Substitute Nathan Broadhead scored in added time on his comeback from injury to rescue Sunderland and fire the Black Cats back into the play-off places. The Wearsiders looked destined for a second successive goalless draw as they toiled in vain against struggling Gillingham at the Stadium of Light, and more dropped points would have put their chances of a place in the play-offs in real jeopardy.
Luke O'Nien had headed against the post and Patrick Roberts had brought a good save out of Aaron Chapman in the first half, but Sunderland could not find a way through and it looked as though they had run out of time. That was until on-loan Everton striker Broadhead marked his return with the all-important goal in the fifth minute of added time.
The win saw Sunderland leapfrog next week's opponents Oxford to go sixth in the table, a point clear of the U's. And it kept Alex Neil's side firmly in the play-off race.
