Zoltan Gera broke Sunderland's hearts with a last-gasp equaliser to earn West Bromwich Albion a 1-1 draw as the Black Cats prepared to celebrate their first Barclays Premiership victory since December 2002.
The clock had ticked past the 48-minute mark at the end of the game when the Hungarian powered a header past the helpless Kelvin Davis to deny the Black Cats victory.
Mick McCarthy's men were seconds away from his first three points as a top-flight manager when Gera intervened, and the fact that his side has ended their 20-game run of Premiership defeats will come as little consolation.
Gary Breen had fired Sunderland ahead with a seventh-minute header and Dean Whitehead would have made it 2-0 had it not been for a superb 69th-minute save by Chris Kirkland.
It looked as if the Wearsiders would survive when Justin Hoyte headed Ronnie Wallwork's effort off the line in injury time, but Gera struck from the resulting corner to destroy the celebrations for the bulk of a crowd of 31,657.
McCarthy's side remain bottom of the table and without a win from their first six games, but they have at least collected a top-flight point for the first time since January 2003.
Having seen his men lose each of their first five league games, the former Republic of Ireland boss admitted in the run-up to today's fixture that he would take a win over a good performance without even thinking about it.
But for the first 10 minutes or so, he looked like he might get both as his side flew out of the blocks and made the pressure count before West Brom could find their feet.
Andy Gray, preferred in a two-man attack alongside Stephen Elliott to Jon Stead, had already whistled a shot on the turn wide with just seconds gone when the Black Cats forced their way in front.
Breen timed his run to perfection to meet Dean Whitehead's driven corner and power in a header which Paul Robinson on the line could only help into the roof of his own net.
An audible sigh of relief escaped from the Stadium of Light, and there might have been further celebrations within 10 minutes had either Julio Arca or Gray connected meaningfully with Elliott's cross in front of goal with the Baggies' defence in disarray.
The pace of Sunderland's opening was never likely to be maintained, and when it started to drop, the visitors, whose manager Bryan Robson had taken up residence inside the technical area, were able to exercise a measure of control.
They managed to cut off much of the supply to the lively Elliott by closing down space in midfield and with strikers Robert Earnshaw and Kevin Campbell belatedly providing options for the men behind them, began to threaten.
Gera forced a regulation 15th-minute save from Davis, but as the half wore on, the home defence came under increasing pressure.
Jonathan Greening fired high and wide at the far post on 29 minutes after Gera, Steve Watson and Earnshaw had carved a path through the Sunderland rearguard and Neil Clement sent a dipping free-kick a foot over Davis' bar.
The home 'keeper had to tip away a Greening cross in injury time after the midfielder had turned Whitehead inside out, and McCarthy headed for the dressing room at the break delighted with the scoreline but knowing that a tough 45 minutes lay ahead if the slim lead was to be preserved or improved.
If the first half had started with a frenzy of activity, there was no repeat after the restart as both sides squandered possession with monotonous regularity without ever looking likely to create a serious chance.
McCarthy was forced to make a change on 53 minutes when Tommy Miller, who had been struggling since picking up a knock early in the game, was eventually replaced by Liam Lawrence, who went straight on to the right side of midfield with Whitehead moving into the middle.
Miller was joined in the dressing room within four minutes by Elliott as McCarthy sent on Anthony Le Tallec in his place, but it was full-back Nyron
Nosworthy who had the home fans on their feet with 58 minutes gone.
The former Gillingham defender picked up a loose ball 25 yards from goal and chanced his arm, but although his scuffed shot never threatened the goal, it flew across the six-yard box and evaded all the red and white shirts.
Breen had to hack a 62nd-minute Campbell cross away after the Hungarian had been played in cleverly by Gera, but as the game opened up, Arca stabbed a shot wide at the other end after Gray had held the ball up well for him.
Robson needed fresh inspiration and he turned to Diomansy Kamara with 13 minutes remaining, although it was the increasingly influential Arca who went close within seconds when he drilled a long-range effort just wide.
Kamara wasted a good opening for the visitors when he shot over with 10 minutes remaining, but Hoyte's heroics counted for nothing as Gera made his mark at the death.
