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.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here