Oxford United lost out to the division’s in-form side at the Stadium of Light. James Henry gave the U’s a lead at Sunderland but Lynden Gooch levelled before the break.
However, late efforts from Aiden McGeady and Max Power sealed the win for the Black Cats.
Oxford and Doncaster were the only sides in the top half of the table to lose, so the U’s drop to 11th and are now four points off the playoffs.
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Karl Robinson made one change from the side that won against Lincoln last time out with Anthony Forde coming in for the injured Josh Ruffels.
Jack Stevens started in goal behind a back four of Jamie Hanson, Rob Atkinson, Elliott Moore and Forde.
Cameron Brannagan sat in the holding role in the absence of Alex Rodriguez Gorrin with Mark Sykes and Henry in the middle. Brandon Barker and Mide Shodipo were the wide men with Matty Taylor leading the line.
The game started slowly with both teams figuring out the opposition. Henry saw an early corner headed away while the returning Jordan Jones failed to make a good connection from a McGeady corner.
In attack, Henry and Barker were linking up well and asking questions of the Black Cats’ defence. Unsurprisingly, it was that duo that opened the scoring shortly after. Oxford won the ball back just outside their area. The ball was played inside to Barker who surged straight through the centre of the park before laying it out wide to Henry, and the midfielder struck first time into the bottom corner.
The U’s were frustrating their opponents but got lucky when Stevens unconvincingly pushed away a cross from Power.
At the other end, claims of a penalty were waved away when Taylor went down under a challenge following good work from Shodipo.
McGeady fired one over from 25-yards as Sunderland looked to get themselves back on level terms. He came closer shortly after but Stevens palmed his free-kick wide.
But the pressure would soon pay when Lynden Gooch netted from close range in stoppage time after clever play from Jones.
The U’s began the second half brightly and could have taken the lead inside the opening three minutes, but Moore poked the ball from a corner straight at Lee Burge. Moments later, Forde’s effort was off target from another good opportunity.
The turning point came on 60 minutes as Mark Sykes picked up a second yellow card for a foul on Luke O’Nien. Gooch then fired just wide as Sunderland launched a quick break.
Despite going a man down, Oxford came close to regaining the lead. First, Josh Scowan blocked a Shodipo effort wide and from the resulting corner, Moore saw his header stopped by Burge.
At the other end, Jones smashed the bar as he ran into space before the winger fired a free-kick over shortly after.
With 15 minutes remaining, Robinson rang the changes. Elliot Lee, Dan Agyei and Liam Kelly all came on with Shodipo, Henry and Taylor making way. Meanwhile, former Oxford favourite Chris Maguire replaced Jones.
The host’s dominance began to take its toll. The U’s defence was kept busy in keeping the ball out of their box but were soon behind in controversial circumstances. Brannagan committed a foul and despite still being down on the ground, referee Trevor Kettle allowed a quick free kick to be taken which resulting in McGeady curling home.
Oxford came close to an equaliser when Dion Sanderson almost turned Forde’s cross into his own net.
In injury time, Agyei and substitute Sam Winnall linked up well but O’Nien blocked the ball behind. Joe Grayson’s header from the resulting corner was also put behind.
But Sunderland launched a counter-attack and Power beat Stevens in a one-on-one situation.
