Super sub Rak-Sakyi fires Sheffield United into Championship top two
Sheffield United moved into the automatic places after edging past Portsmouth, while there was also a win for play-off hopefuls West Brom.
Sheffield United moved back into the Championship's automatic promotion places after edging past lowly Portsmouth 2-1 at Bramall Lane on Saturday.
With leaders Leeds United and third-place in FA Cup action, the Blades took advantage as a fifth win in six league outings moved them on to 64 points, two adrift of the summit.
Chris Wilder's side broke the deadlock in the 24th minute when Ben Brereton Diaz slipped Gustavo Hamer in down the left, before he cut inside and curled past Nicolas Schmid.
But Portsmouth deservedly equalised just three minutes later when Connor Ogilvie slid in to turn the ball home after good work from midfielder Josh Murphy.
The visitors continued to threaten, with Murphy twice testing Blades goalkeeper Michael Cooper, before Callum Lang and Colby Bishop fired wide of the mark soon after.
And those misses proved costly for Pompey as substitute Jesurun Rak-Sakyi popped up with the winner in the 73rd minute, after being picked out in the box by Rhian Brewster.
John Mousinho's side remain two points clear of the relegation zone, with a huge game against fellow strugglers Cardiff City up next at Fratton Park on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, at the Stadium of Light, Dennis Cirkin's 89th-minute leveller preserved Sunderland's unbeaten home league record this season as they drew 2-2 with Watford.
The Black Cats were ahead in the 16th minute when Enzo Le Fee's corner was played back across the box by Trai Hume, with Luke O'Nien on hand to head home from close range.
Tom Dele-Bashiru restored parity from the penalty spot two minutes before the break, sending Anthony Patterson the wrong way after Mamadou Doumbia was fouled by Cirkin.
Watford then went ahead a minute after the restart in stunning fashion, with Imran Louza taking aim from distance and curling a brilliant left-footed effort into the left-hand corner.
But the visitors were unable to hold on for all three points, failing to clear another flat corner into the box, which was prodded home by Cirkin to seal a share of the spoils.
Sunderland are now five points away from the automatic promotion places, while Watford jumped up a place and into 10th, also ending a run of three consecutive defeats.
Watford leapfrogged Sheffield Wednesday in the standings after the Owls were beaten late on by 10-man West Bromwich Albion in a feisty encounter at the Hawthorns.
In a dull opening period, debutant Adam Armstrong - signed on loan from Southampton on deadline day - acrobatically turned home Tom Fellows' cross.
But a grandstand finale at the Hawthorns soon ensued, as Callum Paterson thought he had rescued Wednesday a point when he fired the ball home, after seeing his initial effort cleared off the line in the third minute of stoppage time.
However, just two minutes later, Jayson Molumby flicked in Mikey Johnston's corner at James Beadle's near post to move them above Blackburn Rovers and into fifth place.
Tempers flared after the final whistle, with West Brom defender Kyle Bartley shown a red card for violent conduct after appearing to push Svante Ingelsson in the face.
At the opposite end of the table, managerless Derby County snatched a point in second-half stoppage time to draw 1-1 with promotion-chasing Norwich City at Carrow Road.
The Rams parted company with Paul Warne earlier this week following a poor run of results that left them two points adrift of safety, ahead of their clash with the Canaries.
Josh Sargent's fine finish rounded off a sweeping counter-attack in the 68th minute to put Norwich ahead, and Derby on the brink of a ninth straight defeat in all competitions.
But with the game entering the final knockings, Jack Stacey felled Marcus Harness inside the box, with Rams substitute Jerry Yates tucking home the spot-kick.
The draw leaves Norwich in eighth and two points adrift of the play-off places, while Derby stay 22nd, but now just a point behind 21st-place Hull City.