Sunderland 0-1 Blackburn Rovers: Tyrhys Dolan keeps their slim play-off hopes alive with win

Tyrhys Dolan kept alive Blackburn's chances of making the Sky Bet Championship play-offs after a hard-earned win at Sunderland.

On an afternoon when results elsewhere meant the Black Cats secured fourth place, Dolan's 33rd-minute strike was enough to clinch a 1-0 victory at the Stadium of Light and a third on the trot for Valerien Ismael's side.

By contrast, Regis Le Bris' men have lost their last three games and have collected just one of the last 12 points on offer, hardly the kind of form they would want to take into the play-offs.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

• Championship highlights | Table | Fixtures
• All you need to know - Streaming Sky Sports with NOW | Get Sky Sports
• Download the Sky Sports App to watch every Sky Sports+ game
• Live EFL on Sky Sports+ & how to watch | Get more EFL to your phone with WhatsApp

Le Bris made seven changes to the side which lost 2-1 at Bristol City on Good Friday, one of them to replace the suspended Trai Hume following his red card.

Wilson Isidor tested goalkeeper Balazs Toth with a first-time shot from Harrison Jones' fourth-minute cross and Tommy Watson saw an effort blocked by Ryan Hedges with the home side threatening the Rovers goal early on.

The visitors started to come into the game as Sondre Tronstad and Lewis Travis gained a foothold in midfield but it took a solid 29th-minute block by Dominic Hyam to deny Isidor after Jobe Bellingham and Watson had broken at pace.

Isidor flashed an ambitious volley across the face of goal from Jones' lofted pass but the hosts were behind 12 minutes before the break when Cauley Woodrow found Dolan in the box and he stepped inside Joe Anderson - making his first league start for Sunderland - before firing into the roof of the net.

Jones blazed over after Luke O'Nien's speculative attempt had been deflected into his path and Danny Batth blocked Bellingham's effort as the whistle approached but the home side went in at the break frustrated.

In a tepid start to the second half, Watson looked the man most likely to fashion an opening but clear-cut chances were at a premium and after Isidor had dragged a 64th-minute attempt wide, the Frenchman made a triple change to send on attacking trio Chris Rigg, Enzo Le Fee and Eliezer Mayenda.

Bellingham only just failed to get a touch on Rigg's teasing 77th-minute cross but Blackburn substitute Makhtar Gueye might have done better after bursting forward four minutes later only to see his shot charged down by defender Chris Mepham.

The managers

Sunderland's Regis Le Bris:

"I think Southampton last year lost four or five games - one of them 5-0, I think - and they were promoted, so every situation is unique and ours is unique as well, so we have to manage it properly.

"The question now is about the desire of the squad, the desire of the club, the desire of the fans and the connection we have together.

"This part of the project, I think, is the most important, so I hope we'll have mainly a full squad, good energy and two games to play. We'll see."

Blackburn's Valerien Ismael:

"We play for the three points on Saturday - that's the only thing I'm looking at, just to stay focused on what we have to do.

"We have put ourselves now in a good position to finish the last game this season at home with a positivity, and we want to take the next step."

Win £250,000 with Super 6!

The £250,000 is up for grabs with Super 6, and as always it is completely free to play. Entries by 3pm Saturday.