This is how Sunderland's unbeaten start was emphatically ended by a lively Portsmouth side

Sunderland’s unbeaten start to the campaign came to an abrupt end as they were emphatically beaten by Portsmouth.
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A slack first-half performance had gifted Kenny Jackett’s under-pressure side a deserved lead at the break, and though the Black Cats rallied in the second period, an aggressive visiting frontline were more than worthy of the three goals they registered.

Phil Parkinson had largely resisted the temptation to reshuffle his defensive unit, but the late red card to Luke O’Nien as he brought down Ryan Williams in the box underlined the superiority Jackett’s side has enjoyed.

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The penalty from Marquis sealed the 3-1 win and was his second of the game, with the impressive Marcus Harness opening the scoring.

John Marquis scores his second goal at the Stadium of LightJohn Marquis scores his second goal at the Stadium of Light
John Marquis scores his second goal at the Stadium of Light

Charlie Wyke had levelled the scores briefly to continue his encouraging recent form, but on the whole it was a chastening afternoon as Sunderland fell to defeat.

Sunderland had come into the contest looking for their sixth consecutive clean sheet for the first time since 1996 after an imperious start to the campaign defensively.

Lee Burge, meanwhile, was 63 minutes away from joining an illustrious club in being only the third goalkeeper after Ned Doig and Jimmy Montgomery to go 600 minutes without conceding for the Black Cats.

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In truth, though, the warning signs were there even before Harness opened the scoring seven minutes in.

Sunderland looked uncharacteristically sloppy in possession, gifting the ball away in dangerous positions. It quickly caught up with them. Denver Hume was unable to control a crossfield pass from Grant Leadbitter, and the wing-back was then caught out as the visitors took it quickly.

John Marquis was in space down the right and played a clever pass back infield to the feet of Michael Jacobs. Harness was in on the overlap, slotting comfortably past Burge after gathering the pass.

If the alarm bells were ringing, then the response of the home side was superb.

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Right-back Callum Johnson, signed from Accrington Stanley in the summer, dithered on a long ball for must a moment and was ruthlessly punished. Hume did well, surging past him to the byline. The low cross was perfect, Wyke doing well to get ahead of his marker before firing a first-time finish through the legs of the helpless MacGillivray.

It proved to be a brief interlude in temrs of the general pattern of play.

Kenny Jackett’s side re-asserted themselves, Sean Raggett forcing a decent stop from Burge as he rose to meet a free-kick from deep. Another set piece minutes later allowed Jacobs to unleash a fierce drive; Burge turning it over the bar with his fingertips.

It was proving to be a different test for the home side. Portsmouth were putting them under pressure with their pressing game and when they won it back, Harness and Jacobs were getting into excellent positions.

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It was the former who forced the second goal, seizing on a slack short pass from Leadbitter.

The pass into the feet of Marquis was good, the striker taking a touch before confidently slotting the finish beyond the onrushing Burge.

Sunderland were on the ropes, and in truth could consider themselves fortunate to reach the break still in the contest. Raggett had missed a big opening to score at the back post, turning a cross to the back post over the bar. Harness, too, could have done better when driving towards goal before firing an ambitious effort well wide.

Sunderland had gone close when Chris Maguire struck an effort over the bar from inside the box, Hume again causing problems with a driving run.

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In truth, though, they had been second best and it was telling that they emerged early for the second half, the words of their manager you suspect still ringing in their ears.

The response was immediate, Portsmouth under pressure as the hosts turned the screw in the opening minutes.

Wyke twice rose to meet a cross into the box, on both occasions just turning the header wide of the far post.

Portsmouth’s momentum was further affected by an injury to the influential Jacobs, though Ronan Curtis was a more than capable replacement.

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Though the away side continued to look vulnerable, they did steady as Harness again began to grow in influence. His ability to carry the ball from deep was proving crucial in buying his side time and space when under pressure.

An open contest swung from end to end, absorbing but without either goalkeeper being drawn into a save of real significance.

Hume continued to be his side’s key threat, opening up the pitch with some superb runs. He was unlucky not to register an assist when Gooch fired his cross well over the bar.

Portsmouth threatened sporadically on the break, seeing a goal ruled out for offside when Marquis nodded a cross from Johnson past Burge at the near post.

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Parkinson threw on Grigg and Graham in search of an equaliser, but the game was ended as a contest with just under ten minutes to play.

O’Nien had already been shown a yellow card when Ryan Williams surged past him on the break, and he was forced to so again as the winger ran onto an excellent through ball.

This time, though, the offence was inside the box. O’Nien saw red and Marquis confidently despatched the penalty, sending Burge the wrong way to seal a deserved victory.

Even if Sunderland had improved in the second half, they had never truly got to grips with the Portsmouth forwards.

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Sunderland XI: Burge; Willis, Wright, O’Nien; Gooch, Leadbitter (Graham, 81) , Scowen (Grigg, 70), Power, Hume; Maguire, Wyke

Subs: Matthews, Flanagan, Dobson, O’Brien, McLaughlin

Portsmouth XI: MacGillivray; Johnson, Raggett, Whatmough, Brown; Naylor, Williams, Jacobs (Curtis, 54), Harness (Nicolaisen, 88), Cannon; Marquis

Subs: Bass, Close, Morris, Pring, Hiwula

Bookings: Williams, 18 Johnson, 80

Red Card: O’Nien, 83

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