Defeat proves that Cats can’t afford to keep conceding goals

Burton Albion 2 Sunderland 1

THE unbeaten run is over. After a couple of weeks of playing poorly and getting away with it, Sunderland’s luck ran out at Burton Albion’s Pirelli Stadium, and their unbeaten run is over.

Chris Maguire’s excellent secondhalf goal gave them hope but for all their huffing and puffing after it, debutant goalkeeper Dimitar Evtimov had very little to do after arriving as an emergency signing this week.

1. Sunderland are not getting the message

How many times do the Black Cats have to give their opponents a headstart before they realise it is a bad idea?

This was the sixth game already this season they went 1-0 down in the league, but the first time they conceded the opening two goals, and the first time they have had to pay the full price of defeat.

Hopefully this shakes them out of the sloppiness that has been slipping into their first-half performances.

Although the opener, from Jamie Allen, came from open play, the second was another set piece.

As well as their passing being sloppy, Sunderland were conceding far too many fouls, and Jerome Sinclair’s on Scott Fraser prevented the Brewers with an opportunity they were not going to pass up.

They were better in the final 40 minutes or so, but only really going forward, and it did not translate into enough work for the goalkeeper.

2. Sinclair struggles out wide

The attacking options on the prematch team-sheet had you licking your lips but ultimately fielding Sinclair, Josh Maja, Charlie Wyke and Lynden Gooch in the same line-up proved over-ambitious.

Of the four, Sinclair looked most uncomfortable, playing as a left-winger.

Bryan Oviedo is a full-back who benefits from a bit of protection, and Sinclair was just not able to provide much – not through a lack of effort, just not being good enough working towards his own goal.

Wyke’s 43rd minute injury, stretchered off after a tackle with Burton’s debutant goalkeeper Evtimov, saw Sin- clair moved inside. Within six minutes the on-loan Watford striker was off, to make Way for Aiden McGeady.

Substitute Maguire was switched inside once that change was made, and responded immediately with a brilliant curling shot into the net to give Sunderland hope after they had started the second half even more chaotically than they had played the first. Ultimately, though, it was a false dawn.

3. The Maguire enigma

Maguire was rightly dropped to the bench after some poor recent performances and the metaphorical kick up the backside seemed to do him the world of good.

The forward has plenty of talent for a man who was let go on a free transfer by Bury, and his stunning goal to bring Sunderland back into the game showed just what he is capable of.

With McGeady back in action he will need to stay on top of his game in the weeks to come. If he does, the Black Cats have an exciting player at their disposal.

It seems unlikely the plan was always for McGeady to spend so much time on the field – when you consider Jon McLaughlin of Sunderland collects added time, he basically played a full 45 minutes – so hopefully there is no adverse reaction to it. McGeady might have been all fancy pirouettes and little end product but having been out since last season with a calf injury, he is going to need time to get up to speed.

4. Stewart Donald picks a bad day to stand on the terraces

Black Cats chairman Stewart Donald is doing his best to involve the previously disenchanted supporters more in the club, and yesterday for the first time this season he joined them on the terraces.

The noise from the away end before