This is how it played out as Sunderland are held to draw after late Bristol City penalty

Bristol City’s first penalty in over a year of football cost Sunderland another valuable as Nakhi Wells converted a stoppage-time equaliser.
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Jack Clarke had produced another stunning individual goal to give his side a narrow lead in a hard-fought contest midway through the second half, but the Black Cats were unable to hold out through five minutes of stoppage time as Trai Hume felled Jay Da Silva in the box.

Anthony Patterson came close to continuing his superb penalty record and denying Wells, guessing the right way but beaten by the power on the effort.

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Bristol City had come into the game unbeaten in ten and there confidence was obvious from the off. They pressed more aggressively than many on this ground of late and though chances were few and far between, they kept Sunderland well away from their own goal when the hosts had the ball.

Jack Clarke scores a stunning Sunderland goalJack Clarke scores a stunning Sunderland goal
Jack Clarke scores a stunning Sunderland goal

They were looking to spring quickly onto the break when they won it back and with just under twenty minutes played it almost yielded an opener for them. It was a wonderful team move, on of which Mowbray’s side would have been proud. They carved open the home defence with some excellent one-touch play, and Anis Mehmeti thought he had scored when pushed his effort low to Patterson’s left. The young goalkeeper was just about equal to it, palming it onto the inside of the post and thankfully for Sunderland, out for a corner.

The hosts almost conceded from that set play as they failed to clear their lines, but after this point they began to play their way into the contest. They were led by Edouard Michut, who was winning challenges and gliding into dangerous areas.

Sunderland served notice of their threat when Amad and then Clarke almost broke through on goal, but Kalas and then O’Leary did well to snuff out the danger. The best chance half of the game came when Michut sprung Clarke free again, and his excellent cross to the heart of the box was turned wide by Gelhardt, whose attempts to deftly turn it towards the far corner saw him fail to make a good enough connection.

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The Leeds forward had another effort when Roberts burst past three defenders in the box, but he couldn’t quite shift the ball out from under his feet and his effort was blocked.

Sunderland ended the half improving but knowing they would have to find another gear if they were to take three points from the game. It was the visitors who made the better start to the second, Sunderland fortunate that no one was in the six-yard box to meet a low cross from Mehmeti seconds after the restart.

The game was slowly opening up as both teams traded dangerous counters, just unable to find the necessary precision to turn it into a big chance.

Just after the hour mark, it was Clarke who changed the contest. It was a nice move from Sunderland, Roberts and Gelhardt combining to work the ball out to the winger. From there he did what he does best, cutting inside and smashing an effort into the top corner.

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The visitors responded by pushing on even further, testing Sunderland but leaving space for the break. They went close when a nice move saw Roberts connect with a low ball into the box, but O’Leary did well to get down and save.

The Black Cats were holding onto possession well and looked like they would secure another crucial win, but as stoppage time began Hume was beaten by Da Silva and hauled him down.

Sunderland threw bodies forward in search of a winner but it was to no avail.

Sunderland XI: Patterson; Hume, Ballard, Batth, Alese; Neil, Michut (O’Nien, 62); Roberts (Ekwah, 86), Amad, Clarke (Cirkin, 86); Gelhardt (Pritchard, 62)

Subs: Bass, Ba, Lihadji

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Bristol City XI: O’Leary; Tanner (Weimann, 69), Vyner, Atkinson (Kalas, 15), Pring; Williams (Da Silva, 86), James; Mehmeti (Cornick, 69), Scott, Sykes; Bell (Wells, 69)

Subs: Haikin, King

Bookings: O’Nien, 81 Ekwah, 90

Attendance: 38,685

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