Fleetwood Town's winning run is halted but Joey Barton feels only pride after draw at Sunderland

Losing a lead so late – and slipping out of the play-off zone on goal difference – would have felt more like a defeat for many, but Barton wasn’t of that mindset after the game.

He said: “We’re disappointed to have drawn because we’re used to that winning habit, but that’s nine unbeaten now and just one defeat in 15.

“Just look at the last five games we’ve had before we came here. We played Doncaster, Wimbledon away, Wycombe away, in-form Peterborough and then we knocked Portsmouth over too.

“Sunderland are absolutely flying but we came to the Stadium of Light and we were five seconds away from winning the game and keeping a clean sheet.

“It would have been just reward for us if we’d won because we came here to do a job on Sunderland and that job was done.

“We should have taken care of their goal at the end – it was just a long punt. With two big lads up there in Kyle Lafferty and Charlie Wyke, they were just banging balls up to them.

“We’ve got to take great pride, though – pride in little old Fleetwood Town.

“Sunderland, who were in the Premier League a few years ago, have celebrated drawing against us in their own stadium like it was a World Cup final victory.

“Again, this performance showed that we have come on in such an enormous way in such a short space of time.

“We have to keep track of that. We can’t feel sorry for ourselves because we’ve got another tough fixture waiting on Saturday against a Tranmere side who are fighting for their lives.”

Barton’s grafters were certainly not overawed by the splendour and vastness of their surroundings.

They ought to have struck inside 30 seconds through McKay before the Swansea City loanee did break the deadlock in only the fifth minute.

He brilliantly side-stepped defender Alim Ozturk before burying a low shot past Jon McLaughlin.

The remainder of the first period belonged to Phil Parkinson’s men, with Chris Maguire crashing a shot against the crossbar, but Town were still in front at the interval.

The second period also featured some heroic defending from Town as the Black Cats remained on the front foot.

And after two draws against Sunderland this season, Barton would clearly welcome another crack at them, if required, in the play-offs.

He added: “If we keep fighting and battling like we did at Sunderland, we are going to be right where we want to be. We were the real deal and we’re in the mix.

“I certainly wouldn’t be fussed is we meet Sunderland in the play-offs. I think anyone would rather pay to watch us than go and watch them!”