THERE was a definite touch of foreboding before Sunderland's game at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

The Smiths' melancholic classic 'Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now' played menacingly on the radio prior to the game. Reading were the visitors - a place Oscar Wilde was imprisoned, the literary hero of Smiths' frontman Morrissey - and Prokofiev's Dance of the Knight's (from his Romeo and Juliet composition) boomed over the tannoy before the players took to the pitch.

There's no denying the Russian's classical masterpiece has had more outings at the Stadium of Light than a school trip to the seaside.

But when you consider The Smiths took their bow to the Russian composer's work in the early 1980s, link it with the song and Reading's visit to the North-East, it provides perfect fuel for the pessimists.

One thing is almost certain: 'Caligula would have blushed' at the Black Cats' profligacy in front of goal and probably marvelled at the gladiatorial display by goalkeeper Marcus Hannemann.

The Royal's stopper pulled off several daring saves and, coupled with Sunderland's woeful finishing, was responsible for the fall of the Wearsider's all-conquering eight-match winning sequence.

There have been occasions this season when creosoting your fence would have provided a more attractive alternative than a visit to the Stadium of Light, but not on Saturday.

For 70 minutes at least, the Black Cats were arguably at their most impressive this season.

Julio Arca was orchestrating operations and rampaging sortees from the middle of the park, Marcus Stewart was directing traffic in the last third and skipper Gary Breen had locked the home side's back door and hidden the key.

Nothing less than a comprehensive home victory looked likely.

Sunderland attacked at will and barged through the Royals' back four with the respect a bull would give to a china shop.

Stephen Wright, Dean Whitehead, Carl Robinson and Julio Arca all had opportunities to put the game to bed before Arca's Johnny-on-the-spot header opened the scoring from Stewart's header in the 52nd minute.

What happened next contradicted all Sunderland fans had previously witnessed.

Reading boss Steve Coppell introduced experienced defender Martin Keown for Ivar Ingimarsson shortly after the goal before bringing on another Premiership stalwart, former Newcastle favourite Les Ferdinand.

The goal and the two changes seemed to inspire the visitors and, when Steve Caldwell and Breen failed to deal with a routine route-one launch down the middle, Royals' marksman Steve Kitson took advantage of their hesitancy and slammed home from eight yards and it was game on.

Mick McCarthy insisted his side never took their "eyes of the ball or took the foot off the pedal", but for Reading's winner the Black Cats did just that.

Substitute Jeff Whitley was the villain of the piece. He allowed his marker - the highly-rated but ineffective up to that point - Steve Sidwell to get away from him on the left.

Despite tracking the former Arsenal man back 25 yards the tough tackling midfielder could not catch his man and a desperate lunge resulted in a penalty, which Kitson despatched hard and low to Michael Ingham's left.

McCarthy said: "I thought we were terrific and should have had the match won. I thought as soon as we scored we sat back and the turnover of possession was too great to be honest.

"We had chances as well after we scored to put the game beyond any doubt. It was almost like we had to try and force the issue and score. In chasing it I thought some of our passing was a bit hurried and not as clinical as it had been and invited them on to us a little bit. The chances we have had were epitomised by the one at the end by Deano (Whitehead).

"It just did not happen for us. If that is going to be the case then we have to be sure we don't concede. I was disappointed with the goals."

The Black Cats' boss admitted that the bit of luck his side had recently carried had deserted them on Saturday and their cause wasn't helped by an inspired goalkeeping performance.

McCarthy's disappointment extended to how the game would be reported and fired a broadside towards the press after the game.

"I'm sat here with what might have been, which I don't particularly like doing,'' he blasted.

"It did not happen for us but it is not for lack of concentration or thinking it's over.

"So if anyone comes out with that gobbledegook I'll be extremely disappointed. We played very well.

"It was a big kick down the middle and I don't think Dave Kitson should be getting on the end of that and bustling past two or three defenders.

"And the penalty, well perhaps it wasn't necessary to make the tackle because he isn't going to score but I think we have to ask how he got in that position.

"If it was offside it was offside and there is nothing I can do about it. We've had decisions go in our favour.

"I think the result highlights to everybody that it is not over and there is still a punishing schedule still in front of us. But we're still in the best position.

"It was a good performance and I'm sat here wondering how, and I'll probably analyse it all day long, why we should have got something out of the game but we have not done and we will have to move on."

Result: Sunderland 1 Reading 2.

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