SUNDERLAND manager Peter Reid admitted last night: "We can't score goals for love nor money."

But the Wearside boss was not too disappointed with sharing the spoils with Middlesbrough in a hard-fought derby game.

Reid said: "It is a point and it is a clean sheet against a team fighting for their Premiership lives - a team full of internationals.

"It is a good point for us. I hope we do what we have got to do and Boro do what they have to do."

Reid was upbeat about his team's chances of qualifying for Europe, despite winning only one Premiership game in nine.

He said: "We are in a great position and it is down to us; we have to win games and start scoring goals. I know that and the players know that."

Reid felt that his side needed to capitalise on their superior play early in the game, but he was disappointed that chances went begging.

He said: "It is just not going for us in front of goal - when Kevin Phillips went through I would have put money on him to score.

"In the second half the quality into the box was poor."

Reid also though his side should have been awarded a penalty in the first half when Julio Arca was brought down. He said: "It was a game we both tried to win and it was a typical derby with frantic football and a few tackles flying about, which what you expect."

He added: "My players have done tremendously well but they are becoming a bit anxious. I know that somewhere round the corner is the result which will end the anxiety and relieve the tension."

Boro coach Terry Venables thought his side did enough after the break to win the game after having to alter his defence following the groin injury received by Gianluca Festa.

He said: "We started poorly and something had to be done about it - I thought we got ourselves into trouble trying to dribble out of tight areas. But in the second half we had chances to win the game. Our passing was slicker and quicker trying to turn their back four. But looking at it overall it was a good point to win. We want to win every game but so does everyone and no game is easy."

Venables felt that Karembeu was unfortunate to be sent off after a clash with Quinn and thought it was the intervention of a "third party" - Darren - which caused him to get a second booking. He said: "If the third party hadn't got involved I don't think it would have happened. But since I came to the club I haven't been too happy about the disciplinary side of things - we are not a dirty side but there have been too many bookings and that's the annoying part."

Venables admitted he fancied Sunderland to qualify for Europe. "They are a very effective side - they have a way of playing in which everyone knows what they have to do."

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