Former Sunderland striker robs the Black Cats of two vital points in dying seconds of a remarkable afternoon

A brace from Kyle Lafferty had marked his arrival as a Sunderland player on a spectacular full debut, and he looked to have scored the goal that sent Sunderland to the brink of the top two.

It had been a tricky afternoon for the Black Cats, who struggled to get going in the first half and were unable to capitalise on Lafferty's header midway through the second half.

Phil Parkinson had warned his side of the physical threat Gillingham posed and would have been frustrated to see them surrender the initiative when failing to deal with a long throw.

Lafferty’s second strike came just as his side looked to be on the ropes, and seemed to have breathed new life into their push for the top as Rotherham fell to a shock defeat against Rochdale.

Mandron’s strike in the dying embers of stoppage time has set them back considerably, even if they made progress overall on a remarkable afternoon.

Parkinson’ side had come through a disappointing week with their automatic promotion hopes just about unscathed, but with questions growing amongst supporters as to whether their style and structure was producing enough in the final third.

There had been calls for changes in personnel but Parkinson had heavily hinted in the build-up that he saw upcoming away trips to Bristol Rovers and Blackpool as a better moment for freshening things up.

Particularly at home, the Black Cats boss believed had been showing enough since the turn of the year to warrant an opportunity to quickly restablish some momentum.

He had been forced into one significant change, with Charlie Wyke missing due to the back problem that had left him as a doubt for the defeat to Coventry City last week.

Kyle Lafferty was given his full debut but as was perhaps to be expected against a side so resilient and tough to beat in recent months, there was little sight of goal in a sedate opening to the game.

It was the visitors who had the first effort of note, reacting quickest to a loose ball in midfield. Stuart O’Keefe drove towards goal and even though space had opened up for him, he could only drag a tame effort well wide of the post.

Jon McLaughlin was largely untroubled in the Sunderland goal, but the home side were struggling to create any sustained pressure on the ball and it was proving to be another stop-strt contest, the referee on more than once occasion having to warn the visitors about timewasting when the ball went dead.

Parkinson’s side did offer something of a threat through Denver Hume, who had retained his place in the side and began with a spring in his step, driving forward into some dangerous areas.

It was not until the 21st minute that they really had the visitors troubled, and unsurprisingly the opening came from a set piece.

Chris Maguire floated a corner toward the back post and though he easily got away from his marker, Tom Flanagan could only head wide.

The Black Cats did go close ten minutes later after Luke O’Nien lifred te tempo with a tremendous, inventive flick, allowing George Dobson to fire an early pass into Maguire. The cross over to the back post was gathered well by Hume, and though Lynden Gooch showed good composure to get a shot away, it was too close to Jack Bonham in the Gillingham goal and he was able to clear the danger.

Sunderland continued to make most of the running in the game, though they were lacking the tempo required to really carve their opponents open.

Maguire drew another stop from Bonham after an excellent turn inside the box, and though Tom Flanagan had an effort deflected just wide on the stroke of half-time, the Black Cats went into the interval knowing that a lift in both quality and intensity was required to avoid another frustrating afternoon.

They did force a couple of dangerous free kicks early on but could create little from them, and were indebted to McLaughlin at the other end as he did superbly to palm an effort from Jordan Roberts clear of danger.

Within moments the Black Cats should have been ahead, Max Power sending a couple of dangerous crosses across goal.

The second found Hume at the back post and he showed good patience to wait for a chance to send it back into the centre of the area. Lafferty found himself in space but could smash his first-time volley wide of the near post.

Bonham then did very well to snatch the ball from the feet of Maguire just as he was getting ready to shoot, the home side finally beginning to turn the screw.

Their growing threat was reflected in the substitutions of Steve Evans, who moved quicky to replace both his wingers with central midfielders.

Despite that seemingly conservative move, McLaughlin again had to do well to palm away an effort from Hanlan as he was able to break through on goal.

The game has just opened up a touch and with less than half an hour to play, the home side were able to capitalise.

Hume payed a wonderful cross into the centre of the box and Lafferty got ahead of his marker, stooping to head home an emphatic effort.

Sunderland looked well from then, but their leads did not last long as they conceded an immensely frustrating goal.

The long-throw into the box was not dealt with and fell for former Black Cats youngster Mikael Mandron, who squeezed a low effort into the far corner.

Sunderland were fortunate not to fall behind minutes later, when Hanlan headed a corner over the bar from close range.

All of a sudden the Black Cats were under siege and reliant on McLaughlin to make two excellent stops.

Firstly he denied Mandron as the striker showed excellent feet to get free of Tom Flanagan in the box, before palming clear a header from Jack Tucker at the following corner.

Gillingham were on top but a moment of overconfidence cost them dearly.

In midfield Alfie Jones took too long on the ball, and a George Dobson did brilliantly to seize possession and spring Lafferty free with an excellent pass.

Bonham hesistated in coming off his line at the crucial moment, and Lafferty showed tremendous composure in prodding the ball past him.

Six minutes stoppage time had sparked some nerves in the Stadium of Light but McLaughlin’s composure looked to have helped the home side see it through with no major alarm.

They were left stunned when unable to clear their lines, Mandron firing a rasping drive into the bottom corner with just seconds to play.

Sunderland XI: McLaughlin; O’Nien, Willis, Ozturk (Semenyo, 80), Flanagan, Hume (Lynch, 88); Power, Dobson; Gooch, Maguire (Scowen, 84), Lafferty

Subs: Burge, Watmore, McLaughlin, Grigg

Gillingham XI: Bonham; Fuller, Ehmer, Tucker, Ogilvie; Jones, O’Keefe (Akinde, 71), Graham (Lee, 57), Roberts (O’Connor, 60); Hanlan, Mandron

Subs: Walsh, Willock, Charles-Cook, Akinde, Pringle, O’Connor

Bookings: Ozturk, 41 Roberts, 41 Graham 41, O’Keefe, 43

Attendance: 29,822