Phil Parkinson urges Sunderland players to keep their focus



Posted Sunday, March 08, 2020 by PA

Phil Parkinson urges Sunderland players to keep their focus

Phil Parkinson has urged his Sunderland players to stay focused for “100 per cent of the time” if they want to climb into a League One automatic promotion spot before the end of the season.

The Black Cats were on course to claim a much-needed victory courtesy of Kyle Lafferty’s first two goals for the club until former Sunderland striker Mikael Mandron scored his second of the match deep into stoppage-time to earn a 2-2 draw at the Stadium of Light for Gillingham.

It meant the Gills could leave Wearside with a point and that prevented Sunderland from climbing up to third and to within a point of second placed Rotherham. Instead they sit fifth.

Lafferty, signed in January after a spell in Norway, scored either side of Mandron’s first equaliser of the afternoon in the 74th minute to put Parkinson’s side ahead twice. His first was a header in the 64th minute and his second was a cool finish form George Dobson’s pass seven minutes before time.

But Mandron’s double frustrated the home side and they only had themselves to blame for not closing him down quick enough for the second and failing to head clear a long throw for the first.

Sunderland boss Parkinson said: “It hurts. I felt we were comfortable for most of the game. Against Gillingham you have to defend set plays and long throws, and for the majority we did that.

“Two moments proved costly. First, we had to head the ball out from the middle of the goal, the second one we needed greater desire to block the shot and if we do that it is three points.

“You need to win headers in the middle of the goal, show real desire in the last minute or first minute if you want to win games.

“The lads put a lot of effort in, Gillingham play in a very physical kind of way. In the main we handled it OK but it has to be 100 per cent of the time and not 90 per cent of the time.

“I’m pleased for Kyle. His first goal was a great team goal and the second was a fantastic pass by George and a cool finish. Good for us to get him up and running.”

Gillingham boss Steve Evans, whose side lost for the first time in 16 a week earlier at Wimbledon, sit eight points shy of the top six, even felt his side could have won.

He said: “I am disappointed we have drawn. We had dominant spells in the game and there are questions marks on the two goals. The first one is our throw-in and, I love Kyle to bits, but the second is yards offside, but we showed a lot of character to get the late equaliser. This is a fantastic place to come and play.

“I am really pleased for Mandron. He was broken hearted when he left here (in 2016) and when we drew them in the cup he thought he had won the lottery so it was an easy decision to start him today. The second one is a fantastic finish.

“When Lee set him up, I knew he was going to shoot, we see him coming inside with that left foot everyday. He was great but I need to see that every week, not just against Sunderland.

“We have 18 players but some big characters and more importantly good young men, it is a long way to go home and back to Kent and we feel disappointed not to be going back with three points.”

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