Pack’s howler seals a miraculous Cats point
BRISTOL CITY 3
Flint (5), Diedhiou (31, 37)
SUNDERLAND 3
Brownhill (og, 70) , Mcgeady (81), Pack (og, 90)
Two second-half own goals allowed Sunderland to come from 3-0 down at the break to take an astonishing point at Ashton Gate.
First-half goals from Bristol City central defender Aden Flint and a Famara Diedhiou double looked to have the home side coasting as the sides went into the half-time break.
The Black Cats looked down and out, and were staring down the barrel of another defeat, but in the second half, Josh Brownhill and Marlon Pack inadvertently found the back of their own net either side of an Aden Mcgeady strike to produce a result barely anyone would have predicted after 70 minutes, never mind at half-time.
Flint capitalised on shocking defending to give City a fifth-minute lead. The big centre-back was allowed to control a Pack free-kick inside the box, take a touch towards goal and fire home unchallenged from six yards.
It was 2-0 after 31 minutes as Diedhiou ran clear onto a Bobby Reid through ball. His first shot was blocked by goalkeeper Lee Camp, but the ball broke for the striker to hammer it into the roof of the net from close range.
Sunderland were wide open and conceded a third six minutes later. A swift City break out of defence ended with Ryan Kent’s low cross from the right being slid home by the stretching Diedhiou.
The Senegalese ace only just missed out on a first-half hat-trick, failing by inches to make contact with a superb low ball across the box from Reid. Joe Bryan sent a curling shot just over from the edge of the box before the half-time whistle provided some breathing space for Chris Coleman’s overrun team.
Some visiting fans had seen enough, while others who had made the 600-mile round trip to watch their team chanted: “You’re not fit to wear the shirt.”
Sunderland began the second half well and Ashley Fletcher saw a well-placed header from Joel Asoro’s cross blocked by City skipper Bailey Wright a couple of yards out. Then Ovie Ejario fired narrowly over from distance.
Diedhiou had the ball in the net again after 57 minutes, but was adjudged to have put it there with his hand, rather than his head by referee James Linington, who showed a yellow card. The Black Cats fans were then given something to cheer 20 minutes from time when Lee Cattermole’s header came back off the bar and the ball hit Brownhill, who inadvertently knocked it over the line for an own goal.
And when substitute Mcgeady shot low past Frank Fielding from Cattermole’s 81st-minute free-kick it set up an unexpectedly tense finish.
Fielding had to make an outstanding double save to deny first substitute Ethan Robson and then Fletcher, the latter looking certain to score when the goalkeeper parried Robson’s deflected shot into his path.
Visiting supporters were in dreamland when substitute Kazenga Lualua’s low cross from the byline went in off Pack at the start of stoppage time, with City head coach Lee Johnson apoplectic.