Sunderland let their standards slip as they lost at home to Cardiff City. The Black Cats turned in a below-par performance at the Stadium of Light and could have lost by a more convincing scoreline.
As it was, Mark Harris' goal early in the second half proved decisive on the day and inflicted a second successive home defeat on Sunderland. Tony Mowbray's Black Cats struggled to create clear-cut chances despite including fit-again Ellis Simms from the start.
Defeat meant Sunderland slipped one place to 13th in the table, and they are level on points with 14th-placed Cardiff but above them on goal difference.
