Aston Villa could be forgiven for ringing the police after Sunderland committed daylight robbery to steal a point at Villa Park.

Villa were cruising to what would have been a thoroughly deserved victory after Gareth Barry had given them the lead with his first goal of the season on the hour mark.

Villa had been the better side throughout the match and had bossed the second half.

The FA Cup finalists could, and should, have scored more, but that hardly seemed to matter against a below-par Sunderland.

But then with five minutes remaining the game totally turned on its head when Niall Quinn scored from Nicky Summerbee's corner to mug Villa and snatch a share of the spoils.

Few people inside Villa Park would have predicted such a finale after a dull opening, which was punctuated only by Paul Butler's gaffe after just 30 seconds when he lost possession to Benito Carbone as he attempted to walk the ball out of defence.

However the diminutive Italian failed to make the most of the unexpected opening by slicing his shot wide.

David James did his best to liven up the proceedings when he dropped a cross to spark a goalmouth melee, which ended when the impressive Gareth Southgate - back after six weeks out with Achilles trouble - hoofed the ball clear.

Villa were shading the first half with Carbone and Paul Merson catching the eye and Alan Thompson fluffed a great chance when he slipped in the box as the ball came across to him.

Kevin Phillips, who was runner-up to Roy Keane in the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year award, had a quiet first 30 minutes, but he made up for that when he created the best chance of the match so far for Paul Thirlwell.

The striker received the ball on the edge of the area before picking up Thirlwell's run into the Villa box only for James to deny the Sunderland midfielder at his near post.

At last the fans had something to shout about and the fit-again Quinn brought the ball down beautifully and turned Barry only for the alert Southgate to clear the danger.

Julian Joachim then beat two men to cut Sunderland open down the right before playing a dangerous ball across the goalline.

Jody Craddock stuck out a leg to half clear the ball before he somehow managed to block Carbone's follow-up as he sat on the ground.

A minute later Carbone caught the Sunderland defence flat-footed with an overhead kick across the goal to Mark Delaney at the back post, who nearly put one of the windows out in the executive boxes behind the goal.

John Oster replaced Kevin Kilbane at half-time and within 50 seconds he almost created the opening goal when he crossed for Quinn, who nodded the ball just past the far post.

Merson was giving Sunderland a torrid afternoon and he twice went close in the space of two minutes with a right-foot shot and a volley from passes by Joachim.

Merson returned the compliment when he crossed to the Villa striker, whose tame header was easily saved by Sorensen.

James then sent Carbone racing through with a great early goalkick and the striker lifted the ball over Sorensen, but also the Sunderland goal.

A Villa goal seemed inevitable and it duly came on the hour mark when Barry headed home Thompson's corner from six yards out for his first goal of the season and only his third in the Premiership. Sunderland were furious and they felt Sorensen had been blocked.

Barry nearly added a second five minutes later with a rasping drive, which was saved by Sorensen.

Carbone was presented with a great chance to make it 2-0, but he steered the ball wide of Sorensen's far post.

Sunderland's defence was falling apart and Carbone exposed the huge gaps in the visitors' backline to feed George Boateng, who shot weakly at Sorensen.

Merson continued to pepper the Sunderland goal and he was not far away with a chip.

Then just when Villa thought they had the game won, Quinn turned on Summerbee's corner to stab home his 14th goal of the season to leave Villa stunned.

Teams:

Aston Villa: James, Ehiogu, Southgate, Barry, Delaney, Thompson (Hendrie 77), Boateng, Merson, Ghrayib (Samuel 87), Carbone, Joachim (Dublin 60).

Subs Not Used: Watson, Enckelman.

Booked: Barry.

Goals: Barry 60.

Sunderland: Sorensen, Makin, P. Butler, Craddock, Gray, Thirlwell, Roy, Summerbee, Kilbane (Oster 45), Phillips, Quinn.

Subs Not Used: Dichio, Williams, T. Butler, Marriott.

Booked: Phillips.

Goals: Quinn 85.

Att: 33,949

Ref: A D'Urso (Billericay).