Sunderland 1-2 Burton Albion
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Burton striker Darren Bent scores against his old club to a chorus of boos, before Liam Boyce won it
Sunderland were relegated for the second season in succession after Liam Boyce's late header gave Burton Albion's survival hopes a huge lift.
Burton were a goal down with five minutes to play after Paddy McNair's low first-half strike.
Darren Bent scored against his old club to level from close range, and Boyce's goal silenced the home support.
The Black Cats had the ball in the net in injury time but it was ruled out and ended their Championship status.
Sunderland's tumble into the third tier caps a disastrous last two seasons on Wearside, having gone from 10 years of Premier League stability to slide into the third tier for the first time in 30 years.
Chris Coleman was brought to the club in November tasked with keeping the club in the Championship, inheriting a side bottom of the table with just one win.
Despite making improvements in terms of performances, the former Wales boss was unable to turn form around with just five league wins since his arrival.
The atmosphere at the Stadium of Light was strangely muted throughout this game, possibly as fans had eyes elsewhere on their rivals' fates and results had largely gone their way with Bolton and Barnsley both losing.
However, their late collapse has become something of a theme, with late goals costing them points against Reading, Norwich and Leeds in recent weeks that might have helped keep them in the division.
And defeat, coupled with the fact that Burton host fourth-from-bottom Bolton next Saturday, means that the Black Cats, with two games still to play, cannot bridge the six-point gap between them and safety.
Victory for Burton, who then travel to Preston on the final day, meant Nigel Clough's side have won back-to-back games now for only the third time this season.
Sunderland boss Chris Coleman told BBC Newcastle:
"We didn't play great, it was the first game in the last six weeks where we weren't very good when we were previously very good.
"Against Norwich, Leeds, Reading and now Burton, we've been leading deep into the game and we don't deal with it the way we should. We should be eight points better off.
"We haven't been good enough, I won't go into the situation with the ruled out goal, it was a mess, bit like ourselves across the season."
Burton Albion boss Nigel Clough told BBC Radio Derby:
"It's about time one went in our favour. I'm delighted to get the three points, we deserved it on our second half performance and sad it means Sunderland are down but it gives us a glimmer of hope we can take it to the last two games.
"There was frustration, similar to a lot of a lot of away performances this season where we've played well enough but been unable to convert our superiority.
"The goal that was disallowed, absolutely adamant everyone around it that it was a blatant handball, that's why they reacted like they did if there had been any question at all about it, then I don't think you'd have seen any reaction and John Brayford as captain is entitled to speak to the referee and say come on talk to your assistant, they did that and came to the right decision.
"The lads said there was a definite arm that pushed it towards the line, which has resulted in the goal, as long as they've got it right I'm looking forward to seeing it."