Kristjaan Speakman's phone call, more Roy Keane to Sunderland chants plus Jermain Defoe's half-time messages: Moments you may have missed at Cheltenham

You can imagine what was being said after another chastening defeat - the Black Cats’ third in a row - as the search for a new head coach remains unresolved.

An interim coaching team, led by Mike Dodds, once again managed the side at Cheltenham, as a squad short of confidence squandered a first-half lead to lose 2-1.

Speakman watched the game in the directors box, alongside Sunderland owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, Chief Operating Officer Steve Davison and shareholder Charlie Methven.

They will all know a new head coach should have been appointed before this fixture, and before Saturday’s lacklustre 2-1 home defeat by bottom of the table Doncaster Rovers.

A rudderless Sunderland side have allowed six points to slip away following Lee Johnson’s sacking on January 30, when there was seemingly no clear plan about who to appoint next.

Here are some of the other moments you may have missed at the Jonny-Rocks Stadium.

More Roy Keane chants

It’s quite clear who the Sunderland supporters want to take charge.

Ever since it became known that Roy Keane was being interviewed for the job, the clamour calling for a sensensational return to Wearside has increased.

It’s understood Keane is one of several candidates who have been interviewed for the role, along with Alex Neil and Grant McCann.

Yet, with respect to the other names in the frame, it has reached the stage, given his popularity on Wearside, that appointing anyone other than Keane would be massively underwhelming.

The travelling Sunderland fans made their feelings known at Cheltenham and, like against Doncaster on Saturday, chants of ‘'na, na, na, na Keano' could be heard from the stands.

The Black Cats are expected to have a new head coach in place before Saturday’s trip to AFC Wimbledon.

Defoe’s half-time messages

It’s just over a week ago that Jermain Defoe’s return to Sunderland gave everyone a timely lift, following the 6-0 thrashing at Bolton and Johnson’s subsequent departure.

That optimism has evaporated quickly following two more flattening defeats, yet the striker is trying his best to lift the players.

Defoe once again started on the bench against Cheltenham and came on with ten minutes remaining.

At half-time the 39-year-old came onto the pitch to warm up with fellow substitutes Patrick Roberts and Arbenit Xhemajli, before passing on messages of encouragement when his team-mates reemerged from the dressing room.

Defoe went over to Jay Matete, Dennis Cirkin, Alex Pritchard and Jack Clarke individually as the sides returned for the second half.

Unfortunately, Sunderland weren’t able to capitalise on their half-time lead.

Patrick Roberts booked for diving

Dodds left it until the 75th minute to make his first substitution, when Patrick Roberts replaced Leon Dajaku.

Roberts tried to add some more urgency to Sunderland’s attack with some direct runs on the left, yet the visitors’ desperation grew as they fell 2-1 behind.

With two minutes remaining Roberts was booked for diving in the box by referee Darren Drysdale.

It summed up a miserable night for the Black Cats.

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