Point not enough for Coleman
ONE point gained or two lost? Given Sunderland’s position at the foot of the Championship table, it is hard to avoid the conclusion that their battling draw with Millwall represents the latter.
Leading through Bryan Oviedo’s superb first-half strike, the Black Cats looked destined for a much-needed victory as they repelled a series of Millwall attacks in the second half.
But Shaun Hutchinson’s scrambled 68th-minute strike ensured they remain four points of adrift of safety, and for all that their performance level has improved in recent weeks, their points tally continues to be a source of huge concern.
Sunderland boss Chris Coleman said: “I’m pleased with the character, but frustrated by the result. It’s a really difficult place to come, but a great place to play because of the atmosphere. If you don’t come here with your sleeves rolled up, you’re finished before you get off the bus.
“That’s three games now where we’ve had something about us. Four games ago, we’d have lost that game. I think they’re nine games unbeaten, winning three on the bounce before this. But when you’re winning 1-0, the very thing we said not to do was what we did – invited it [pressure].
“It’s a little bit of a disappointment, but at least we stood up to the test and got a point. We deserved a point.”
Having suffered an early scare when Lee Cattermole hacked Jake Cooper’s header off the line, Sunderland became increas- ingly threatening as half-time approached.
Callum McManaman fired over from outside the area, before Oviedo opened the scoring thanks to a well-worked short corner routine. The Costa Rica international drifted towards the corner of the penalty area before dispatching a searing long-range strike that found the top righthand corner.
Millwall had barely threatened at that stage, but the hosts produced a much-improved performance in the second half as Sunderland’s defenders dropped towards the edge of their area.
Jason Steele made saves to deny Lee Gregory and Steve Morison, but Millwall’s pressure eventually told midway through the second half.
Sunderland’s defenders failed to clear Ben Marshall’s corner, and Hutchinson reacted quickest to stab the ball towards goal. Cattermole felt he had prevented the ball from crossing the line, but with the help of the goal decision system, referee Andy Davies awarded a goal.
Millwall boss Neil Harris said: “We did enough to win, but that’s a good reality check for everyone. It showed that if we’re not at our best as Millwall, we can come unstuck against anybody.
“I thought we started the game well, but Sunderland grew into the game and scored with a really good shot.
“I thought we came on really strong in the second half though, and if there was anyone who was going to win it, it was us, although maybe our composure in the box wasn’t quite as good as it could have been.
“No-one within the training ground was getting above themselves, it’s just about how far we’ve come from the play-off final last year to thinking about a play-off campaign this year. We’ve still proved a lot of people wrong who were writing us off. But we have to be the very top of our form and if we’re not at our best then we come unstuck.”