Supersub Shaun Maloney was the hero as Villa battled back for a share of the spoils at the Stadium of Light.

The Scottish international came off the bench to rescue a point with a stunning second-half free-kick.

Earlier Danny Higginbotham had given the hosts a first-half lead.

And though Villa had most of the possessiion after that 10th minute header, it took the moment of magic from Maloney to secure a point.

Villa made a positive start against the Black Cats, with Carew prominent in the early exchanges.

Higginbotham headed wide under pressure from Laursen on eight.

The hosts had the lead two minutes later as Higginbotham rose to head a Wallace corner past Carson.

Whitehead headed Gardner's cross behind his own goal on 13 as Villa looked to level matters.

Ward intercepted another Gardner centre from the right on 15.

Laursen produced a surging run from his own half on 20, but then dragged a weak right-foot shot wide.

Whitehead headed clear from Young's cross on 25 as the Villa winger cut inside from the left.

At the other end Jones headed over the bar on 28. Bouma then sliced a right-foot drive wide of the target.

Gardner drove straight at keeper Ward on 32 as he met Carew's flick on the edge of the box.

Whitehead blocked a Barry effort on 34 as referee Steve Bennett ignored muted appeals for handball.

Laursen sent a glancing header past the post from Barry's corner on 37.

Carew almost levelled matters on 39, but Ward tipped a low volley past the post.

Carson did well to deny Jones on 42, blocking a close range effort from the Sunderland striker.

Carson brilliantly denied Jones in stoppage time, tipping a rising drive wide.

Carew prodded the ball goalwards on 49, but saw his right-foot effort cleared off the line by NcShasne.

Etuhu blocked Young's low drive on 50 and Ward then comfortably gathered a goalbound header from Carew.

Villa continued to press, without really testing Ward in the Sunderland goal.

O'Neill brought Maloney on to make the breakthrough on 67.

And the Scot did not take long to make his mark as he levelled matters on 73 with a superb curled free-kick from the edge of the box.

Ward parried a Mellberg volley wide on 85. McShane blocked a Maloney drive from the subsequent corner.

Carson then comfortably gathered Leadbitter header a minute later.

Knight produced a timely challenge to deny Jones in stoppage time.

Sunderland then had the ball in the net, but the Collins effort was ruled out.

Sunderland: Ward, Etuhu, McShane, Whitehead (booked 18), Stokes, Murphy, Higginbotham, Collins, Jones, Yorke (booked 85), Wallace. Subs: Gordon, Chopra (for Stokes 70), Leadbitter (for Etuhu 61), Cole (for Wallace 83), O'Donovan.

VILLA: Carson, Mellberg, Bouma, Laursen, Knight, Reo-Coker, Barry, Gardner (booked 5), Young (booked 79), Agbonlahor, Carew. Subs: Taylor, Osbourne, Berger, Maloney (for Gardner 67), Harewood.