Ten-man Sunderland hung on bravely to snatch a valuable point against promotion rivals Charlton as the London club extended their unbeaten home run to 16 matches.

Sunderland, who would have climbed one place to second had they won, had deserved their interval lead through Kevin Phillips' 25th goal of the season, having created the better chances in the first half.

But they were handicapped from the moment Alex Rae was sent off for his second booking in the 42nd minute and conceded an equaliser via Mark Bright 13 minutes later.

Sunderland had taken the initiative from the start, although Mark Bowen helped them in the sixth minute by heading across his own goalmouth straight to Niall Quinn, whose swerving shot from 12 yards was well wide.

Then when Phillips surged through, it took a timely tackle from Richard Rufus to stop Sunderland's leading scorer.

Charlton responded in the 18th minute with a stinging Mark Kinsella freekick, which was cleanly held by Lionel Perez.

But Sunderland were thwarted in the 27th minute by Australian-born keeper Sasa Ilic, who kept out a fierce Phillips shot, and a minute later when a close-range Rae shot was deflected over the bar by Phil Chapple.

Play was end to end, though, and Perez was surprised by a 20-yard Keith Jones effort which he only saved at the second attempt.

Charlton striker Clive Mendonca, who played for Sunderland Boys and was a Sunderland fan, netted in the 31st minute from Shaun Newton's cross, but was a yard offside.

However, Sunderland deservedly broke the deadlock in the 37th minute when Phillips neatly headed home a cross from Darren Holloway, who had beaten John Robinson on the right.

Sunderland's celebrations were tempered five minutes later, though, when Rae was sent off for his second caution.

He had earlier been booked for a foul on Robinson, but had escaped a yellow card when he fouled Jones. However, his sending-off for a tackle on Ilic looked harsh.

Sunderland should have stretched their lead four minutes after the break, when the unmarked Alan Johnston hit an angled shot well wide of the far post.

And they paid the penalty when Charlton equalised in the 55th minute. A Jones shot was deflected and Perez did remarkably well to push the ball out, but it fell to Bright, who slammed the ball home from six yards.

The gods were smiling on Charlton again in the 58th minute, when Ilic appeared to pull down Johnston in the penalty area, but referee Clive Wilkes thought otherwise.

Tempers had become frayed since the Rae sending-off and the referee had to warn Sunderland boss Peter Reid after his many incursions from the dug-out.

Reid's team had done magnificently considering their handicap, but it took an exceptional save from Perez to keep out Bright's header in the 80th minute.

The French keeper distinguished himself again to deny substitute Kevin Lisbie and in the dying minutes Newton twice went close with long diagonal shots.

Teams

Charlton: Ilic, Barness (Mortimer 58), Bowen, Jones, Rufus, Chapple, Newton, Kinsella, Robinson (Lisbie 85), Mendonca, Bright.

Subs Not Used: Balmer.

Booked: Barness, Jones, Chapple.

Goals: Bright 55.

Sunderland: Perez, Holloway, Gray, Clark, Craddock (Makin 69), Williams, Ball, Rae, Quinn (Dichio 77), Phillips, Johnston.

Subs Not Used: Summerbee.

Sent Off: Rae (42).

Booked: Gray, Craddock.

Goals: Phillips 37.

Att: 15,355

Ref: C R Wilkes (Gloucester).