Ellis Taylor's first-half double saw Sunderland U23s beat Birmingham City U23 to end their ten-game winless streak in Premier League 2. Taylor gave the Black Cats the lead at Eppleton from the penalty spot ten minutes from half-time after sub Nicky Gyimah had been fouled.
And five minutes later the 19-year-old scored with a stunning long-range strike to put Sunderland firmly in the driving seat. But Josh Williams pulled a goal back for the visitors just after the break, and Sunderland had to weather heavy pressure from Birmingham throughout the second half to see out the win.
The victory was Sunderland's first in the league since January, and lifted Mike Dodds and Michael Proctor's side to third-bottom of the table, with one game to play. Goalkeeper Lee Burge played his first game since recovering from a heart issue, but he was the only senior player involved.
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The Black Cats included three trialists in their side, with former Chester-le-Street winger Michael Spellman continuing his spell at the club, Leeds defender Joe Littlewood playing his second game, and Fulham centre-back Xavier Benjamin given his first opportunity to shine. Both sides suffered early injury blows, with Vinnie Steels limping off with a thigh problem, while Birmingham lost skipper Remi Walker.
The visitors were first to threaten with Jobe Bellingham forcing a save out of Burge from a tight angle, and a couple of minutes later Ethan Kachosa made an excellent block to deny Josh Williams. Sunderland should have gone in front on 33 minutes when Taylor's corner from the right found Tom Scott, but the midfielder could only send his shot over the bar from six yards.
But the Black Cats took the lead a minute later from the penalty spot. A ball over the top of the defence found sub Nicky Gyimah, who had replaced Steels, on the left side of the area and goalkeeper Alfie Brooks came off his line and flattened the Sunderland man.
Taylor stepped up to send Brooks the wrong way from the spot, sending the ball into the bottom left-hand corner. Taylor doubled Sunderland's lead on 39 minutes with a brilliant 25-yard strike which found the top left-hand corner, leaving the keeper no chance.
Birmingham ended the half strongly, and Burge had to stretch to get his fingertips to a Williams shot that was half-blocked by Cameron Jessup but was looping under the bar. And from the resulting corner, Tate Campbell's header clipped the top of the Sunderland bar on its way over.
The Blues pulled a goal back on 52 minutes when George Hall set up Williams inside the box, and he fired across Burge into the right side of the net. Birmingham penned Sunderland back in the second period, and for long spells it was one-way traffic.
Kieron Wakefield had a chance to level 10 minutes from time, but his shot from inside the box was always rising and it cleared the bar.
Sunderland U23: Burge, Littlewood (Bainbridge 55), Benjamin, Jessup, Kachosa, Sohna, Spellman, Scott, Steels (Gyimah 16), Kelly, Taylor. Subs not used: Carney, Jones, Fieldson
Booked: Spellman, Kelly
Birmingham City U23: Brooks, Oakley, Browne, Campbell, Masampu, Walker (Brookes 16), Chang, Williams, Bellingham, Hall, Wakefield. Subs not used: Soldevila, Hurst, Carsley
Booked: Walker, Wakefield, Hall
Referee: Steven Copeland (Liverpool)
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