Liam Ridgewell was once again the last-gasp action hero as brave Blues earned a point thanks to their defensive duo.

Having found themselves trailing to ten-man Sunderland by two goals just before the hour mark, Alex McLeish's men looked on course to face a familiar miserable opening day feeling.

In Barclays Premier League history, Blues have only ever one won of their curtain raisers (Tottenham in 2003) and, although they failed to kick-start the 2010/11 campaign with maximum points, Blues did manage to show their now trademark fighting spirit to bag a well-earned point.

A 24^th minute Darren Bent penalty and a 56^th minute Stephen Carr own-goal had put Blues behind but Scott Dann got the fightback underway in the 77^th minute.

Then, with just two minutes of normal time remaining, Dann's header from a Sebastian Larsson free-kick appeared to deflect off the legs of Ridgewell to seal a 2-2 draw.

It was a deserved point for Blues who felt that Sunderland's penalty, a Carr foul on Frazier Campbell, was a dubious one while the own-goal was bitterly unlucky.

The Black Cats were also reduced to ten shortly before the break after Lee Cattermole was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence.

Sunderland had their visitors pinned back right from the off as the dangerous front pairing of Bent and Campbell looked to make their mark early on. However, Blues' familiar backline, so solid last season, largely stood firm against the onslaught.

In the 13^th minute, Kieran Richardson's left-wing cross was laid into the path of Steed Malbranque who could only direct his effort into the side netting.

Garry O'Connor, who merited a starting place after his impressive pre-season form, picked up his own opening day war wound as the Scotland striker was left sporting a head bandage after Cattermole's elbow left him with a nasty gash.

Sunderland's breakthrough came in the 24^th minute. Evading a Dann challenge, Campbell scampered through and, although Carr looked to have got their first and won the ball, referee Anthony Taylor's assistant flagged and the man in the middle pointed to the spot.

Bent stepped up and although Ben Foster dived the right way, he had no chance in stopping the frontman's strike low down to his right-hand side.

Bent could have doubled his and Sunderland's tally in the 29^th minute but pulled his effort wide of the mark.

Foster was alert in the 34^th minute when the lively Ahmed El Mohammady's delivery from the right was wickedly deflected goalwards off the legs off Lee Bowyer inside the six-yard box.

Sunderland were reduced to ten men shortly before the interval. Having earlier been booked for a foul on Cameron Jerome, fiery Black Cats midfielder Cattermole was shown a second yellow card for going through the back of Bowyer in the 43^rd minute.

While Blues made a lively start, with a Jerome charge into the Sunderland box only stopped by a tremendous John Mensah challenge, it was about to get worse for the away side and most notably Carr.

The Irish right-back, under immediate pressure from Bent, could only watch as his attempt to head clear Jordan Henderson's lofted right-wing cross looped over Foster.

Nikola Zigic was handed his Premier League debut in the 58^th minute, with O'Connor making way, and the giant Serbian almost made a dream start. But the new-boy's 20-yard strike was well met by Sunderland 'keeper Simon Mignolet.

As Blues cranked things up a gear, Alex McLeish introduced Craig Gardner, another star performer of pre-season, for Carr in the 65^th minute.

And the lifeline arrived 13 minutes from the end. James McFadden played a short corner to Seb Larsson allowing the Swede to pick out Dann at the far post for 2-1.

Then Ridgewell found himself in the right place in a crowded area to secure a point for Blues.

Full time: Sunderland 2 Blues 2

Sunderland: (4-4-2): Mignolet; Onuoha, Mensah, Bramble, Richardson; Malbranque (Riveros 63), El Mohammady (Waghorn 90+3), Cattermole, Henderson; Campbell, Bent (Welbeck 83). Unused subs: Carson, Bardsley, Da Silva, Zenden.

Blues: (4-4-2): Foster; Carr (Gardner 65), Dann, Johnson, Ridgewell; Larsson, Ferguson, Bowyer, Fahey (McFadden H/T); Jerome, O'Connor (Zigic 58). Unused subs: Taylor, Murphy, Michel,, Parnaby.

Referee: Anthony Taylor

Goals: Bent (penalty 24), Carr (own-goal 56), Dann (77), Ridgewell (88).

Bookings: Sunderland: Cattermole (28), Richardson (30), Bent (66). Blues: Carr (23), Johnson (71).

Sent off: Cattermole (43)

Attendance: 38, 390.

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