Bristol City 1-0 Sunderland: Biggest issue remains unsolved in familiar away frustration

Sunderland fell to defeat on the road at Bristol City as Tommy Conway's early penalty proved the difference in a game of little quality.

Here's the story of the game and its key talking points from a Sunderland perspective...

SUNDERLAND GET AWAY WITH ONE - BUT NOT THE NEXT ONE

This looked the third game of the week for both sides pretty much from the off, the tempo poor and the errors in possession numerous. Sunderland looked just about the more dangerous but they got away with a major lapse when Ekwah tried to control a pass across the pitch from O'Nien, which had initially been aimed at Ballard. Ekwah diverted it towards goal and though Sykes went down under what he felt was a foul from Ballard, the referee waved play on. Regardless of whether it was a penalty or not, it was a let off that Sunderland did not capitalise on.

Barely fifteen minutes later, Sunderland again played their way into trouble near their own box and though he felt he could get to the loose ball first, Patterson this time most definitely did foul Sykes as he nicked the ball past him. Conway's penalty was excellent, sending Patterson the wrong way.

Sunderland had one close once or twice, Pritchard's corner almost dropping under the bar and a brilliant run from Roberts ending with a comfortable save, but now the Black Cats were behind.

CLARKE EXPERIMENT DOESN'T LAST TOO LONG

Dodds had rested Bellingham for the game, brining in Roberts and Pierre Ekwah with Jenson Seelt dropping to the bench. Most significantly his changes meant that Clarke went through the middle, with Ba instead playing out on the left.

It was an experiment that didn't last too long, Clarke back out to the left for the majoirty of the proceedings by the half hour mark. Sunderland were struggling, lacking intensity and energy all over the pitch. They ought to have fallen further behind, Mehmeti striking the post after a long ball forward wasn't deal with and Patterson then forced into a strong save from Gardner-Hickman.

A second looked a matter of time away but Sunderland did steady and have the better of the last fifteen of the half. Roberts should have done better when a nice passing move found him in the box, but his effort flew wide. Clarke then flashed a low strike across goal that Ba just couldn't get a touch to, before a Pritchard free kick from wide struck the bar and bounced over. Pritchard was clearly targeting O'Leary's aggressive starting position off his line from corners, but his side went into the break behind.

SUNDERLAND IMPROVE - BUT STRUGGLE TO FIND BIG CHANGES

Dodds opted not to make changes at the break, but got a response from his side who were much better almost right from the off. They were able to lock Bristol City in towards their own goal and build some pressure, though clear chances remained hard to come by with an obvious lack of penalty-box presence.

Luke O'Nien did force an excellent save from O'Leray when he stooped to head towards goal, the goalkeeper just about clawing it off his line. Sunderland also worked a good shooting chance for Ba shortly before he was replaced by Jobe, but his effort was weak and straight at O'Leary. Set pieces were Sunderland's most likely avenue without a striker, O'Leary saving a good header from Jobe.

A FRUSTRATING END AND DODDS' TELLING CHANGES

In the end it was a story all too familiar on the road for Sunderland this season. They saw plenty of the ball, consistently got into good areas of the pitch, but clear cut chances were few and far between. Roberts drew a good block from a defender when Clarke found him in the box, but otherwise they struggled to turn dominance into goals.

Tellingly, Dodds opted not to turn to one of his young strikers on the bench until the 87th minute when bringing on Eliezer Mayenda, having initially opted to bring on Dack and Aouchiche. Tony Mowbray may have departed last week but this was a reminder that the club's biggest issue this season remains unsolved as Michael Beale prepares to take charge next week.

Bristol City XI: O'Leary; Tanner, Vyner, Dickie, Pring; Sykes (Bell, 80), Gardner-Hickman, James (Williams, 69), Mehmeti (Weimann, 69); Knight, Conway (Cornick, 76)

Subs: Bajic, Cornick, Wells, Knight-Lebel, Yeboah

Sunderland XI: Patterson; Huggins (Mayenda, 88), Ballard, O'Nien, Hume; Neil, Ekwah (Dack, 80); Ba (Jobe, 62), Roberts, Clarke; Pritchard (Aouchiche, 80)

Subs: Bishop, Burstow, Rusyn, Seelt, Triantis

Bookings: Conway, 1 Dickie, 35 Jobe, 69 Williams, 70 Roberts, 84 Ballard, 90