Blues were cruelly denied their first Premier League victory of the season as former striker Stern John came back to haunt his old side with a 90th minute equaliser for Sunderland at St. Andrew's.

The Trinidad and Tobago international scored plenty of crucial late goals during his spell at St. Andrew's but this time his strike stole two points from his ex-employers.

Steve Bruce's side had taken a first half lead through a Paul McShane own goal and that looked like being enough to seal the points in a scrappy encounter.

But a dour game really came to life in the final 15 minutes.

Michael Chopra blasted the Black Cats level and then substitute Gary O'Connor seemed to have secured victory just 17 minutes into his Blues debut with an 82nd minute strike, until John's late intervention.

Bruce made just one change from the side that played at Chelsea on Sunday with the injured Franck Queudrue replaced by home debutant Stuart Parnaby.

Three other Blues players made their opening appearance on home soil with the St. Andrew's fans getting their first glimpse of Liam Ridgewell, Johan Djourou and Olivier Kapo.

Roy Keane made four changes to the Sunderland team that beat Tottenham at the weekend with Greg Halford, Danny Collins, Michael Chopra and David Connolly replacing Kieran Richardson, Anthony Stokes, Daryl Murphy and former Blues striker Dwight Yorke.

There was one ex-St. Andrew's man in the Black Cats squad as Stern John was named as a substitute.

Chopra was the visitors' weekend goal hero against Spurs and the summer signing from Cardiff could have got an early chance to add to his season's tally but for a vital interception by Djourou.

Keane's side did enjoy the better of the early exchanges with Blues looking rather shaky in front of an expectant home crowd.

An ambitious 30-yard effort from Gary McSheffrey that whistled well over the bar was the closest either team came to scoring in the opening 20 minutes.

Blues threw on a second number 11 soon afterwards as Parnaby was forced to change his shirt due to blood and for a few minutes the Blues' new boy donned McSheffrey's spare shirt until a second '21' top was found.

It summed up a scrappy opening to the game but that was all forgotten on 28 minutes as Blues took the lead.

Sebastian Larsson's free kick midway into the Sunderland half was met by Stephen Kelly at the far post and the former Spurs man guided his header back across goal.

The ball evaded McSheffrey at the far post and bounced into the net as Kelly wheeled away in joy to celebrate what he thought was his first goal for Blues.

The St. Andrew's tannoy also credited Kelly with the goal but a TV replay clearly showed that a deflection off McShane had diverted the ball past £9m Sunderland goalkeeper Craig Gordon.

The goal lifted both the team and the fans and Blues began to get a little more fluidity to their play as the half drew to a close.

The best chance Blues had of doubling their lead before the interval came when Larsson set up Mehdi Nafti with a shooting chance just outside the area but the Tunisian's wayward effort never looked like troubling Gordon.

Half-time: Blues 1 Sunderland 0

The early action of the second half reverted back to the scrappy nature of the majority of the first with neither side seemingly able to string a succession of passes together.

Chances were few and far between and neither goalkeeper were really troubled for the first 30 minutes of the second half.

Whilst the home fans were not being treated to a display of free-flowing football, they certainly recognised the contribution of captain Liam Ridgwell, who was a dominant figure in the Blues defence.

Any fears that the former Villa man may have to win over the fans following his switch across the city were quickly allayed as they sang his praises.

Keane tried to lift his side with the introduction of Liam Miller, Roy O'Donovan and John, the latter receiving a warm reception from the home crowd.

And Bruce followed suit as he looked to pep up his attack by bringing on O'Connor in place of McSheffrey.

Just as Blues looked to be playing out the game for a comfortable, if unspectacular, win Sunderland grabbed a 75th minute equaliser.

In a cruel twist of fate, Ridgewell missed his header 35 yards out and Chopra raced away towards goal.

There was still a lot of work to do for the ex-Newcastle striker as the ball bounced up in front of him but he let fly with an unstoppable half volley that dipped over Doyle into the net.

Blues were shell-shocked and the fans went quiet as two vital points looked to have slipped from their grasp.

Bruce's men were in need of a hero and it came in the form of O'Connor, although a lot of credit for the second goal must go to another of the summer signings, Kapo.

The skilful Frenchman evaded several challenges on the edge of the box before teeing up Forssell.

The Finn, who had battled gainfully all night, could have tried to shoot but he did the intelligent thing and set up O'Connor, who was better placed to his left.

The big Scot neatly stepped inside of the onrushing McShane before unleashing a fierce shot past Gordon.

Sunderland came within inches of grabbing an equaliser almost straightaway when Carlos Edward's mazy run took him into the box and he crossed for John, who crashed his header against the post from close range when it looked easier to score.

But the ex-Blues man was to enjoy his glory moment back on his old stomping ground just minutes later.

Sunderland's chances of getting anything from the game looked to have gone when they were reduced to ten men as Edwards hobbled off with a hamstring injury sustained after his earlier run.

But somehow the Black Cats found a way back into the game in the very last minute of normal time.

Djourou was adjudged to have committed a deliberate handball just outside the Blues area and the visitors were awarded a free-kick.

Doyle looked to have saved his side as he pulled off a miraculous stop from Ross Wallace's deflected shot but when the ball was headed back across goal by Nosworthy, John was unmarked and had the simple job of heading into an empty net to break Blues' hearts.

But that doesn't tell the full story as Doyle was clearly being prevented from getting back to his feet after the save by O'Donovan, who was holding the big goalkeeper down.

Unfortunately none of the officials spotted the infringement and the goal was allowed to stand.

Full time: Blues 2 Sunderland 2

Blues: Colin Doyle, Stuart Parnaby, Liam Ridgewell, Stephen Kelly, Johan Djourou, Sebastian Larsson, Mehdi Nafti, Fabrice Muamba, Olivier Kapo, Gary McSheffrey (Garry O'Connor 65), Mikael Forssell (Cameron Jerome 84).
Subs not used: Maik Taylor, Radhi Jaidi, Rowan Vine.
Goals: McShane og (28), O'Connor (82)

Sunderland: Craig Gordon, Greg Halford (Roy O'Donovan 71), Dickson Etuhu, Nyron Nosworthy, Paul McShane, Carlos Edwards, Dean Whitehead (Liam Miller 59), Danny Collins, Michael Chopra, David Connolly (Stern John 59), Ross Wallace.
Subs not used: Darren Ward, Russell Anderson.
Goals: Chopra (75), John (90)
Bookings: Etuhu (53)

Referee: K Stroud (Hants)

Attendance: 24,898