Ross hails desire and character of team as 10-man Sunderland rescue point - 7M sport

Ross hails desire and character of team as 10-man Sunderland rescue point



Posted Sunday, September 02, 2018 by PA

Ross hails desire and character of team as 10-man Sunderland rescue point

Sunderland manager Jack Ross paid tribute to the attitude his players showed to earn a point against Oxford despite being a man down.

The U’s took an early lead when Ricky Holmes curled in a free-kick and things got worse for the Black Cats when Max Power was shown a straight red card for a tackle on Marcus Browne in the 19th minute.

But after that Sunderland, supported by a crowd of more than 32,000, battled away and improved immediately after the restart following the introduction of £1million buy Charlie Wyke.

The former Bradford man levelled things up six minutes after he was sent on and that was how the scoreline stayed, to ensure Sunderland remain unbeaten after six games in League One.

They have fallen out of the top two, so sit two points behind Portsmouth and Peterborough, but Ross does not see any reason to be overly critical of failing to win at home.

He said: “There were loads of different things we didn’t dwell on from the first half at half-time, that was the time to figure out how to get back in the game.

“I will look at myself as well in terms of how we set up, we allowed ourselves to go on the back foot. We conceded to a very good set-piece but the sending off galvanised us a bit, gave us a spark and then the opening 25 minutes of the second half I thought we were good.

“It was testament to the desire and character to get something. It’s indicative of the character we have shown all season, different personnel and different contributions, and I think the supporters recognise that as well.

“We will not be satisfied with losing points here against anyone, we want to win every game. The players are disappointed with that, but the response they got from the supporters during the period with 10 men was fantastic.”

Wyke has had to wait to make his debut due to injury but he made an almost immediate impact after coming on against Oxford.

Ross added: “Charlie played a lot longer than planned or should have. We had a couple of decisions to make at half-time and Charlie was one of those. It’s an ideal start for Charlie and credit to the backroom staff for getting him back and through it.”

Oxford manager Karl Robinson was angered by certain decisions and was left frustrated that his team did not build on Holmes’ first-half opener.

His team sit in the relegation zone and are in desperate need of a lift, even though there were aspects of the display that pleased him.

Robinson said: “We would have taken a draw at half-time against one of the best teams in the league … the best resourced, the best ground, best training centre, and we are training in schools and on park pitches at the moment before we move to our new training ground this week.

“Once the game became random and fans got involved it was different but we still had the better chances.

“Jack has seen it is going to be difficult and that it is a long and winding season and you don’t know what is round the corner. They conducted themselves quite well and more could have been sent off today.”

Robinson had sympathy for Power following his early red card and felt Sunderland duo Bryan Oviedo and Chris Maguire, as well as Oxford’s Shandon Baptiste, were fortunate not to get their marching orders.

He said: “I don’t think it was a red. I thought Oviedo should have gone, Baptiste should have been sent off for second yellow and Maguire, in fact the least sending off actually happened in my view.

“But it is a waste of time and money with our FA because there is no common sense within the disciplinary panel.”

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