The crisis at managerless Sunderland deepened as the Black Cats were booed off for a third successive game as they suffered another defeat that saw them fall even further off the automatic promotion pace.
The Black Cats' 2-1 reverse at Cheltenham Town came on the back of the 6-0 humiliation at Bolton which cost head coach Lee Johnson his job, and then the 2-1 home defeat against basement side Doncaster Rovers at the weekend.
And it goes from bad to worse for Sunderland, who look like a side devoid of all confidence, with Alex Pritchard's stunning first-half free-kick unable to lift the malaise as deflected goals from Elliott Bonds and Alfie May in the final half-hour turned the game on its head.
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The 1,500-strong travelling support backed their team throughout the game but there was a furious reaction at full-time after another damaging defeat, with Sunderland's players wisely keeping their distance when they approached the away end to acknowledge the fans before heading for the tunnel.
The club's hierarchy were in attendance at Whaddon Road, with owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, sporting director Kristjaan Speakman among those present.
Yet for all the talk of second interviews this week, there is still no sign of a new head coach appointment being made as the club continues to slide.
Interim boss Mike Dodds made four changes to the side that lost at home to basement side Doncaster Rovers at the weekend.
Anthony Patterson started in goal, with Thorben Hoffmann thought to be absent due to injury or illness.
January signing Trai Hume made his debut in defence, while fellow new arrivals Jay Matete and Jack Clarke made their first starts, in place of Carl Winchester, Dan Neil, and Lynden Gooch - the latter suffering from a calf injury.
Cheltenham boss Michael Duff made three changes to the side that drew at AFC Wimbledon a week ago.
In came Ben Williams, Charlie Colkett, and Aaron Ramsey, with Reece Hutchinson, Liam Sercombe, and Callum Wright making way.
Sunderland controlled the first half, put Cheltenham under pressure, and carved out all the best chances.
Clarke cut infield from the left and curled a shot just wide from the edge of the box early on, and later Clarke provided the cross as Ross Stewart struck the crossbar with a header although the flag was already up against the Scot.
Pritchard sent a shot straight at the keeper from the edge of the box after good work from Corry Evans, and Evans himself flashed another effort wide.
But Sunderland took the lead on 32 minutes with a brilliant set-piece won and converted by Pritchard.
The midfielder was brought down on the edge of the D by Colkett, and got up to curl the free-kick out of the reach of Owen Evans and into the top right-hand corner.
Sunderland almost doubled their lead a couple of minutes later, with only a fine save from Evans keeping out a header from Dajaku following a cross from Pritchard.
But after a generally positive first half, after the break the Black Cats reverted to the same bad habits that saw them lose heavily at Bolton and then against Doncaster.
The hosts had to come forward in search of an equaliser and they did gain more territory, albeit without testing Patterson.
That changed on 64 minutes however, as Sunderland backed off just outside the penalty and allowed Bonds room to shoot, with his effort taking a big deflection off Evans which saw it loop over Patterson and under the crossbar.
And it could have got worse for Sunderland a minute later when Alfie May had a sight of goal from the edge of the area, but his shot was straight at Patterson.
Stewart sent a shot into the sidenetting from a tight angle after good work from Hume, as Sunderland went in search of a second goal.
But Cheltenham were not content with a point and Sunderland had a lucky escape when a header went narrowly wide of the near post from a corner.
They did not get away with it on 78 minutes, however, when May hit a shot on the turn from inside the area on the right which again took a deflection, sending it beyond Patterson into the corner of the net.
Jermain Defoe came on ten minutes from time, but even he could not save his team, sending the one chance that came his way straight at the keeper.
How they lined up
Cheltenham: Evans, Raglan, Pollock, Boyle, Blair, Ramsey (Sercombe 72), Bonds, Colkett (Wright 60), B Williams (Freestone 80), May, Etete. Subs not used: Flinders, Hutchinson, Soule, A Williams
Booked: Boyle
Sunderland: Patterson, Hume, Batth, Doyle, Cirkin, Evans (Embleton 84), Matete, Dajaku (Roberts 75), Pritchard, Clarke (Defoe 80), Stewart. Subs not used: Carney, Winchester, Xhemajli, Neil
Booked: Batth, Roberts, Matete
Referee: Darren Drysdale (Lincolnshire)
Attendance: 5,744
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