Grant Leadbitter delivers verdict on Sunderland's start to the season and has this message for club

The 3-0 reverse left the Black Cats on 11 points from six games, four points off the top before the division’s other fixtures this weekend.

It also brought to an end to an impressive and heartening five game winning streak in all competitions.

The club captain admits his side are eager to improve but insists there is a long way to go.

"Let's be honest, I think it's been a decent start to the season,” he said.

“We're only six games in and we've got 11 points. It's been okay, but we want to do better.

“We've got a break now where I'm sure we're going to work hard every day in training. That's what the lads have to do, they can't switch it on and off on a Monday to Friday. We have to work hard at all times and we'll do that come Monday and look to the Accrington game.

“We've lost one game. We keep moving forward and sticking together is the main thing.

“That's the club itself, the fans, the players - we all stick together through wins and defeats. We kind of have to get that middle ground now. Things have calmed down at the football club now so we can get that middle ground. I think it's been a decent start, a decent return from six games. We're disappointed because we wanted to make it six on the spin at Peterborough.”

The experienced midfielder says experience tells him not to get carried away either way, and insists progress has been made.

"I think I've learnt with age, you take your defeats just as you take your wins,” he said.

“Don't get me wrong, winning games is enjoyable but it's trying to find that middle ground and making sure that you keep working hard. If you keep winning games, you can't switch off.

"We’ve made progress. It's early days, we're six games in, there's a long way to go. There's a break now and it's disappointing we didn’t have a game, but that's football."