Bristol City took a step closer to securing their place in the play-offs as second-half goals from Rob Dickie and Ross McCrorie saw them come from behind to beat 10-man Sunderland at Ashton Gate.
Eliezer Mayenda gave the away side the lead after 31 minutes with an impressive counterattack and for a time, it looked like it would be a frustrating afternoon for Liam Manning's side who headed into the break 1-0 down in BS3.
However, both Dickie and McCrorie managed to produce two moments of magic in the space of just 20 minutes to ensure all three points would be remaining in the West Country.
With their win over the Black Cats, the Robins remain fifth in the Championship, a point clear of sixth-placed Coventry City and four ahead of seventh-placed Middlesbrough with just three matches left to play.
You can recap all the action as it happened at Ashton Gate here...
Key Events
The manager's reaction
Player ratings have landed
Full-time: BRISTOL CITY 2 - 1 Sunderland
GOAL!!! BRISTOL CITY 2 - 1 SUNDERLAND [MCCRORIE]
GOALLLLL: BRISTOL CITY 1 - 1 Sunderland [Dickie]
KEY EVENT
The manager's reaction
As mentioned, we've heard from a rather chuffed Liam Manning and the Bristol City boss has set Rob Dickie a new challenge after his special goal this afternoon.
You can read exactly what that is HERE...
KEY EVENT
Player ratings have landed
Sorry for the delay, we were speaking to Liam Manning and Rob Dickie. Anyway, our player ratings have landed at Ashton Gate.
You can read them HERE...
KEY EVENT
Full-time: BRISTOL CITY 2 - 1 Sunderland
They get all three points! Rob Dickie and Ross McCrorie's goals are enough to secure all three points and on the balance of the game, the Reds deserve it. Just how big could that be in a few weeks...
We'll have reaction from BS3 as it comes here...
90+1Daniel Carter
Final City change
Ross McCrorie makes way for Haydon Roberts for the final minutes. The Scotsman has been superb again today.
90+1Daniel Carter
Three minutes added
City have three minutes to hold on.
90Daniel Carter
City free-kick
Twine is brought to ground some 35 yards from goal. I wonder if he will line this one up...
89Daniel Carter
Yellow card for Anderson
The Sunderland sub goes into the book for a nasty kick on Wells. He will kill as much time as he can over this free-kick.
86Daniel Carter
Mehmeti fires wide
That so easily could have been that. Mehmeti does well to battle his way down the left wing before cutting onto his right foot and shooting. He connects well and while for a second it looked in, it flies past the post.
85Daniel Carter
Foul by Twine
Twine catches his man inside the Sunderland box after a smart move involving Yu. City want another here.
82Daniel Carter
Wells fires over
The corner is cleared only as far as Yu who passes to McCrorie. He stands up a cross to the back post which ends up with Twine. He slips a pass to Wells who fires over the bar.
81Daniel Carter
City corner
Hirakawa's cross is cleared behind for a corner.
81Daniel Carter
Another City change
George Earthy's afternoon is over as he is replaced by George Earthy. He has once again been a real livewire out there.
76KEY EVENT
GOAL!!! BRISTOL CITY 2 - 1 SUNDERLAND [MCCRORIE]
Get in there! With the ball bouncing in the Sunderland box, McCrorie races in and smashes a low shot past Patterson and into the back of the net. That is some finish and Ashton Gate is on it's feet.
72Daniel Carter
Double City change
Mehmeti and Twine are on for Joe Williams and Max Bird. Manning is going for this one now.
71Daniel Carter
Not as good from Dickie this time
Rob Dickie may have got a bit too confident here. He again picks up the ball in a similar spot to his goal and opts to shoot again. This time, he gets it wrong and misses the target by some way.
69Daniel Carter
Off the line!
Ross McCrorie couldn't have come closer there. The corner is swung onto the right boot of the Scotsman who guides his effort well and it takes a touch on the line to keep it out.
The Robins are banging the door down here.
68Daniel Carter
Pring gets away with one
Cam Pring has just had a mad minute of action. He loses the ball, chases his man back and wins possession inside his own box. Just as he begins to relax, he slips and clears while flat on the floor.
At the other end Yu wins a corner.
66Daniel Carter
Bird chips over
That's a waste. City are throwing men forward and once again, the ball ends up with Bird on the edge of the area. He looks to place a shot in the back of the net but clears the crossbar by someway.
Patterson is then booked for taking too long over the goalkick.
63Daniel Carter
Wells forces a save
Bird breaks down the right and a cross lands on the head of Vyner. He diverts his effort on target but it is easily saved by Patterson in the Black Cats' net.
61Daniel Carter
How has he missed!
Vyner couldn't have come closer. The corner is smashed into the back post where Dickie is waiting. He nods across goal and Vyner can only head over the bar from close range.
Sunderland have made a triple change here Isidor, Jobe Bellingham and Abdul Samed are on here.
59Daniel Carter
Earthy forces a corner
George Earthy wants in on the act. He curls a shot goalward but it is blocked behind for a corner.
58Daniel Carter
City appeal for a penalty
The whole of the City team gather around the referee as Bird goes to ground under a challenge in the Sunderland box. Langford is unmoved and I have to say, that woud have been soft.
55KEY EVENT
GOALLLLL: BRISTOL CITY 1 - 1 Sunderland [Dickie]
WHAT A HIT! Rob Dickie picks up the ball some 25 or so yards out and slaps a right-footed shot into the top corner. I can't believe what I've just seen.
54Daniel Carter
How is it not 1-1?
City are doing everything they can here. Wells sees a shot blocked and the Reds see shot after shot blocked before Williams looks to curl an effort into the top corner.
Ashtonm Gate is rocking now.
53Daniel Carter
Dickie must do better
That's the chance. The corner is taken short and lands at the feet of Dickie in the box. He doesn't get a shot away despite the goal gaping.
Moments later Bird sees an effort blocked.
52Daniel Carter
City corner
Knight's pass is blocked behind for a corner...
50Daniel Carter
Poor from McCrorie
That is a wild cross from the Scotsman. He's flipped onto the left wing in this second half and he looks to chip a ball into the box. He gets way too much on it and it is straight into the South Stand.
48Daniel Carter
Pring into the book
Sunderland break and get around Dickie on the halfway line. It looks like they're through before Pring fouls his man, takes the booking and stops the attack.
Sensible play from the defender.
47Daniel Carter
Early penalty shouts waved away
Yu swings a cross to the back post where both McCrorie and Wells are waiting. The former gets his head on it but both men end up on the floor and see their appeals waved away.
46KEY EVENT
We're back underway
Here we go then! A massive 45 minutes to come for the Robins. Let's hope the South Stand can suck the ball into the back of the net.
