A massive let off for Derby, as Ashley Fletcher is denied by the upright.

After some smart interplay at the back, Aiden McGeady bursts forwards and then releases the former West Ham and Boro striker.

Fletcher cuts in from the left, strides past Richard Keogh and curls a shot goalwards from the edge of area.

It rebounds off the post with Rams keeper Scott Carson well beaten. A fourth goal would surely have sealed the points for the visitors.

Great hold-up play from David Nugent releases Andreas Weimann but the Austrian can't get his ball into the box right.

Sunderland break away, and Paddy McNair sends a low shot straight at Scott Carson.

The hosts are having more of the ball, but could still be vulnerable on the counter attack.

Andreas Weimann bursts into the Sunderland box but Bryan Oviedo gets the ball away.

The forward then flashes a ball across goal from the right, but visiting keeper Lee Camp allows that one to run behind for a goal kick.

Black Cats defender Donald Love has gone into the book for knocking the ball away and delaying the restart.

Referee James Linington calls play back to show a yellow card to Lamine Kone for a foul on Derby striker Cameron Jerome on halfway.

The Rams players and fans were frustrated by that, as they looked to be mounting a counter-attack.

Image source, Getty Images

Derby boss Gary Rowett makes his second substitution, as striker David Nugent comes on for midfielder George Thorne.

Can the one-time England international spark a comeback?

Daniel: I have never seen a goalkeeper act like Scott Carson just did for @dcfcofficial, external when facing a penalty. What was he thinking?

Derby scorer Matej Vydra goes down in the box after stepping across Donald Love.

There was minimal contact and he hit the deck somewhat theatrically.

Referee James Linington waves play on despite appeals from Rams fans. No penalty.

Even if Derby are out of form, this will surely go down as one of Sunderland's best results of the season if they can hang on.

Three points today would see the Black Cats move off the bottom of the Championship and go three points from safety.

Still plenty of football to be played though.

Sunderland get a spot kick as Craig Forsyth fouls Lynden Gooch inside the area.

The youngster had got ahead of the left-back there, who brings him down.

Referee James Linington did not have to think for very long before pointing to the spot - a straightforward decision.

Derby have shown more urgency at the start of the second half, with sub Kasey Palmer having a couple of decent forward balls cut out by the defence.

Lamine Kone then has to be alert to clear in front of Andi Weimann.

Sunderland get the second half started.

Can the Black Cats hang on and end their 10-match winless run in the Championship?

Meanwhile, Derby are looking to hang on to their place in the play-off places.

Boss Gary Rowett has brought on Kasey Palmer for Tom Lawrence at half-time.

Rams owner Mel Morris has been in the stands behind one of the goals in the first half, so he'll be well aware of the frustration of home fans.

Manager Jos Luhukay was full of praise for the Sheffield Wednesday fans and substitute striker Lucas Joao after they scored four second-half goals in the 4-1 success against Preston North End.

Image source, Rex Features

"Fantastic. I'm very happy for the team, players and fans. What a game for everybody," Luhukay said.

"What an atmosphere over 90 minutes. Our fans will go back with a very positive feeling. The fans are seeing players who are fighting for each other.

"We had a lot of problems to control the game in the first half, but in the second half, Lucas was the key to more offensive actions."

Image source, Rex Features

Two goals in four second-half minutes by Stefan Johansen and Tom Cairney earned high-flying Fulham an impressive 2-0 win against Norwich at Carrow Road.

But the west London side are still seven points off the automatic spots and Cardiff - in second - have a game in hand

Manager Slavisa Jokanovic said: "We know we need some help from Wolves and Cardiff but if they give us some help then we have to be in a position to take advantage.

"It's not in our hands, so all we concentrate on are our own games. There are seven games left, 21 points to play for. We just have to keep picking up good results and then see what happens in May."

Image source, PA

Some reaction to that bonkers game at the Riverside earlier, which Wolves won 2-1 despite playing the final 20 minutes with nine men.

Middlesbrough boss Tony Pulis told BBC Tees:

"I thought that we didn't deserve to be 2-0 down, I thought the two goals in such a short time didn't reflect really the first half.

"I'd have jumped up in the air but I wouldn't have done it in front of the other manager, but that's up to him.

"If he wants to do that, that's fine, it's not a problem with me. He's not my mate, so it's not as though I've lost a friend."

Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo told BBC WM:

"The players lost control of their emotions and I think it is the job of the referee to speak to them and calm them. My players are used to dialogue. The referee was not a dialogue person today.

"We are not an aggressive team that gets a lot of cards. What happened today requires a lot of analysis from us.

"When we had the same number of players on the pitch as Middlesbrough we showed we are a better team and they are a good side."

During the half-time in the east Midlands, we'll get some more reaction from the games earlier today, starting with nine-man Wolves' win at Middlesbrough.

Image source, Rex Features

And the first half ends with Sunderland ahead.

It's been an action-packed first half at Pride Park.

Goals from George Honeyman - via the head of Craig Forsyth - and Ashley Fletcher put the visitors 2-0 up before Matej Vydra hit back for Derby just before the break.

It really should be 3-1 to Sunderland.

A teasing ball in from the left from Aiden McGeady is met by an unmarked Ashley Fletcher, but he miscues his effort and it goes wide.

He saw it late after the ball evaded Derby centre-back Curtis Davies, but he probably should have got it on target.

There are two minutes to add at the end of the first half.

Derby are on top at the moment as they rally in search of an equaliser.