on it and had to thank former Boro goalkeeper Gary Walsh for some great saves.

It was not a great advert for Premiership football in front of Eriksson, who must have been disappointed with the displays of Sunderland's two England candidates, 14-goal striker Kevin Phillips and full back Michael Gray.

Phillips did not have a single shot on goal, largely due to a poor supply from an unimpressive midfield and some uncompromising marking, while Gray went on few foraging runs up the left as City threatened at times to pull off a shock result against a side second in the table.

Walsh, who was guilty of an awful error which put Manchester United on the way to a 3-0 victory a week earlier, proved to be in an unbeatable mood, quickly coming into the firing line as Sunderland started the televised game menacingly.

Swedish international Stefan Schwarz cleverly fed a good ball through to Phillips and the little striker advanced menacingly before jinking his way past Robert Molenaar only to have his right-foot shot deflected behind.

There was a roar from the Sunderland fans every time Phillips got near the ball and he tried to fire over a centre for Niall Quinn from the right, but the ball travelled behind.

Former Darlington striker Robbie Blake was prominent in the first two Bradford advances and after winning a corner with a dangerous centre, he saw Windass have a close-range header saved by Thomas Sorensen.

Sunderland were awarded a free kick just outside the box when Peter Atherton obstructed Don Hutchison in the 20th minute and a well-practised free kick brought a disappointing left-foot shot from Schwarz which barely troubled Walsh on his line.

Bradford, however, were battling hard and Sunderland were not being allowed much time on the ball.

The hosts should have scored in the 25th minute when Darren Williams and Hutchison linked up brilliantly on the right and from the Scot's centre Quinn, completely unmarked eight yards out, headed wide.

Two minutes later Phillips split the City defence with an unselfish pass to Alex Rae, whose angled shot was well blocked by the quickly advancing Walsh.

Sunderland were getting sloppy with their passes and City were eagerly seizing the opportunity to advance, going close in the 34th minute when Dean Saunders put a fierce left-foot volley high over from near the penalty spot after former Sunderland winger Jamie Lawrence had headed the ball into the danger zone.

Sunderland put together a good build up in the 37th minute, with Quinn knocking the ball back to Williams, whose accurate through ball saw Phillips denied space as he tried to engineer a chance.

Bradford were more than holding their own, however, much to the frustration of the home fans, who were clearly expecting Sunderland to have far more of their own way.

But Sunderland started the second half much more brightly and Walsh had to make a great reflex save to keep out a first-time right- foot shot from ten yards after Phillips had cleverly dummied a ball in from the right.

City tried to hit back in the 51st minute and it took a great tackle by Jody Craddock - in the team in place of the suspended Varga - to prevent Lawrence bursting into the box after a piercing run upfield.

But City again had to thank Walsh for preventing Sunderland breaking the deadlock in the 52nd minute when he made a superb save to hold a close-range header from Quinn.

Bradford were kicking themselves a minute later, however, for wasting the best chance of the match. Windass found himself unmarked seven yards out as he took a left-wing centre from Blake, but he hit his right-foot shot wide when he should have scored.

It then took an inspired save from Sorensen to keep out a tremendous shot from Blake, who saw his right-foot drive deflected against the bar.

Bradford, looking for new legs up front, brought on Ashley Ward for Saunders in the 59th minute, but they had to withstand increased pressure from Sunderland, with Schwarz having a shot deflected wide following a free kick 20 yards out.

Sunderland wasted a scoring chance in the 65th minute when Hutchison hit a left-foot shot over.

Sunderland made a double substitution in the 74th minute when Kevin Kilbane replaced Schwarz and Danny Dichio came on for Quinn. Kilbane almost had an instant impact, hitting a strong, low right-foot shot which hit Lawrence and flew inches wide.