There are some turning points that lead up blind alleys and the dismissal of Kenwyne Jones on Saturday was one of them. While conceding that his striker was correctly sent off for raising his hands against Hérita Ilunga, Steve Bruce railed against the sort of theatrical reaction that threatens to turn football into a game for “pansies” and yet the Sunderland manager knew it was a double-sided argument. His side had needed it.

Reduced to ten men for all of the second half, Sunderland were inspired. They tore at West Ham United, recovering from a 2-1 deficit, and reinforced the view that they are better equipped as plucky contenders than favourites.

Sunderland have played expansively and drawn at Old Trafford. They have also lost at Burnley and Birmingham City and pummelled Liverpool at the Stadium of Light. If that sequence of results suggests anything, it is that their spirit has emphasis when they are not expected to set the tone.

“The atmosphere in the ground, Sunderland’s desire to come back, meant we didn’t play,” said Gianfranco Zola, whose side had led through goals from Guillermo Franco and the impressive Carlton Cole. Bruce acclaimed an “atmosphere which epitomises what I want and what this is football club is all about”.

Ilunga’s reaction in his spat with Jones did not sit well with Bruce. “Fair enough, he has been pushed, but he’s gone down as if he was poleaxed. This diving, this play-acting, trying to get people sent off, is creeping into our game.

Before the end, West Ham were also left diminished when Radoslav Kovac received a second yellow card, but by that stage they were fortunate to be enjoying parity. Andy Reid’s free kick had halved their advantage before Jones’s departure and Kieran Richardson snared an equaliser in the 76th minute. “We need to be more cynical,” Zola said. Coming from him, it sounded peculiar.

Sunderland (4-4-2): C Gordon 8 — P da Silva 6, N Nosworthy 6, M Turner 6, K Richardson 7 — S Malbranque 7 (sub: G McCartney, 81min), J Henderson 8, L Cana 7, A Reid 8 — D Bent 8, K Jones 7. Substitutes not used: D Murphy, A Ferdinand, P Bardsley, M Fulop, D Healy, D Meyler. Booked: Bent, Cana, Turner. Sent off: Jones. Next: Tottenham Hotspur (a).

West Ham United (4-4-2): R Green 7 — J Spector 6, J Tomkins 6, M Upson 6, H Ilunga 3 — V Behrami 6 (sub: A Diamanti, 67 5), R Kovac 6, M Noble 6, J Collison 6 — C Cole 8, G Franco 6 (sub: Z Hines, 72). Substitutes not used: D Gabbidon, L Jiménez, J Faubert, P Kurucz, J Stanislas. Booked: Cole, Ilunga, Kovac. Sent off: Kovac. Next: Aston Villa (h).

Referee: A Marriner Attendance: 39,033.