Goals:

0-1: Reid (28, allowed the space in the area to nod down O’Dowda’s corner to put City ahead)

1-1: Grabban (45, forced the ball over the line from close range after a goalmouth scramble)

1-2: Djuric (73, his towering frame bullied O’Shea in the area to head in O’Dowda’s delivery)

Bookings: Ndong (28, foul); Jones (64, foul); Reid (82, foul); Pack (86, foul)

Referee: Darren Bond (Stockport) -a few strange decisions and should have awarded Sunderland a penalty for handball. 4

Attendance: 27,317

Entertainment: **

Sund BrisC

Shots on 3 4

Shots off 9 9

Corners 6 5

Fouls 10 13

Offsides 3 1

SUNDERLAND (4-2-3-1):

4 Steele: Still looks short of the confidence that made him a hot prospect during his Boro days;

4 Jones: After a bright enough start he really struggled after the restart

4 Kone: Made bad decisions in the first half and looks a shadow of the defender he was not too long ago

5 O’Shea: The pick of the defenders but then bullied into conceding the winner by Djuric

5 Oviedo: Had a couple of efforts on goal and showed a few nice touches;

6 Gibson: Guilty of losing his man for the opener but had a decent hour until tiring

7 NDONG: Sunderland’s best player and was always looking to get on the ball without being exceptional;

7 Watmore: Typical runner down the wing and continued that when he was switched inside

5 Williams: Started positively but soon faded whether that was down to a lack of match action or something else

5 McGeady: Showed flashes of what he had to offer but not in dangerous enough areas;

6 Grabban: If Sunderland are going to get out of this mess then his goals will be vital

Subs:

McManaman (for Williams 66): Didn’t make an impact at all. 5

McNair (for Gibson 79)

Vaughan (for Watmore 79)

(not used): Ruiter (gk), Cattermole, Matthews, Honeyman.

BRISTOL CITY (4-4-2): Fielding 7; Baker 5 (Pisano 36, 6), Flint 6, Wright 6, Bryan 6; Paterson 6 (Djuric 55, 7), Brownhill 7, Pack 6, O’DOWDA 8; Reid 7, Taylor 6 (Smith 64, 5). Subs (not used): L Steele (gk), Woodrow, Magnusson, Leko.

MAN OF THE MATCH: CALLUM O’Dowda – the Irishman on show who showed Ireland’s No 2 how to perform on the Championship stage.