Wimbledon's four-year stay in Division One ended with a brave performance against a much-changed Sunderland side at the National Hockey Stadium.

The Dons, who staved off relegation with a shock win at Wigan on Saturday, needed a victory to avoid relegation.

The home side looked to have a chance of delaying the inevitable when substitute Malvin Kamara equalised Marcus Stewart's opener.

But Black Cats boss Mick McCarthy showed he had a trick up his sleeve as Darren Byfield made an instant impact as a replacement for Stewart by rattling in the winner.

Sunderland took the lead on the stroke of half-time as Matt Piper's corner was cleared straight to Julio Arca, who blasted the ball into the ground from the edge of the area only for Stewart to nod the ball home from a tight angle.

Sunderland, still harbouring faint hopes of automatic promotion, made five changes to the side that lost to Millwall in the FA Cup semi-finals.

But if Kevin Kyle had not been so wasteful in front of goal the Black Cats would have had the game wrapped up inside the first 45 minutes.

Kyle, so unhappy at being substituted against Millwall in the FA Cup semi-final on Saturday, spurned four good chances to break the deadlock.

First the Sunderland striker headed Piper's near-post corner over and then side-footed a great opportunity wide after Stewart did well to hold up the ball.

The former Ipswich marksman then set up Kyle once more but Dons defender Harry Ntimban-Zeh made a superb goalline clearance to deny him.

Kyle had another golden opportunity to open the scoring moments later, but his toe-poked effort was once again cleared off the line.

The Dons were enjoying a rare spell of pressure towards the end of the half after forcing three corners, but Stewart struck just before the break.

Sunderland looked on course to extend their lead after the break as Kyle and Stewart went close, but the Dons levelled against the run of play midway through the second half.

Jermaine Darlington supplied the cross which Kamara met with a clinical volley past the helpless Mart Poom.

Seconds later the visitors should have gone ahead when Arca sent in a cross only for Carl Robinson's header to crash against the crossbar.

Wade Small blew the chance to put Wimbledon in front when he fired over the bar, but Sunderland clinched the points in the 73rd minute.

Arca played the ball in to George McCartney, who cut the ball back to Byfield and the former Rotherham marksman stroked the ball home.

Kyle missed from close range in the last five minutes, but it made no difference as Wimbledon bowed to the inevitable.

Teams:

Wimbledon Bevan, Oyedele (Small 67), Ntimban-Zeh, Williams, Lewington, Darlington, Smith, Chorley, Puncheon, Gray, Mackie (Kamara 57).

Subs Not Used: Martin, Gier, Harding.

Goals: Kamara 67.

Sunderland Poom, Williams, Breen, Bjorklund, McCartney, Piper (Thornton 84), Robinson, Thirlwell, Arca, Kyle, Stewart (Byfield 72).

Subs Not Used: Tommy Smith, Babb, Myhre.

Booked: Williams.

Goals: Stewart 45, Byfield 73.

Att: 4,800

Ref: S Mathieson (Cheshire).