The normally prolific strikeforce of Jason Roberts and Nathan Ellington drew a blank as Wigan Athletic's play-off hopes were kept on tenterhooks and Sunderland's automatic promotion hopes disappeared.
In a cracking match at the JJB Stadium, both sides thought they had done enough to claim the three points, but had to settle for a result that ensures the race for the Premiership will go to the last game of the season.
Both Roberts and Ellington were guilty of squandering a number of openings with Ellington blasting a chance over the bar from just two yards with 13 minutes left and Roberts seeing his goalbound chip headed out of an empty net by Sunderland defender Gary Breen.
While at the other end Wigan goalkeeper John Filan kept his side in the hunt in the first half, producing top notch saves to deny Kevin Kyle and John Oster as the visitors took advantage of Wigan's early hesitancy.
But once Wigan got their act together they pushed back a Sunderland outfit that came to the JJB on the back of three straight defeats and manager Mick McCarthy admitted that he was happy to claim a point at the end.
"We would have liked all three, but coping as we did after three losses I have to be happy with one," he said.
"Our defence was outstanding against Roberts and Ellington, who are a real handful, but we had our chances at the other end in what was a very open game.
"If anyone came expecting a fast flowing game of football then they weren't disappointed." atics boss Paul Jewell agreed it was a cracking game, but said he was disappointed not to have got the three points that would have virtually assured a play-off place.
He said: "I thought we did enough to win, but it is a credit to us that Sunderland are more pleased with a point than we are.
"I can't criticise the players and if they show that attitude in the final two games I will have no complaints." Jewell was incensed, as were the home fans, that referee Phil Crossley failed to spot a foul on Gary Teale by Sunderland's Phil Babb as the game drew to a close.
Both players were off the pitch at the side of the goal and when the ball rolled across the goalmouth Teale attempted to get up, but was brought down by Babb.
"I thought it was a spot-kick," said Jewell. "I spoke to Phil Babb at the end and he said both players were off the pitch. Some you get and some you don't but it would be nice to have got that one." Sunderland boss McCarthy not surprisingly disagreed.
"It was a tangle of legs and nothing more," he said. "It would have been nonsense if the referee had given a penalty for that." McCarthy admitted his side were pleased with a point, but both teams will now sit back and have to watch how the other games unfold later on Saturday to see just how good a point a piece turns out to be.
MAN OF THE MATCH - John Filan: Crucial first-half saves kept his side in the hunt, before he enjoyed a much quieter second half for the Latics.