Kevin Phillips didn’t hold back in his assessment of Sunderland ’s gritty play-off semi-final win over Coventry City, admitting the Black Cats “got away with murder” at times during Tuesday night’s second leg at the Stadium of Light.

Follow live coverage as Sunderland face Coventry City in the Championship today.An increasingly competitive second tier in English football remains an intense and exciting competition, with the prize of a place in the Premier League on offer at the end of the season.

Coventry City live match night blog from CoventryLive as Sky Blues reporter Andy Turner brings you updates from the play-off semi-final second leg against Sunderland

Sunderland have taken unusual steps to limit one of Coventry City’s most effective attacking weapons ahead of their crunch play-off clash.Ahead of Tuesday night’s Championship play-off semi-final

Sunderland has booked a showdown with Sheffield United for a place in the Premier League. Dan Ballard bundled in a goal in stoppage time of extra time to earn Sunderland a 1-1 draw with Coventry and a 3-2 victory on aggregate in the Championship playoff semifinals.

A last gasp winner from Sunderland’s Dan Ballard broke Sky Blue hearts after Coventry City were a minute away from a penalty shootout in a superb performance at the Stadium of Light. Ephron Mason-Clark got City back in the tie with a cool 76th minute finish to the bottom corner to give the visitors the lead on the night but pull them level on aggregate,

Sunderland's 2-1 win in the first leg was their first victory against Coventry since February 2007, ending a run of 10 games without a win against the Sky Blues (D5 L5). Coventry have won two of their past five away games against Sunderland in all competitions (D3), having won just one of their first 18 visits to the Black Cats (D8 L9).

Frank Lampard will need to perform another play-off semi-final miracle when his Coventry City side travel to the Stadium of Light looking to overturn a one-goal deficit on aggregate

Sunderland will face Sheffield United in the Championship playoff final after Daniel Ballard's header in the final seconds of extra time snatched a 1-1 home draw against Coventry City on Tuesday to secure a 3-2 aggregate victory.

The Black Cats reached the Championship play-off final after Dan Ballard's last-gasp header in extra time decided their semi-final tie against Coventry City