Parkinson: Referee tried too hard, but in Friday's first half so did we

Phil Parkinson has revealed what he told referee James Adcock after Sunderland’s 0-0 draw with Doncaster Rovers on Friday night.

The official was booed off at half-time after a number of controversial decisions in the first half - not least the decision to book Charlie Wyke for simulation when he appeared to be tripped.

And Parkinson was quick to share his theory – of referees ‘trying too hard’ at the Stadium of Light – with Adcock following the match.

But the Black Cats manager admitted he did feel the official improved after a ‘poor’ opening 20 minutes.

“I thought he was poor at the start,” said the Sunderland boss, when quizzed on his performance.

“That was my assessment in the first 20 minutes.

“Charlie Wyke’s booking was a strange call, and we’ve looked at that back.

“After that, I thought he did okay.

“Like I’ve just said to him, the first 20 minutes - we get it quite a bit here, where the refs try too hard to show they’re not being affected by the crowd.”

And Parkinson felt his side, too, were trying too hard during a first-half performance which lacked the incision the Black Cats have shown in recent weeks.

The Sunderland boss, however, still felt his side deserved to win the game after a vastly-improved second period.

“I just felt that we were almost trying too hard at times,” he said.

“That extra touch, we were a little bit hurried and sometimes when you’re like that you don’t see the picture when the ball comes to you.

“In the second half, we maintained the same kind of intensity without the ball but relaxed and calmed down with it.

“We moved the ball quicker and our decision-making was a lot better.

“But sometimes that happens.

“They’re an honest group of players and it was just important at half-time that we settled everybody down and we played in the manner that we expect from the lads.”

Parkinson continued: “I thought some of the football we played was good, even though we didn’t get a goal.

“In the second half I thought we probably got in enough good positions to win the game.

“But you have to stick the ball in the net to do that, and we just couldn’t.”