Mike Dodds reveals what frustrated him most about Sunderland defeat - and explains second-half sub decision

Mike Dodds criticised his Sunderland players for fifteen minutes of poor play as they fell to defeat at Bristol City.

Tommy Conway converted an early penalty after Anthony Patterson's error in possession, but that was one of many that could have caught the Black Cats out. Dodds saw his side dominate the second half without scoring an equaliser and while frustrated that they couldn't get on the scoresheet, it was their early lapses at the other end that left him most disappointed.

The interim head coach told his players at half time and after the game that it was not acceptable.

"I'm really frustrated, more so with the fifteen-minute spell in the first half where I just felt it was moments of complete and utter madness," he said.

"We've given Bristol City an opportunity to take the lead and then ultimately win the game, I just feel if we'd managed that spell better we had relative control over the game. My anger and frustration is that period in the first half. I said to the players at half time that there weren't tweaks tactically that were needed, there were no surprises really - it was just about the mentality. That's frustrating because I thought we were dominant in the second half.

"I'm not sure why it was that way in the first half, the preparation was exactly the same and if I'd seen anything different from the players they wouldn't have been in the team. I'm really frustrated by that little spell because it's cost us points.

"It's not about one player, either, the reality is we had three or four incidents where we gave it away in a poor area of the pitch and where the outcome could have been the same. It was our third game of the week, but that was the same for the opposition and so I can't make any excuses for it."

Sunderland controlled possession in the second half and forced some strong saves from Max O'Leary in the Bristol City goal, though his most important interventions came at the end of set plays. Dodds defended his decision not to introduce a striker until Eliezer Mayenda came off the bench in the 86th minute, initially turning to Adil Aouchiche and Bradley Dack.

Dodds said that he felt this game was different to many on the road this season where Sunderland have dominated possession, as he felt they created more chances in this one.

"On Tuesday evening Jobe lands on one on the box and scores, sometimes it's a bit of a toss of a coin," he said.

"Sometimes it goes for you and sometimes it doesn't. I'd be more concerned if we didn't create chances, because there have been times where that has been the case against teams in a [low block]. I think we have created chances in that second half. I can live with that side of the game, to be honest, it's the first-half spell that I can't live with. That's just unacceptable.

"We brought Eliezer on when we changed the shape, but I felt we were completely dominant and were creating chances. I didn't feel like we needed to change the shape. I felt that on both sides of the pitch we were doubling up and getting in behind them, so I didn't feel like I needed to change the shape. It's only when you get to the latter end and you're trading attacks that you feel you need another body high up the pitch, so I turned to Eliezer.

"I thought Pritchrd was excellent but I felt he was tiring so I wanted to get some fresh legs on [in that position] and Dacky is such a good passer of the ball, he distributes it very well. I felt playing him in a slightly deeper role, it would help get the ball into the wide areas with quality. Like anything, you make decisions on Tuesday night and get praised and then on Saturday they get questioned. "That's the nature of the business. I stand by those decisions, my biggest frustration was that spell in the first half."

Dodds said there was no update on the club's search for a new head coach that he could give, and that his focus had been on the Bristol City game. Michael Beale is expected to be appointed early next week, with Dodds set for an integral role in his coaching staff.