Sunderland's play-off hopes took a knock as they dropped two points at home against relegation strugglers Huddersfield Town. The Black Cats led through Joe Gelhardt's strike ten minutes before the break, and they could have been out of sight by half-time with Amad, Gelhardt, Lynden Gooch, and Jack Clarke all missing good opportunities.
But in the second half Huddersfield came out fired up and they levelled through Josh Koroma on the hour. Sunderland could still have gone on to win it, but they could not convert their chances.
The draw meant Tony Mowbray's side moved up to eighth place and cut the gap between themselves and the play-off spots to a single point, although several of their rivals are in action tomorrow night and could overtake them, while Huddersfield edged two points clear of the drop zone. Mowbray made two changes to the side that started the weekend win against Birmingham, both of which were forced upon him.
READ MORE: Sunderland 1-1 Huddersfield Town: Highlights and reaction as Black Cats' play-off hopes take a knock
Luke O'Nien came back into the starting XI to replace Dennis Cirkin, who was serving a one-match ban after being sent off against the Blues. And on-loan Leeds United forward Gelhardt came into the side, replacing midfielder Edouard Michut who missed out through injury.
Huddersfield boss Neil Warnock also made two changes, in his case to the side that lost at Swansea City at the weekend. Koroma and Josh Ruffles came into the side in place of Ramarni Edmonds-Green and Jonathan Hogg.
Sunderland were the better side in the first half, and could have gone in at the break leading by more than one goal. Clarke saw an early shot blocked, with the ball coming to ex-Huddersfield man Alex Pritchard just outside the box but he sent his first-time effort over the bar.
Clarke then set up a chance for Gelhardt, but his initial effort was blocked by Tom Lees and then his follow-up was diverted wide by the head of a defender. On the half-hour, a brilliant reverse pass from Clarke put Gooch in on goal inside the area on the left and he stepped inside his marker, only to see his low shot saved by keeper Tomas Vaclik and the loose ball was cleared.
But Sunderland eventually took the lead on 35 minutes, with a series of sloppy passes at the back giving way to a slick move that ended with the ball in the net at the other end. They nearly gave the ball away a couple of times deep inside the own half, but Amad won a 50-50 challenge and exchanged passes with Pritchard before releasing Gelhardt with a precision through-ball.
Gelhardt advanced on the box and sent a low shot through Lees' legs, past the unsighted keeper and into the bottom right-hand corner of the net. They should have doubled their lead five minutes later when a move involving Gelhardt and Pritchard ended with the ball falling perfectly for Amad 12 yards out, but he lifted his shot over the bar when it seemed he must score.
And in first-half injury time, another fine pass from Gelhardt sent Clarke scampering away down the left and he cut into the box but sent a low shot across the face of goal and wide. Huddersfield did create a couple of half-chances, with Danny Ward and Brahima Diarra seeing efforts deflected wide, while on the stroke of half-time Jaheim Headley sent a shot high and wide, but they failed to test Anthony Patterson at any point.
But the visitors stepped things up in the second half and prevented Sunderland dominating as they had in the first period. They put the Sunderland goal under sustained pressure and, after Trai Hume had miscued a clearance, Headley sent a low shot across the face of goal.
Huddersfield won a series of corners and from one of those Lees sliced the ball into the net, but the whistle had already gone for a foul. But the Terriers did get back on terms on 59 minutes, and the goal had been coming.
Koroma powered through midfield with no Sunderland player making a challenge, and his shot from the edge of the box looked to take a deflection which diverted it wide of Patterson into the left side of the net. Sunderland responded, and Amad saw a shot blocked at close range after good work from Clarke, and a minute later Amad saw another effort saved by Vaclik.
Sunderland tried to apply pressure late on but to no avail, and while they extended their unbeaten run to six games, this was very much two points dropped.
How they lined up
Sunderland: Patterson, Hume, Batth (Anderson 90), O'Nien, Gooch, Neil, Amad, Roberts (Watson 89), Pritchard, Clarke, Gelhardt (Lihadji 73). Subs not used: Bass, Ba, Taylor, Ekwah
Booked: Neil, Batth
Huddersfield Town: Vaclik, Pearson, Lees, Helik, Ruffles, Kasumu, Rudoni, Koroma, Diarra, Headley, Ward. Subs not used: Balkopic, Rhodes, Hungbo, Edmonds-Green, Jackson, Lowton, Waghorn
Booked: Headley, Kasumu
Referee: Leigh Doughty (Lancashire)
Attendance: 37,065
READ NEXT
- Tony Mowbray on Amad's future and how he could return to Sunderland next season
- Mowbray says Joe Gelhardt 'understands' why he has been left on Sunderland bench
- Sunderland issue statement after identifying Birmingham fan who threw a flare
- Alex Pritchard happy to take on new role as Sunderland challenge for play-offs
