FULHAM kept up their worrying addiction to draws with another stalemate at the Cottage that will do nothing for their anxiety to start clawing their way from the danger zone.

It was their 10 th draw in 17 games – which equals the Premier League record - and five have come at home, where they need to start picking up wins.

It might have been even worse for the Whites – sub Bolo Zenden fired narrowly wide and Darren Bent missed a glorious chance towards the end.

Bent was particularly wasteful of a perfect through ball from Zenden – touching it past the onrushing Mark Schwarzer but wide of the post.

Clint Dempsey (pictured) was easily Fulham's most likely source of a goal, with his intelligent and energetic promptings forcing Sunderland defenders into a few desperate blocks. But even he could not conjure a goal for the home side.

The best chance came from a set piece on 69 minutes – Simon Davies' corner to the far post was nodded back into the six yard box by Zoltan Gera for Andrew Johnson, who turned sharply on his left foot, but fired the ball against the legs of keeper Simon Mignolet.

Johnson came on for an ineffective Diomansy Kamara at the start of the second half, but still does yet not look his old self. Too many runs were into the channels and devoid of menace. He clearly misses Bobby Zamora's ability to bring the best out of him.

Mark Hughes did eventually succumb to the need for a second striker when he brought on Eddie Johnson with 20 minutes to go, but it made little difference.

In the quest for small mercies, fans were at least treated to a modicum of entertainment in the second half after a dire first 45 that had many of them booing in derision as the players left the field.

But there is undoubtedly a little apprehension in the air that needs to be dispelled as quickly as possible.

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