CHRIS COLEMAN demanded heart and courage from Sunderland in the fight for survival over the Easter period and he got those. What he could do nothing about was erasing the sort of defensive weaknesses that have put his team on the brink of League One football all season.

Despite an increase in optimism that the Black Cats could well have been about to turn the corner, again, after Good Friday’s memorable 4-1 victory at Derby County, it was the same old sorry story at the Stadium of Light.

There might have been aspects of Sunderland’s display to warm the hearts of the manager and the home fans who braved the freezing and wet conditions, but the reality is that once again they came up short when they needed to deliver a much-needed win on home soil.

Sheffield Wednesday have nothing to play for except pride and an eye on the future, and yet they still managed to capitalise on the gaps at the back from three balls into the box to inflict the 12th defeat on Sunderland on Wearside this season.

Only this time there was an even greater feeling that the outcome has pushed Sunderland all the more closer to playing in League One next season. The five points separating them from safety could become a massive eight with six matches remaining should Birmingham win at Bolton on Tuesday night.

Even for a club with a history of pulling off great escapes that would seem the tallest of tall orders – and it would take some turnaround for this crop of players to find a way to bounce back from this latest set-back.

Just to have avoided another defeat, particularly after the handsome victory at Derby, would have represented a marked improvement following the recent ten match winless run. Instead Sunderland remain on course for the unthinkable drop into the third tier of the English game.

Sunderland displayed hunger, fight and even some confidence in possession against Sheffield Wednesday. Having failed to score the goals to put them clear, though, the Owls were able to take control after the restart by making the most of the holes in Coleman’s defence.

Wednesday took the lead just before the hour when Lucas Joao powered in a finish after failing to deal with Atdhe Nuhiu at the back post. Then, after George Honeyman had levelled two minutes later, Sunderland’s misery grew.

Defender Tom Lees was allowed to volley in from close range with 22 minutes remaining and former Sunderland target Nuhiu capped an impressive display by scoring himself to wrap up the points.

After the euphoric scenes at Derby just days earlier, Sunderland had to deliver again because Birmingham had extended the gap to five points by beating Ipswich the following day. Given the Blues play on Tuesday, Coleman’s players couldn’t afford to let their standards drop.

Despite fatigue concerns there was only one change and that was enforced. It was an important one too because it meant the injured Lamine Kone’s partnership with John O’Shea that performed confidently at Pride Park had to be broken up, with Marc Wilson slotting in Nevertheless this was a Bank Holiday Monday fixture that Sunderland headed into with a new sense of belief. That was reflected in aspects of the display.

While clear cut chances were at a premium, Sunderland passed the ball around well at times and showed the sort of desire required to make a fist of things.

The problem was that Wednesday, who lost defender Morgan Fox early on through injury, looked relaxed too after their recent couple of wins and a mid-table league position that meant they had very little to play for in the remaining month.

O’Shea and Wilson, who has hardly had the best of times since moving from Bournemouth, had to be alert from the start because of the aerial presence and power of strike pairing Joao and Nuhui.

The latter was one of those targeted by Coleman in January but a deal could not be done. It was carried out with the aim of him adding a different dimension to Sunderland’s play and that was what the visitors used him for along with Joao.

After Donald Love and Lynden Gooch had fired efforts marginally over from distance in quick succession, Sheffield Wednesday could easily have taken the lead earlier.

The first chance saw former Middlesbrough winger Adam Reach go inches away from turning in George Boyd’s low delivery to the back post, while the unmarked Boyd was left frustrated when Joao decided to go it alone following a quick-thinking kick from goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith.

The Wednesday goalkeeper showed the other side of his game five minutes before the break. He was alert to side-step and jump to his right to deny Aiden McGeady’s floated free-kick from hitting the top corner after Honeyman had been tripped by Barry Bannan.

Optimism grew for the home side after a bright start to the second half. The problem was, despite plenty of endeavour, there was still a lack of real threat posed to the Wednesday goal – and that only changed when they fell behind.

It was clear Bryan Oviedo was in trouble when the towering Nuhiu got above him to knock down Bannan’s deep cross just before the hour. That proved perfect for Joao to strike low and first time beyond Lee Camp.

Honeyman’s equaliser less than two minutes later, when he headed in at the back post from Gooch’s centre, raised hopes briefly again but that was all it was … hope.

That was because Sunderland’s defensive weaknesses were exposed again. First of all Gooch should not have conceded a free-kick deep in his own half and then secondly Joey Pelupessy’s dead ball was allowed to be turned in by Lees through a crowded box.

And less than seven minutes later Sunderland, after Cattermole had struck a post from distance and Gooch had genuine calls for a penalty waved away, were well and truly beaten.

This time Reach’s cross from the left was turned goalwards by Joao. Even though Camp made a save to his left, the rebound fell kindly for Nuhiu to turn over the line to wrap things up.

There might have been signs of spirit again, and a few half chances after that, but all that matters is that Sunderland’s drop towards League One has moved even closer.