Joe Gelhardt is off the mark for Sunderland - but his first goal for the club could not prevent the Black Cats' play-off hopes taking a knock as they slipped to a shock defeat at relegation strugglers Rotherham United. The Black Cats trailed 2-0 against the Millers at the New York Stadium with less than an hour gone, with Ollie Rathbone putting the hosts ahead in the opening 20 minutes and former Newcastle United man Shane Ferguson adding the second ten minutes after the break.
On-loan Leeds United man Gelhardt, who had earlier had a 'goal' chalked off for offside, pulled one back for the visitors just after the hour to give Tony Mowbray's men hope. And they piled the pressure on in the closing stages but could not force an equaliser, and they committed so many bodies forward they almost conceded a third when sub Conor Washington hit the post late on.
Sunderland would have gone fourth had they won, but defeat meant they dropped to eighth in the table and are now a point outside the play-off spots. For Rotherham, this victory ended their five-game winless streak and they moved up one place to fifth-bottom.
READ MORE: Rotherham United 2-1 Sunderland: Highlights and reaction as Gelhardt scores in shock defeat
Mowbray made three changes to the side that started the weekend draw against Bristol City on Wearside. Alex Pritchard came into the XI in place of Patrick Roberts, while the other changes came in defence where Luke O'Nien replaced Trai Hume at right-back and Dennis Cirkin replaced Aji Alese at left-back.
Rotherham boss Matt Taylor made two changes, in his case to the side that lost 2-0 at home to Coventry City on Saturday. Leo Hjelde and Tariqe Fosu came into the side, with Cohen Bramall and Hakeem Odoffin making way.
The first half was scrappy, with Sunderland seemingly having no answer to Rotherham's direct style. The Black Cats failed to win second balls in midfield, and that allowed the hosts to dictate play.
There was little quality on show and the Millers took the lead with the first meaningful attack of the match, although it was a poor goal to concede from Sunderland's point of view. Fosu fed the ball to Rathbone just over halfway and he advanced through the middle with Edouard Michut allowing him to come forward without making a challenge, and the Rotherham skipper had time and space to hit a left foot shot from 20 yards out which beat Anthony Patterson and found the bottom right-hand corner of the net.
Sunderland had chances to equalise almost immediately, with Pritchard bringing a fine save out of Viktor Johannsson as the keeper turned his shot round the post. And from the resulting corner taken by Pritchard, Dan Ballard headed narrowly wide.
At the other end, Lee Peltier headed over the top from a corner. But Sunderland were unable to test Johansson again before the break, as Amad sent a shot way over the top and then in injury-time Gelhardt dragged an effort across the face of goal and wide of the left-hand post.
Within minutes of the restart, Rathbone brought a save out of Patterson with a shot on the turn. Sunderland thought they had levelled on 52 minutes when Gelhardt finished from six yards after Dan Neil's cross had flicked off the back of O'Nien, but the offside flag was immediately raised against the striker and it was ruled out.
Instead Rotherham doubled their lead in the 56th minute when Neil was caught in possession and the ball was played to Ferguson who was left in acres of space and he charged forward before hitting a low shot which evaded Patterson's dive and went in off the right-hand post. Sunderland stepped up a gear and Gelhardt played in Clarke inside the box on the left, but his first-time shot was beaten away by Johansson.
They got back into the game on 62 minutes as O'Nien cross from the right found Gelhardt at the far post and his firm header from close range left the keeper no chance. Sunderland pushed hard for the equaliser but found it difficult to pick their way through Rotherham's massed ranks in defence.
They were almost caught out themselves five minutes from time when the Millers broke away and Washington's shot came back off the woodwork. But still Sunderland kept on pushing and sub Roberts carved out a chance for Gelhardt a couple of minutes from time, chipping the ball into the box for the striker but he saw his header saved and held by Johansson.
In injury-time, Sunderland threw bodies forward for a corner and after an almighty scramble Gelhardt was foiled by Johansson and that was enough to earn Rotherham all three points.
How they lined up
Rotherham United: Johansson, Peltier (Odoffin 78), Humphreys, Hall (Harding 45+2), Hjelde, Coventry, Rathbone (Washington 78), Ogbene, Fosu, Ferguson (Lindsay 64), Hugill (Kelly 78). Subs not used: Vickers, Bramall
Booked: Hugill, Coventry
Sunderland: Patterson, O'Nien, Batth (Hume 63), Ballard, Cirkin (Alese 63), Amad, Michut (Roberts 63), Neil, Pritchard (Ba 85), Gelhardt, Clarke (Bennette 85). Subs not used: Bass, Ekwah
Booked: Cirkin
Referee: Chris Kavanagh (Lancashire)
Attendance: 10,522
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