Sunderland seemed to have given themselves an unlikely lifeline on Good Friday as they hammered Derby at Pride Park by four goals to one.

The Black Cats seized on slack Derby defending with some clinical finishes to lift themselves off the bottom of the table, but by Easter Monday it was business as usual as Sheffield Wednesday won 3-1 at the Stadium of Light.

The game turned against Chris Coleman's side shortly after Tom Lees gave the Owls a 2-1 lead. Sunderland, on the attack, had Lynden Gooch fouled in the area. The culprit, Barry Bannan, was already on a yellow card  but referee Simon Hooper waved play on.

“The fine moment where we (should) get a penalty, they go to 10 men and we get nothing was hugely disappointing,” Coleman told the Chronicle Live. “I can’t understand why he didn’t make the decision because the linesman on that side has a clear view, there’s no bodies in between, and the ref’s in a good position himself."

Coleman claimed even Sheffield Wednesday manager Jos Luhukay thought it should have been a spot kick and Bannan should have walked.

“Everybody in the stadium saw that and saw the same thing. The Sheffield Wednesday fans would have thought the same thing, the Sheffield Wednesday bench would. The two people who didn’t the two people who we needed to see it and call it right didn’t. I thought that was a huge moment where the advantage could have swung to us.”

The defeat has left Sunderland five points adrift of safety having played a game more than most of their rivals, meaning they have a mountain to climb to stop themselves suffering consecutive relegations.

The Verdict

I've said it before and I'm afraid I'm saying it again. Sunderland won't avoid the drop this season. I've seen the foul, Coleman is right, it is a penalty and a bookable offence.

When you're down at the bottom you need that little bit of luck to go your way and it didn't go Sunderland's way this weekend. You can't blame that for their demise though, a season is 46 games not one.