KEVIN KYLE scored an 85th-minute winner to give Sunderland a second successive victory over fellow promotion wannabes.

After Saturday's win over Reading, Sunderland secured this win when Kyle powered home a header from inside the six-yard box after more teasing wing play from John Oster had prised open Ipswich Town. The Scotland striker leapt above teammate Tommy Smith as he directed the ball past goalkeeper Kelvin Davis, who got a hand to his effort but could not turn it to safety.

Sunderland were good value for the three points, though Ipswich Town showed why they are considered among the favourites to reach the Premiership - despite their sluggish start to the season.

The Black Cats were run desperately close by their visitors, who less than two years ago were facing Internazionale in the UEFA Cup but have hit financial problems since their relegation 16 months ago. But Kyle, who has now scored five goals in his last six appearances for Sunderland, had the final say to lift his team to fifth in Division One. The shambolic display against Huddersfield Town in the Carling Cup just seven days earlier is a distant memory after this cracking encounter, plus the defeat of Reading.

Last night's game represented a much stiffer test of Sunderland's promotion credentials than they faced at the weekend - and to their great credit they passed it.

Although Ipswich have been severely weakened by their cash shortage - they went into administration last season - manager Joe Royle has put together a vibrant attacking team.

Certainly, Sunderland's defence struggled to neutralise the early threat of Ipswich's three-pronged strikeforce of Shefki Kuqi, Pablo Counago and Darren Bent.

Kuqi and Counago combined to good effect on 19 minutes before Jim Magilton lobbed the ball over Mart Poom but on to the top of the crossbar. However, more neat link-up play from all three forwards, together with a mistake from Breen, produced the first goal in the 36th minute. After neat touches from Finland's Kuqi and Spanish star Counago, Bent drilled a cross-shot that Breen inadvertently stabbed into his own net from six yards.

This Sunderland side is made of stern stuff, however, and Breen epitomised the spirit that now runs throughout Mick McCarthy's squad when he equalised within eight minutes of his own goal.

Julio Arca's free-kick was flicked by Oster towards the far post, where Breen bundled the ball past the wrong-footed Davis.

Honours even again, then, but not for long as Sunderland played with real purpose after the interval. It took them just four second-half minutes to take the lead, Jeff Whitley's deep cross helped back into the danger area by Thomas Butler for Oster to slot into an empty net. But having seized the initiative with those two thrusts to Ipswich's heart, they allowed Ipswich to level almost immediately.

From Magilton's outswinging corner Richard Naylor was allowed to rise unchallenged to head past Poom from ten yards, undoing all of Sunderland's good work.

That setback provoked McCarthy into punching the roof of his dug-out in frustration, but again Sunderland refused to be cowed by the conceding of a goal.

Breen and George McCartney both went close to restoring Sunderland's lead, while Kyle had a shot deflected narrowly wide.

The Black Cats continued to probe for an opening. Arca went close with a dipping effort before Kyle eventually beat Davis.