Barnsley missed the chance to go second in the League One table with a 4-2 defeat at the home of the side currently residing in that position, thus dropping to fifth place, five points off the automatic promotion places.
Barnsley had done the league double over Sunderland last season, but this was their 11th defeat in the last 17 meetings and their 11th in the 15 occasions they have travelled to Sunderland.
Last night Barnsley were 3-0 down in 32 minutes for the first time since January when they were 3-0 down after just 19 minutes - that game was also 3-1 at half time.
The Reds conceded after 19 and then 20 minutes, the first time they have conceded two goals in the space of a minute since April 2017 when Nick Powell scored after 71 and 72 for Wigan.
It is only the fifth time this season they have conceded more than once in the league and the first in seven outings.
It is only the second time this season they have been two goals behind at half time - also at Shrewsbury.
There were six goals scored in a Barnsley match for the first time since October 2017 when the Reds won 4-2 at Burton.
It is the first time the Reds themselves have conceded four since the final game of last season when a 4-1 reverse at Derby sent them down to League One.
In all competitions it is the fifth time this season a Barnsley game has seen one team score four times, the most in a single season since 2016-2017 (6 times)
This was the first time Barnsley have lost a game in which they have scored more than once since April 2017 when they lost 3-2 at Bristol City.
Barnsley have a wretched recent record on a Tuesday night, this was their eighth defeat in the past 13 league outings on this day of the week, during which they have won only once - the 4-0 win at Rochdale in August.
Sunderland's opening goal came from the penalty spot, the third goal conceded from the spot this season.
It is the first penalty goal Barnsley have conceded against Sunderland since November 1998.
The clincher for the Black Cats came after 83 minutes - five of the last 11 goals they have conceded against Sunderland have come in the final ten minutes.
Kieffer Moore had given Barnsley hope with a brace, the third time he has scored more than once this season (3, 2, 2) - something he also did for Rotherham in League One last season.
Moore now has 24 goals in his last 40 League One appearances.
He has scored in eight different matches this season (all comps) and this is the first Barnsley have lost W6 D1 L1
His brace last night moved him into joint second in the league's scoring charts with 11 goals - only Ian Henderson and Tom Eaves (both 12) have scored more.
It is the first time Barnsley have lost a game in which one of their players has bagged a brace since November 2015 when Josh Scowen scored twice in a 4-3 defeat at Coventry.
There were 28,514 in attendance at the Stadium of Light, the highest crowd Barnsley have played in front of since the final day of last season (30,682) at Pride Park.
Alex Mowatt set up Moore's second with a corner, his seventh assist of the season.
Sunderland's four goals put them on 39 for the season, the joint most in the league along with Luton.
The Black Cats have conceded the joint second least (18) and despite conceding four, Barnsley have only conceded one more (19)
Despite a 4-2 defeat Barnsley once again enjoyed more ball possession than their opponents (58%) - still no side has enjoyed more ball possession than Barnsley this season.
Only two fouls were committed by Sunderland (according to the referee) the lowest amount by a Barnsley opponent this season.
Barnsley Team:
1. Adam Davies
12. Dimitri Cavaré
5. Ethan Pinnock
6. Liam Lindsay
3. Zeki Fryers
20. Brad Potts
8. Cameron McGeehan
27. Alex Mowatt
26. Mamadou Thiam
25. Cauley Woodrow
19. Kieffer Moore
Substitutes:
33. Jacob Brown (for Fryers 59)
10. George Moncur (for Potts 77)
29. Victor Adeboyejo (for Woodrow 85)
Unused Substitutes:
35. Jake Greatorex
18. Adam Jackson
21. Mike Bähre
23. Dani Pinillos
Sunderland Team:
1. Jon McLaughlin, 2. Adam Matthews, 12. Tom Flanagan, 15. Jack Baldwin, 16. Reece James, 27. Max Power, 10. George Honeyman, 7. Chris Maguire, 11. Lynden Gooch, 19. Aiden McGeady, 20. Josh Maja.
Substitutions:
13. Luke O'Nien (for Maja 59)
17. Jerome Sinclair (for Maguire 84)
3. Bryan Oviedo (for Gooch 90)
Unused Substitutes:
5. Alim Ozturk, 34. Jake Hackett, 37. Bali Mumba, 43. Anthony Patterson.
Sunderland manager Jack Ross said:
“I think the opening 35 minutes is probably as good as we have been all season“
“But the resilience of the squad has got better with every passing game because we do get tested physically at times.
“Tonight was another example of that because we could have wobbled at 3-2, but although we came under pressure I don’t think we gave up too many clear-cut opportunities.
“We knew from the way we set up that it would be basketball-like, but we backed ourselves to create more opportunities.
“I was enjoying it at 3-0, but I wasn’t enjoying it quite so much at 3-2!
Match Reports:
Sky Bet League One results:
Tuesday 27th November 2018:
(11th) Accrington Stanley 1-2 Wycombe Wanderers (10th)
McConville 15
Kashket 77
Samuel 90+1
(21st) Bristol Rovers 1-2 Gillingham (18th)
List 8
Reilly 59
Sercombe 87
(16th) Burton Albion 1-2 Charlton Athletic (6th)
Akins pen 25
Grant pen 32
Pearce 88
(7th) Doncaster Rovers 2-0 Blackpool (8th)
Kane 45+3
Marquis 78
(12th) Fleetwood Town 3-0 Coventry City (9th)
Marney 53
Burns 71
Evans 73
(3rd) Luton Town 4-0 Bradford City (24th)
Justin 28
Lee 33
Lee 38
Cornick 89
(19th) Oxford United 4-2 Rochdale (17th)
Mackie 11
Henry 14
Henderson 30
Browne 52
Camps 69
Browne 78
(4th) Peterborough United 1-0 AFC Wimbledon (23rd)
Maddison 60
(1st) Portsmouth 2-0 Walsall (13th)
Hawkins 25
Curtis 49
(15th) Shrewsbury Town 2-0 Plymouth Argyle (22nd)
Docherty 35
Okenabirhie 68
(14th) Southend United 2-0 Scunthorpe United (20th)
Dieng 8
Mantom 80
(2nd) Sunderland 4-2 BARNSLEY (5th)
McGeady pen 19
Maja 20
Gooch 32
Moore 41
Moore 61
O'Nien 83
Barnsley lie 5th in Sky Bet League One with 35 points from 19 games. We are 3 points inside the Play-Offs, 5 points off the Automatic Promotion Places, 9 points off First Place and 18 points above the Relegation Zone.
Up to 28/11/18
Next Up:
On The Road:
FA Cup Second Round: Southend United v Barnsley, Saturday 1st December 2018. Kick-Off: 3pm
At Oakwell:
Checkatrade Trophy Northern Section Second Round: Barnsley v Manchester City Under 21s, Tuesday 4th December 2018. Kick-Off: 7:30pm