BANK Holidays might be the perfect time for reunions, but Sunderland must be wishing that Easington-born Tommy Miller could have chosen a different day for a North-East get-together.

Miller, who began his career with Hartlepool United, spent most of last week acquiring tickets for the Sunderland-mad family of his girlfriend and still travels back to the North-East on a regular basis.

But his penalty proved decisive at Portman Road yesterday as Ipswich brought the Black Cats' nine-game unbeaten League run to an end with a deserved 1-0 win.

The result leaves Sunderland's hopes of automatic promotion looking ever more precarious and, with Ipswich also closing in on a play-off spot, there is every chance of the two sides meeting for a fourth and fifth time next month.

Sunderland had won the two previous clashes between the two sides but, with their usual zest notable only by its absence, a third victory was rarely on the cards yesterday.

Manager Mick McCarthy might protest otherwise, but Sunderland had the worn and wearied look of a side playing their third game in the space of six days.

They failed to create a single scoring chance after going behind to Miller's spot-kick in first-half stoppage time and, after putting three past Sheffield United on Good Friday, this was a 'Bad Monday' that finally proved one game too far.

Promotion rivals West Brom visit the Stadium of Light on Sunday and, while victory in that game could reignite hopes of a top-two finish, Sunderland's season now seems almost certain to end in the lottery of the play-offs.

Their form since Christmas suggests they are well capable of succeeding there, but yesterday's game served to highlight just how little there is to choose between the sides fighting it out at the top of the First Division.

Sunderland had been too strong for another one of their promotion rivals on Friday and, unsurprisingly, boss Mick McCarthy made just one change to the side that blunted the Blades.

Kevin Kyle returned to the starting line-up in place of the ill Tommy Smith, which meant that former Ipswich favourite Marcus Stewart had to make do with a place on the bench.

Kyle had been a goal-scoring substitute himself three days earlier, but the burly Scotsman enjoyed precious little in the way of goalmouth openings as Sunderland struggled to unlock an Ipswich defence which has shipped 66 goals already this season.

Jason McAteer and Carl Robinson toiled manfully in midfield but, with Sean Thornton and John Oster struggling to have any influence from their respective flanks, the visitors posed precious little threat to the Ipswich goal.

Kyle was well shackled by veteran centre-half John McGreal while Darren Byfield, for all his energy and effort, struggled to find the yard of space from which he could engineer a shooting opportunity.

The Jamaica international almost created himself an opening in the 25th minute after chesting down Thornton's right-wing cross but, just as he was about to strike at goal from six yards out, Fabian Wilnis came crashing in with a superb last-ditch tackle.

Kyle wasted Sunderland's only real opening when heading Thornton's 39th-minute corner over the top and, from that point onwards, the only goalmouth action came in the Black Cats' penalty area.

Ipswich striker Shefki Kuqi filled the role of battering ram - pulling wide to take on Julio Arca in the air at every available opportunity - while the lively Darren Bent looked to dart on to any knockdowns or pull-backs that came his way.

The ploy almost worked after 40 minutes when Kuqi's lay-off fell kindly for Bent, only for the youngster to drill his half-volley over the crossbar from 20 yards.

But Sunderland didn't heed the warning and, five minutes later, they paid the price for failing to track another Bent run down the inside left channel.

Ian Westlake's through-ball sent him racing through on goal and, while his first touch looked to have taken him too wide to pose a threat, Norwegian goalkeeper Thomas Myhre sent the striker sprawling as he raced from his line.

Referee Lee Mason had no hesitation in pointing to the spot and, while Myhre was let off without even a booking, Miller extracted his own retribution by driving the penalty into the bottom corner.

Things almost got worse two minutes after the break when Westlake and Bent combined again, only for the striker to drag his shot from the edge of the box tamely wide.

Phil Babb cleared a goalbound Kuqi effort from inside his own six-yard box as the pendulum swung firmly in Ipswich's favour and, while McCarthy introduced both Stewart and Matt Piper in an attempt to spur Sunderland into life, it was the home side who continued to look most threatening.

Bent's movement caused problems for both Babb and Gary Breen, while veteran midfielder Jim Magilton became more and more influential at the heart of midfield.

Stewart's first touch saw him head McAteer's centre over the top but, at the other end, Myhre had to be at his most alert to keep out Bent's crisp low drive.

His Ipswich counterpart, Kelvin Davis, had hardly had a save to make all afternoon but, when Byfield was felled on the edge of the box 15 minutes from time, the Town goalkeeper made light work of dealing with Thornton's floated free-kick.

Magilton almost doubled the home side's lead as full time approached, shooting straight at Myhre after more good approach play from Bent, but one goal ultimately proved enough to claim the points.

Result: Ipswich Town 1 Sunderland 0.

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