DUNCAN: WE WERE NOT COMPLACENT
Duncan Watmore denied complacency was behind Sunderland letting a 3-1 half-time lead slip through their hands at Brentford in Saturday’s 3-3 draw.
And he has called on his team-mates to quickly put the frustration of another two points dropped to one side and use the three-game unbeaten Championship run as a foundation going forward.
A brace from Lewis Grabban at Griffin Park helped Sunderland turn the game on its head after the Black Cats fell behind to an eighthminute Nico Yennaris tap-in.
Grabban’s penalty just before half-time put Sunderland in a commanding position, two goals ahead, but Dean Smith’s Brentford hit back strongly to deny the visitors only a second win of the league season.
Watmore, who played 67 minutes as he continues his comeback from a serious knee injury, denied any suggestion that the Sunderland camp thought the game was all over at half-time.
“I don’t think we did,” said a frustrated Watmore.
“Not being negative, but you don’t go into a game at half-time thinking two goals is enough.
“If you do then it is complacency and we all said that.
“There was a lot of luck about their third goal, but we won’t use any excuses.
“We are just frustrated, we all wanted the win. We have to keep building on the undefeated run and turn the draws into wins.
“That is what everyone at the club is focused on doing,” added Watmore ahead of back-to-back home games. Watmore added: “3-1 up at half-time, you expect to win the game. “All the lads are a bit deflated, as you’d expect. “We created a lot of chances, we are very frustrated. We looked a threat every time we went forward. “When you are in a bad position, you want to go on an unbeaten run as that is where you build your momentum but we wanted to win a couple of these games.
“The way I see it, is we just have to kick on and use this foundation to go and get wins.
“The fans again turned out in great numbers. We understand they are frustrated, but we have to keep going and get the results they deserve.”
Sunderland have a home double header coming up, against Bristol City on Saturday and bottom club Bolton next Tuesday, before a WearTees derby trip to Middlesbrough on November 5.