Saturday 15 October 2016 19:05, UK
Sunderland manager David Moyes was left disappointed after his side slipped to a 2-0 defeat at Stoke on Saturday afternoon.
Joe Allen scored both goals in the first half to secure the Potters their first league victory of the season and continue the Black Cats' winless run in the Premier League.
Former Everton and Manchester United manager Moyes felt his side performed well in the opening period despite conceding, but was frustrated they couldn't capitalise.
"The second goal did finish it off and I was really disappointed because we had brought an unbelievable support here who really got right behind the players," he told Sky Sports.
"I've got to praise them for the way they got behind the team throughout the second half because we're 2-0 down at half-time.
"I didn't think we played any better in the second half, we didn't concede any goals but I don't think we played any better.
"In the end, I thought our best football was in the first half, but we still had a chance. We hit the post in the second half and maybe if we'd got it in, we could have had a go at trying to get an equaliser but it wasn't to be."
Indeed, Moyes did not think his side deserved to be behind after Allen's eighth-minute opener and believes Sunderland were getting on top before conceding the first goal.
"I thought the first goal was slightly against the run of play and we started the game well," he added.
"I actually thought we played quite well in the first half and I was hoping we could get to half-time at the worst 1-0 down because we had one or two bits of good play ourselves.
"For me, it was encouraging because the players had been working on things in training to try and get it there, have more of the ball and we wanted to try and get forward more often if we could and I thought we did try to do that but the first goal was poor.
"We hit the referee with our first pass, we get a chance to make the second pass and we didn't and it gives them a chance to counter-attack which they did do. We didn't defend the last bit very well at all.
"I didn't think we deserved to be a goal down. The second was from a corner kick and we didn't win the first header, the ball gets headed out and we're not in the right positions at the edge of the box to stop Joe Allen shooting."
Injuries have taken their toll on the Sunderland side in recent weeks, with Patrick Van Aanholt forced off in the first half after taking a knock, although Victor Anichebe and Steven Pienaar did manage to pick up much-needed game time.
"Pienaar in the games he has played for us has played very well and Anichebe coming in even in the short period in the game gave us something to hit up front which we've lacked," Moyes said.
"We've had injuries but they are injuries that have come in games, not in training so it's something that happens and part of the job. It looks as if Van Aaholt has got a bit of an abductor strain so they'll assess it tomorrow and check how he is."
