Sunderland started life under Phil Parkinson with a 1-0 defeat at high-flying Wycombe.

Jack Ross was sacked after a disappointing defeat at Lincoln but the Parkinson era started in the same manner at Adams Park after Darius Charles' first-half strike.

Victory saw Gareth Ainsworth's in-form charges close the gap on Sky Bet League One table-toppers Ipswich, who play Accrington Stanley tomorrow, to a single point.

Wycombe made the early running and Joe Jacobson forced Lee Burge into a fine save, tipping his curling free-kick over the bar.

But the Chairboys broke the deadlock in the 28th minute as Charles volleyed home powerfully from a free-kick with Luke O'Nien and Adebayo Akinfenwa also unmarked.

Conor McLaughlin struck an inviting effort wide as the Black Cats desperately pushed for an equaliser.

Ryan Allsop produced a fine save right at the death to preserve the three points as he tipped tricky Aiden McGeady's drive onto the crossbar and to safety.

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