We just about maintained our unbeaten record at the Stadium of Light this season via a last minute Patrick Roberts’ strike.
ANTHONY PATTERSON: 6/10
Had nothing to do all game and wasn’t at fault for the goal. His distribution should have been better.
TRAI HUME: 6/10
Struggled at times today but he wasn’t awful, just pretty average. I think he could have done better going forward and was caught out of position once or twice.
DAN BALLARD: 5/10
Came so painfully close to finding a winner with seconds left on the clock, prevented only by a great save from the goalkeeper. Saying that, he had at least two (if not three) opportunities to clear the ball for their opening goal. I think he looked quite composed in the first half, unfortunately his rating reflects shakiness in the second.
CHRIS MEPHAM: 7/10
Another good shift from him tonight, calm under pressure throughout the vast majority of the match.
AJI ALESE: 5.5/10
Out of position a few times tonight, which could have cost us. What did cost us was him also failing to clear his lines for the goal. Gets a slightly higher rating than Ballard because he probably should have won a penalty and looked decent when Watson was on the pitch in terms of linking up with him.
DAN NEIL: 7.5/10
Arguably his best performance of the season, really stepped up after we went behind and kept our attacks going after we went 1-0 down. Some of his long balls were a bit awry but in terms of his midfield duties he held the ball up mostly well.
JOBE BELLINGHAM: 6.5/10
A mixed performance, created the most chances (three) of any individual player on the pitch on one hand but on the other hand he didn’t have much urgency about him after we went behind.
ELIEZER MAYENDA: 6/10
Was forced into playing out of position after Watson went off injured and it showed. I think he caused a lot of threat for the first twenty or so minutes but he kept pausing and cutting inside when he moved to the opposite side that stalled our attacks. Did really well to get control of some long passes, then he would fail to create much with it.
CHRIS RIGG: 6/10
Should have scored twice really, once in the 15th minute when he should have just hit it from close range and again later in the game when he blasted one over. His midfield work was alright but nothing special.
TOMMY WATSON: 6.5/10
Had he stayed on and not gotten injured, his rating would probably have ended up being higher. When he was on the pitch he was doing well, maybe could have scored alongside Rigg but he was getting into the box often. It’s a massive shame about him getting injured because he looked to be really starting to kick on.
WILSON ISIDOR: 5/10
Really struggled today. He did well to get a header directed towards goal in the first half but other than that he was going down far too easily and wasn’t putting in much effort to try and get the ball when it was sent into the box.
SUBS:
PATRICK ROBERTS: 7.5/10
He’s finally gotten himself a goal from open play and it was from quite a difficult angle. Until that point he was being quite frustrating to be honest and kept cutting inside too often. It produced for him tonight though and hopefully it’s a sign of better things to come.
DENNIS CIRKIN: 6/10
Not much for him to do so can’t go higher or lower.
ADIL AOUCHICHE: 7/10
Looked bright and assisted the equaliser. Apparently he’s off in January, there’s a role for him here though I feel.
AARON CONNOLLY: 6/10
Touched the ball exactly once, so not much to go off for a rating.
