Substitute Harry Leonard's late equaliser salvaged a point for Blackburn as they shared the spoils with promotion rivals Sunderland at Ewood Park.

Rovers dominated the first period and deservedly led through Yuki Ohashi's close-range finish – but Sunderland turned the contest on its head by scoring twice inside four minutes soon after the restart.

Teenager Chris Rigg levelled before French forward Wilson Isidor, who had not scored in eight games, back-heeled the second from a Patrick Roberts cross.

But Leonard, on as a late replacement for Sondre Tronstad, rammed in his first goal of the season to rescue a draw.

Despite John Eustace making five changes – two enforced by injuries to Lewis Travis and Harry Pickering – from the side that had lost at Millwall last weekend, Blackburn settled immediately into their rhythm.

Tyrhys Dolan might have opened the scoring when Ryan Hedges played him through on the counter-attack, slipping inside his marker before ballooning the finish over the bar with only Anthony Patterson to beat.

But another incisive run by Dolan contributed to Rovers' opener soon afterwards as Callum Brittain's drive cannoned across the box and took two deflections before falling for Ohashi to sweep into the net.

The home side continued to control proceedings and could have extended their advantage before the break, with Hedges dragging his effort straight at Patterson and Dolan rammed Ohashi's flick-on into the net – only to fall foul of the offside flag.

However, having produced little in the way of attacking threat throughout the first half, Sunderland staged a swift turnaround by striking twice in quick succession.

Roberts and Luke O'Nien combined on the right and Blackburn failed to clear the latter's low cross, with the ball popping up for Rigg to steer in from close range.

The Black Cats' second goal soon followed courtesy of another teasing run by Roberts, who cut the ball back for Isidor to back-heel deftly beyond Aynsley Pears.

The visitors might have wrapped up victory when Chris Mepham headed a Roberts free-kick wide, while Jobe Bellingham – watched from the stands by his brother Jude and their parents – also went close to making it 3-1.

But Blackburn equalised when Makhtar Gueye nodded down a cross for fellow substitute Leonard to score – although they were indebted to Pears, who came out to deny Eliezer Mayenda a winner in injury time.