Barclays Premier League
Gareth Davis reports from the Stadium of Light

Derby suffered stoppage-time heartbreak at the Stadium of Light for the second time in 2007 as substitute Anthony Stokes bundled home the only goal of the game with just seconds remaining.

Until that point it looked as though the Rams - guided for the first time by new boss Paul Jewell - would be taking home a deserved point after a fine performance.

With the ball they looked composed and without it they defended doggedly, though both sides hit the post - the hosts through Kenwyne Jones, the visitors through Kenny Miller.

It was a disappointing way to end the afternoon, that's for sure, but Jewell and his staff will take plenty of positives back to Pride Park.

Paul Jewell sprang no surprises as he named his first Derby County line-up since taking over as the Rams' new boss in the days leading up to today's clash.

The new gaffer stuck to a team shape not entirely unexpected and he also stuck with what he knows in the shape of Darren Moore and Gary Teale, two players he has worked with in the past.

Fit-again Stephen Pearson was back in midfield after a groin injury while Steve Howard was also in attack alongside Kenny Miller.

The only slight surprise, evident shortly after kick-off, was Giles Barnes on the left of midfield with Stephen Pearson in the centre.

But it was the home side who enjoyed the first threat on goal as Grant Leadbitter fired in a free-kick that Danny Higginbotham got a glanced header to, forcing Stephen Bywater to dive and save to his left.

Much of Derby's early football was neat and composed, particularly in the Sunderland half where they looked set to threatenn on more than one occasion through Barnes and skipper Matt Oakley.

Indeed, they thought they should have won a free-kick right on the edge of the box as Barnes went down under Paul McShane's challenge but referee Mark Halsey waved the appeals away.

Barnes was drifting in well from the left and on ten minutes he let fly from 20 yards with a snap-shot that almost caught Darren Ward by surprise.

There was an opportunity for Andrew Cole to open his Black Cats account on 13 as he broke away from the challenge of Claude Davis but with time and space in front of him he opted instead for an early 20-yard shot that was scuffed safely wide.

At the other end Teale and Andy Griffin combined for Oakley to line up a left-footer from the edge of the D that flashed narrowly over the bar with Ward beaten.

Cole then saw Ross Wallace's cross come his way on 17 but the former Manchester United man slipped as he took aim from close-range and sliced his shot over.

The opportunities were coming for Cole, so deadly in front of goal for many a year, and three minutes later Greg Halford was the provider.

This time Cole kept his footing inside the box but glanced his header safely past the post when he perhaps had time to take the ball down and turn.

It was a busy period for Cole as soon after he laid in Kenwyne Jones, who could only shoot tamely wide from the edge of the box.

For all their early promise, Derby had become a little guilty of standing off Sunderland when the home side had the ball.

But a great opportunity came their way on 34.

Griffin made ground down the right and whipped over a cross that Howard, having got in front of Paul McShane, met with a diving header.

But the Geordie watched in frustration as his effort looped up and agonisingly over the bar with Ward looking as though he wouldn't get back to save.

Then the Rams were only a fine save and the width of a post away from going in front with five minutes to go until half-time.

Higginbotham failed to deal with a long ball, giving Kenny Miller the chance to get in behind him just inside the box.

The Scot fired in a powerful low shot that looked all the way as though it had beaten Ward, only for the Sunderland stopper to stretch out a finger.

Even then it looked as though Derby would be going in front but the ball hit Ward's right-hand post before rolling away to safety.

Barnes then stepped forward and smashed a free-kick that was deflected off the wall, with rhe resulting corner causing yet more chaos.

Howard poked a leg and turned the ball goalwards, only for Halford to scramble it off the line.

But as two minutes of stoppage-time began the Rams had a miracle of an escape.

Leadbitter turned on the edge of the box but his shot was fumbled by Bywater in front of goal, with Jones closing in.

Somehow the former Southampton man managed to smash his shot against the post from just inside the six-yard box - leaving the Stadium of Light gasping in disbelief.

It had been a dramatic end to the first half and there was an equally lively start to the second as Derby flooded forward and put the home side under plenty of pressure.

Firstly, Oakley's cross was deflected just past the post for a corner, and with Sunderland struggling to clear Miller might have done better than to just chip the ball across goal where it was eventually booted to safety.

Jay McEveley might count himself lucky to have escaped a caution for a wild 54th-minute challenge on Dean Whitehead but it gave the home side a free-kick in a dangerous area, their first real threat after the break.

Bywater stood firm to punch clear however and the Rams held steady to repel the danger.

But there was a yellow for the full-back five minutes later, and he can have no complaints after tugging back Carlos Edwards in almost identical position on the Sunderland right.

Ross Wallace swung it over but again Bywater was there with a decisive punch to clear.

Sunderland were coming back into things after a slow start to the second period but Derby always had a threat in Howard, who once again headed narrowly over from a Griffin cross just after the hour.

That was the cue for the home side to replace Cole with Michael Chopra.

Chopra's extra pace injected a bit of immediate life into Sunderland's attack, but it was he who found himself in an unfortunate position in front of goal as Leadbitter's shot smashed against him and bounced away.

Derby's first change arrived on 70 minutes as Craig Fagan took over from Barnes, who had ran himself into the ground.

The Black Cats followed suit seven minutes later by introducing Anthony Stokes for the injured Edwards.

Dean Leacock took over from Teale and Robert Earnshaw replaced Miller as time ticked down with Derby looking set for a point.

Howard headed straight at Ward from yet another Griffin delivery with five minutes remaining, though the Rams' stoppage-time jinx at the Stadium of Light was to continue.

A cross from the right produced a headed chance for Jones, but Bywater was equal to the effort with a splendid point-blank reflex save.

In stormed Stokes with the goal at his mercy but once again Bywater was in position to block, though it just wasn't to be Derby's day.

Stokes was up off the ground first to force the ball home, sending the home fans into raptures and the Rams to a defeat they didn't deserve.

There was even time for a little controversy right at the death as Halsey blew the final whistle with Earnshaw about to escape on his own into the Sunderland box.

It wasn't to be Derby's day.

SUNDERLAND: Ward, Halford, McShane, Edwards (Stokes 77), Whitehead (C), Higginbotham, Collins, K Jones, Leadbitter (L Miller 83), Cole (Chopra 62), Wallace.

SUBS: Gordon (GK), Harte.

DERBY: Bywater, Griffin, McEveley, Oakley (C), Howard, K Miller (Earnshaw 85), Teale (Leacock 83), Davis, Moore, Pearson, Barnes (Fagan 70).

SUBS: Price (GK), Mears.

ATTENDANCE: 42,280.