After the embarassment against Pompey and the humiliating no-show against Arsenal, this was a big chance for the team to get back on track, and get back into the relegation pack. It was a chance the team would fail to grasp, quite miserably.

It again started relatively brightly, with the Lads managing to get a few semi-shots in on goal, with the main threat being John Stead, who seemed intent onshowing someone that he was a Premiership class player. However, a non-goal managed to turn things around in the visitors favour - James Milner had a pot-shot from range, and Ben Alwick appeared to carry the ball over the line, something missed by all the officials, but it seemed to spur Villa on, nevertheless, but they were as rubbish in front of goal as we were - the sides going in to the break at 0-0

And the second half brought with it the now familiar collapse... Milner (perhaps getting his own back for the previous non-goal) appeared to carry the ball over the goal line, the defence stopped, the ball was crossed in and their was Kevin Phillips to head in a simple goal. Almost from the kick-off, Christian Bassila had a thunderous drive hit the crossbar, bounce down on the line and away... it was very much a case of what might have been, as Milner again played tormentor-in-chief, crossing the ball after some neat footwork for Gareth Barry to simply tap home. The defence was again asleep as Villa broke from our own kick-off, the ball ending up with Baros, who made no mistake in beating Alnwick to make the score 3-0 to Villa.

There was not much else for Villa to do but play out time, and the crowd was already almost completely gone, when John Stead "fell" under the challenge of a Villa defender... the ref took pity and awarded us the penalty - up stepped Dean Whitehead and he easily beat Sorensen to grab the consolation goal in a 1-3 defeat.

I could make platitudes about the only way now being up, but it looks very much to me like the players (and club) already have their mind on next season's Championship campaign... we look as good as down, and its still only November. Whether we can muster the spirit to pass our own paltry 19 point record remains to be seen - its not looking too hopeful.

Sunderland: Alnwick, Nosworthy (Woods 60), Breen, Stubbs, Hoyte, Whitehead, Bassila, Miller, Welsh (Murphy 73), Stead, Le Tallec. Subs Not Used: Davis, Caldwell, Gray.

Aston Villa: Sorensen, Hughes, Mellberg, Ridgewell, Bouma, Milner, Davis (Bakke 89), McCann, Barry, Baros (Hendrie 90), Phillips (Moore 68). Subs Not Used: Taylor, De la Cruz.