Anthony Patterson started in goal with Thorben Hoffmann absent as Sunderland took on Cheltenham at Whaddon Road.
On-loan Bayern Munich man Hoffmann did not travel to the South West, and with backup Lee Burge also out with a heart issue following a bout of Covid, third-choice keeper Patterson made his first start in almost a month.
Patterson had been out on loan at National League Notts County until Covid struck the Sunderland camp in early January, when both Hoffmann and Burge were affected, and he was recalled to Wearside.
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He played the first two games of 2022 before Hoffmann returned, but Burge's ongoing problem meant the academy product was not sent back out on loan.
Patterson's inclusion was one of four changes made by interim boss to the side that lost at home to basement side Doncaster Rovers at the weekend.
Trai Hume made his Sunderland debut after signing last month, while fellow new arrivals Jay Matete and Jack Clarke were handed their first starts.
Hume replaced Carl Winchester, while Matete replaced Dan Neil, and Clarke came in for Lynden Gooch who missed out with a calf problem.
Jermain Defoe was again amongst the subs.
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.
You can follow the match as it happens in our live blog here.
Tonight's line-ups
Sunderland: Patterson, Hume, Batth, Doyle, Cirkin, Evans, Matete, Dajaku, Pritchard, Clarke, Stewart
Subs: Carney, Embleton, Defoe, Winchester, Xhemajli, Neil, Roberts
Cheltenham: Evans, Raglan, Pollock, Boyle, Blair, Ramsey, Bonds, Colkett, B Williams, May, Etete
Subs: Flinders, Freestone, Hutchinson, Sercombe, Wright, Soule, A Williams
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