Sunderland had 88 minutes to respond to going behind against Coventry - but for all their possession, they couldn't find an equaliser.
They thought they had when Max Power fired in, but the ball deflected off Luke O'Nien who was standing in an offside position.,
The Black Cats got off to a terrible start when Matt Godden found space in the visitors' box to fire home after just two minutes.
Charlie Wyke then went close for the visitors but his volley flew just wide.
Sunderland should have levelled when an unmarked Tom Flanagan met Chris Maguire's free-kick, but could only direct his effort wide.
The second half so fewer chances but the visitors had the bulk of possession.
Godden should have made it 2-0 but fired wide, and then after Power's disallowed goal, the wind seemed to drop from Sunderland's sails.
Here's how James Hunter has rated the Sunderland players.
JON McLAUGHLIN 6
No chance with the goal and made a couple of saves in the second half
JORDAN WILLIS 6
Did OK on his return to his former club
ALIM OZTURK 6
Might have done better for the goal, but other than that he had a solid game
TOM FLANAGAN 7
Another who might have done better for the goal. Made some important challenges, and missed a good chance to equalise
LUKE O’NIEN 5
Gave the ball away too often. Deflection which ruled out Power’s goal was off his heel
GEORGE DOBSON 6
Worked hard in the middle of the park
MAX POWER 6
Made a couple of crunching challenges and almost came up with the equaliser
DENVER HUME 5
Not at his best and was sacrificed when Lafferty came on
CHRIS MAGUIRE 7
Set-pieces were dangerous and that looked Sunderland’s best route to goal for most of the match
CHARLIE WYKE 7
Won plenty of ball in the air against Coventry’s centre-backs. Headed one chance over the bar
LYNDEN GOOCH 6
One or two promising runs, but no end product
SUBS
KYLE LAFFERTY 6
For Hume 69mins. Another attacking option but couldn’t force a goal
ANTOINE SEMENYO 6
For Willis 78mins. Pace gave Sunderland something extra but it wasn’t enough
NOT USED: Burge, C McLaughlin, Lynch, Grigg, Scowen
Rate the players
Now it's your turn.
Rate the players after the defeat at Coventry above.
