WITH seven games remaining it appears Sunderland's end of season will be remembered for events off the pitch rather than on it.

Not a bad thing some may say, but coin-throwing thugs are not the indelible memory that Black Cats' fans want to leave the Premier League.

The demonstration outside the main entrance, following home defeat No.11 to a Blackburn Rovers side well below their best, started in good spirits but soon deteriorated into what has been widely described as an 'ugly' incident.

The matter can't have been helped by a bizarre decision to issue a 75th minute statement over the stadium Tannoy telling fans they would not be allowed to demonstrate directly outside the main entrance.

There have been plenty of own goals by the Wearsiders this season but the announcement was like a red rag to a bull.

The chants of 'sack the board' and 'Murray out' increased tenfold and did little to quell the fans' anger.

An anger which is understood throughout the club according to midfielder Grant Leadbitter who, as a Sunderland fan through and through, is more qualified than most to comment.

"The fans have been great for the team and I understand their concerns, all the lads understand them. I know what they're going through," said the 20-year-old, who was again influential in the Black Cats' midfield.

"I don't really take much notice when I'm out there. but obviously I was a fan once, so I know how they're feeling.

"I've been there and done that. But they have to stick with us and that's what we want from them. For me, as a fan pulling on that Sunderland shirt it is massive, a dream from when I was a young lad and a fan.

"The position we're in does hurt us, not just me but all the lads. But we have to keep on going."

Saturday's defeat to Steven Reid's 15-minute strike means they have to keep on going for just seven more games.

Three of those are at home against Fulham, Newcastle and Arsenal and they must win one if they are not to become the first league side to go through a season without winning at home.

They lost to Mark Hughes' side because they appeared to have forgotten how to score.

They forgot how to defend after 15 minutes, allowing Reid to casually waltz from his own half after a clever pass from Ryan Nelsen and then deliver a vicious swerving shot that flew past Kelvin Davis.

A side firmly rooted to bottom spot may have been forgiven for throwing the towel in at that point but Sunderland did show their teeth, however, thanks in the main to Leadbitter's prompting in the middle of the park.

"The reaction from the players in general was great," was caretaker boss Kevin Ball's take on the performance. "For the whole 90 minutes, they've had a go, a fair few efforts on goal. I have to appreciate the quality, the nice thing is that they had a right go.

"The support we had was absolutely magnificent as well, and played a massive part.

"I'll go home and be frustrated but the players have set themselves a great benchmark. But that's the least they should do.

"People are repressed at times, indecisive. What's important is that we get them into a positive vein. I try to look at things from a very positive point of view. I can go home happier tonight. Not happy, because no-one likes getting beat."

Rory Delap had already headed wide before Reid's goal and, despite showing some fighting spirit, they created little before Brad Friedel easily held Delap's header from Julio Arca's cross on the stroke of half-time.

Ten minutes earlier Friedel's opposite number pulled off a much better stop to keep out Brett Emerton's header.

The home side's golden chance arrived seven minutes after the restart.

A long clearance clipped off a Rovers player's head and let Chris Brown in on goal. With just Friedel to beat he appeared to rush his effort from the edge of the box which cannoned off the Rovers keeper's legs.

That was the second bad miss of the second half after Craig Bellamy shot wide when capitalising on a Danny Collins error.

A comical free-kick in the 80th minute, with the Rovers wall clearly not the full ten yards away, was chipped over the bar by substitute Liam Lawrence before Sunderland's misery was completed in injury-time when a clear handball in the box from Lucas Neill was missed by referee Peter Walton.

"The hand ball at the end was a joke," said Leadbitter. "It was two hands, wasn't it?

"I'm biased, I know that, but it was blatant and we deserved a penalty.

"We've had no luck at all and that explains a lot about why we're in the position we are."

Result: Sunderland 0, Blackburn Rovers 1.