Christian Ziege snatched a deserved derby point for Middlesbrough just as Sunderland looked to have ended their three-month drought.

The German international beat Thomas Sorensen eight minutes from time to cancel out Niall Quinn's 67th-minute header as a competitive but scrappy encounter exploded into life late on.

It was scarcely more than the Teessiders deserved on a day when Sunderland, still searching for their first win since December 18, were disjointed for long periods.

But they never lacked passion, and indeed had the better chances despite finding themselves on the back foot for much of the game.

Quinn and Phillips were always a threat for the home side, although the service they received was rarely of a good enough quality, but Boro could have won it at the death when substitute Juninho went one-on-one with Sorensen but could not beat the Dane.

Sunderland boss Peter Reid kept faith with the 11 men who battled their way to a 1-1 draw at Liverpool last weekend with Darren Williams and Darren Holloway retaining their places in the back four.

But there was a return to the substitutes' bench for skipper Steve Bould, who had not played a first-team game since tearing a hamstring in the 2-1 defeat by Leeds on January 23.

Boro made just one change to the side which beat Arsenal 2-1 at the Riverside Stadium last Sunday with Gary Pallister returning from suspension at the expense of Campbell as Bryan Robson opted for his usual three-man defensive formation.

Like so many derby encounters, the first-half was far from a classic, and it was Boro who had the better chances as they worked hard to prevent Sunderland from settling on the ball.

Skipper Paul Ince was again to the fore, defending deep inside his own half and attacking with his forwards as the Teessiders took the game to their opponents.

Quinn predictably proved a handful for the Boro defence, but he and Phillips were largely starved of any meaningful possession on an afternoon when defences dominated.

It was 21 minutes before either side managed a series attempt on goal, Brian Deane heading just wide after Curtis Fleming crossed deep from the right.

Sunderland midfielder Paul Thirlwell tested Mark Schwarzer with a well-struck 20-yard effort, but it was Boro who almost took a 36th-minute lead when Ricard got his head to Neil Maddison's corner, Alex Rae and Sorensen combining to keep the ball out.

Phillips thought he had put his side ahead in injury-time when he slammed home a shot after Stefan Schwarz's drive reached him in an offside position, but in truth, the reception given to guest of honour Brian Clough, who played for both clubs, when he was presented to the crowd at half-time was perhaps the most notable event of the early part of the afternoon.

Boro again enjoyed the better of the possession as the second-half unfolded, but it was Sunderland who finally started to grind out the chances as Nicky Summerbee came off the bench to replace Thirlwell.

Phillips should have scored his 26th goal of the season with 57 minutes gone when he beat the offside trap to collect Jody Craddock's long ball, but he drove his shot into the ground and Schwarzer managed to push the ball on to the post before gratefully claiming the rebound.

The Australian pulled off another good stop five minutes later after Schwarz played Rae into space, and the Wearsiders eventually took the lead with 67 minutes gone.

Phillips turned up on the left wing and picked out Quinn at the far post, and he rose to power a header past Schwarzer to send the home crowd into raptures.

Robson sent on striker Campbell and Brazilian Juninho in the search for an equaliser, but it was Ziege who claimed the equaliser as he ran onto Deane's ball to lift a shot over Sorensen to square it eight minutes from time.

The South American had a great chance to clinch it in the dying seconds when Campbell played him in, but Sorensen did well to block his effort.

Teams

Sunderland: Sorensen, Holloway, Craddock, Williams, Makin, Thirlwell (Summerbee 55), Rae, Schwarz, Kilbane, Quinn, Phillips.

Subs Not Used: Bould, Marriott, Roy, Oster.

Booked: Holloway, Rae, Schwarz.

Goals: Quinn 66.

Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Fleming, Vickers, Pallister, Cooper, Ziege (Festa 85), Summerbell, Ince, Maddison (Campbell 68), Deane, Ricard (Juninho 76).

Subs Not Used: Beresford, Mustoe.

Booked: Ricard, Vickers, Ince.

Goals: Ziege 82.

Att: 42,013

Ref: D Elleray (Harrow-on-the-Hill).