IF indeed this was a dress rehearsal for the play-offs, Bristol City learnt a couple of daunting truths about Sunderland - they’re incredibly difficult to break down and they have players capable of turning a game in an instant.

And if these sides do meet again next month, Sunderland will have 11 men rather than the 10 they were forced to play with for 83 minutes at Ashton Gate on Good Friday after Trai Hume’s incredibly harsh early red card.

As remarkable as Eliezer Mayenda’s goal of the season contender that followed was the defensive effort required from 10-man Sunderland.

It took a stunning leveller from Rob Dickie 10 minutes into the second half to finally force a way through the organised Black Cats, before Ross McCrorie won it for Bristol City 13 minutes from time. The Robins had 27 shots on goal compared to Sunderland’s four but defeat still felt harsh on Sunderland because of the seventh minute decision to send off Hume and the resilience and steel his teammates still on the pitch then displayed. And because Mayenda’s quite remarkable 31st minute goal was worthy of winning any game.

Picking up the ball on the edge of his own half, the striker set off on a one-man charge, beating three Bristol City defenders – one of them twice – before wrong-footing home goalkeeper Max O’Leary with a clinical finish.

Mayenda was selected ahead of Wilson Isidor and it’s hard to currently make an argument for that not being the case when the play-offs get underway. The young striker was immense at Ashton Gate. And it was an immense defensive effort from Sunderland after Hume’s dismissal.

Sunderland initially made a mess of a long ball they should have dealt with routinely, but it was referee Oliver Langford who made a mess of what followed.

Nahki Wells was heading away from goal and was already losing his balance when there was the slightest of touches from the Sunderland full-back and the striker hit the deck. It was barely a foul, never mind a red card.

Home boss Liam Manning this week urged his Bristol City to have a “right go”, but it was Sunderland who had started the brighter and more confident of the two sides and could have taken an early lead had Chris Rigg managed to get Tommy Watson’s cut-back under his spell.

The Robins hadn’t touched the ball inside the Sunderland box before the red card but were obviously lifted by the decision and sensed an opportunity.  Joe Williams fired just wide from distance an Dickie’s shot from a similar position flashed just past the same post. But Sunderland, forced into a tactical rethink after the red with Dan Neil dropping to centre-half and Luke O’Nien moving to right-back, were so superbly organised.

The Robins had more than 70% of the possession in the first half an hour but hadn’t managed a single shot on target. And they were then stunned by Mayenda’s moment of pure brilliance, a remarkable individual goal that will have been on the mind of nobody inside Ashton Gate when the striker first picked up the loose ball on the edge of his own box.

It was in that same box that George Earthy found the net five minutes later, first to react after Anthony Patterson’s fine save, but the offside flag came to Sunderland’s rescue.

Mayenda was oozing confidence. On the stroke of half-time, the striker took down a long punt forward with a magical first touch before turning, charging at goal and teeing up Patrick Roberts, whose shot was fisted away by O’Leary.

Bristol City simply couldn’t cope with Mayenda. Just a couple of minutes into the second half, the striker was at it again, shrugging off two challenges and setting Sunderland away on the counter, only stopped after being scythed down by Cameron Pring, who was booked.

Bristol City were throwing everything at it and it was testament to Sunderland’s quite remarkable defensive effort that they managed to keep the Robins out until the 55th minute. And when the equaliser did come, it took an unstoppable Dickie hit from 25 yards out that nestled in Patterson’s top left corner and gave the unmoved keeper no chance.

Ashton Gate was deafening and Bristol City had no intention of settling at 1-1. They continued to pour forward and with their 18th effort on goal, Zak Vyner headed just over from six yards out.

Jobe Bellingham returned to action on the hour mark, introduced alongside Wilson Isidor and Salis Abdul Samed, with Roberts, Rigg and Le Fee making way.

Bristol City kept pushing. Effort number 22 on the Sunderland goal was cleared off the line by Leo Hjelde. Sunderland were trying their best to stem the tide, Patterson booked for timewasting and the anxious home fans growing increasingly frustrated as their side chased a pivotal second goal.

It came 13 minutes from time, McCrorie pouncing on a loose ball inside the box and lashing beyond Patterson.