A BEWILDERED Carl Robinson left the Stadium of Light at a loss to how Sunderland let Saturday's game with Reading slip through their fingers.

The 28-year-old midfielder was part of a Black Cats' side, which largely dominated its Coca Cola Championship promotion rivals.

For 70 minutes the Royals looked more like a side struggling to stop in the Championship than a one with aspirations to get out of it and into the Premiership. But they still managed to leave Wearside with all three points after a typical smash and grab performance.

"It was a strange game," said a disappointed Robinson. "For 60 odd minutes, I wouldn't say we battered them, but I thought we knocked at the door for quite a while.

"Numerous chances went begging until we finally got the goal and from then on, I think we stopped playing for some reason and sat back and Reading came into the game and took their chances. But all credit to Reading for the way they clawed their way back in.

"A second goal kills the game off but we couldn't get it. Having said that the game should have been put to bed early on.

"We reneged on the easy pass in the last 20 minutes and it allowed Reading to get a foothold in the game.

"Whenever you play teams there is always going to be a period when they have most of the play. We had ours in the first 70 minutes and Reading had theirs in the last 20 minutes.

"We scored one goal they scored two. You don't always get what you deserve in football and I think that was the case on Saturday."

As Robinson explained the failure to convert chances was largely to blame for the Black Cats failure to win for a ninth consecutive time. Another reason was an outstanding goalkeeping performance, something Robinson was quick to acknowledge.

"They have a fantastic keeper (Marcus Hahnemann) to be honest," admitted Robinson.

"Every now and then you get a goalkeeper who comes here and performs heroics. But saying that we have enough quality in our side to be tucking our chances away.

"The first 60 odd minutes was probably the best we played for a while and to come away with a defeat makes it quite sad really for us.

"Les Ferdinand came on and caused us one or two problems; they scored and then ground out another one. Sometimes you have to hold your hand up and say the other team deserved to win but I don't think they did. But they got the three points and all credit to them.

"It's difficult after winning eight games. We have been in various situations during that period.

"We have been behind and managed to claw ourselves back into it. For an hour we played some excellent football so for us to throw it away was not like us and it was disappointing."

The pragmatic Robinson says it is pointless crying over spilt milk and insisted the side have to move forward.

And Sunderland are relishing doing so when they visit East Anglia to face Ipswich, in a game, which could determine the outcome of the Championship.

He commented "We've been on a good run but that has come to an end now. It's unfortunate but it sets us up for next Sunday's game against Ipswich.

"We've lost at home, which is unlike us really, so we have to make sure we go to Ipswich and win.

"We have bounced back when we've needed too and it's important that we do that again. Everyone said after Wigan that maybe we thought we were there, but we knew there was still a long way to go.

"It is a test of our character now. If we want to play in the Premier League - which we all do - then you have to play in tough games and next week's is a tough game, but one you have to look forward too."

* Former Cardiff skipper Graham Kavanagh helped promotion-chasing Wigan to victory at Ninian Park then admitted he fears for the future of the financially-crippled Bluebirds.

The 31-year-old midfielder was sacrificed last month when the Championship strugglers, who are £30million in debt, were unable to meet its £750,000 monthly wage bill.

Kavanagh, who received a rapturous reception before, during and after the game from the Ninian Park faithful, then revealed he has serious reservations about his former club's future.

''I'd be lying if I said I didn't,'' he admitted. ''I think when I left nobody knew the extent of the financial situation the club was in. It was more or less put in no-uncertain terms that me being sold was going to rectify the situation over a short period - I don't know what would have happened otherwise.''

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