Phil Smith's verdict: Another crossroad approaches - so where next for Sunderland and Phil Parkinson?

No one could quite believe it.

Doncaster Rovers players looked to see if there was an offside flag. They had improved in the second half, but it seemed as if Sunderland had got through it. Then, in a flash, Brad Halliday was spinning into the box and away from the visiting defence.

The attempts to clear to cross desperately poor, and the equaliser inevitable.

Two points dropped. Another opportunity missed.

It had been at this ground a year ago that Phil Parkinson had revived his Sunderland tenure, the Black Cats aggressive in their pressing and a threat in possession.

Though the situation had not been as extreme this time around, that listless defeat to MK Dons had set alarm bells ringing.

The similarities were not lost on Parkinson and it can't have been entirely coincidental that his team selection represented something of a reset. The 3-4-3 was back, as were many of the key partnerships that had helped spark that first revival.

Initially, the results were good.

Part of the frustration last week was not just that Sunderland were beaten, but that they had been outplayed by a vibrant side.

Here, Doncaster's intentions in possession were similarly noble, but aside from a bright opening ten minutes, they did little to hurt Sunderland.

The pressing from the visitors was good, forcing Doncaster to eventually go long, often aimlessly so.

Sunderland's combinations down the right were excellent, Conor McLaughlin and Josh Scowen backing up Chris Maguire and Lynden Gooch with some tenacious play and good decision making.

The half-time lead was well deserved, the football good once they had settled.

What followed was a half of all too familiar frustration. A reaction from Doncaster was inevitable, and though Remi Matthews was rarely tested, the hosts opened up some promising avenues.

Sunderland didn't do enough, threatening only occasionally on the counter.

It did feel as if Doncaster had run out of steam as stoppage time approached, the defensive structure of Parkinson's side largely good.

The end result was harsh, particularly given that the Black Cats had been denied a stonewall penalty midway through the first half. Yet on that point, it is only right to point out that there have been games of late when the margins have gone in Sunderland's favour.

In the moment that Okenabirhie turned to score that late leveller, the Black Cats dropped from fourth to eighth.

That, in one sense, was a reminder of just how nascent this season really is, and how transformative a strong run of form would be.

In another sense, though, it reflects exactly why it feels as if Sunderland are approaching another crossroads.

Sunderland's time in League One has been a story of these missed opportunities.

It was these missed opportunities, these narrow margins, that were put forward as the reason why the board replaced Jack Ross with Phil Parkinson.

Parkinson was presented as the manager with the 'proven track record' of securing promotions, with Stewart Donald saying just hours after dismissing Ross: "I think on balance, how I see things when I go in there on a day-to-day basis, our best call to give us the best chance of promotion is to change it, which is why I've done it."

Over a year on, the progress is difficult to see, at least definitively.

At times the Black Cats have looked more resilient defensively, and at times the energy of their pressing has made them look more threatening in attack.

The points-per-game ratios, though, are a stark reminder that there has not been a great stride forward.

Sunderland, unquestionably, look like a side that will at least finish in the top six. That, though, was the case a year ago.

Now, as then, the jury is out on their top-two credentials. Which, after all, was the reason for change.

With that in mind, fans cannot be criticised for asking: so what now and where next?

There is, of course, a bigger picture here, just as there was when Ross was replaced.

Ross had been woefully backed that summer, the structures of the club entirely inadequate. Removing him from the dugout did little to answer the key question as to how Sunderland expected to be a successful club in the medium to long term.

How did they want to play? How were they going to get there? How would they invest to make that a reality?

Returning to the Championship has felt like the be-all and end-all for the ownership, when really it should merely be the first step on the journey.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing boardroom uncertainty means these issues are perhaps even more pressing now than they were when Ross departed.

Key positions remain unfilled, the direction of the club unclear.

These are the two debates ongoing, both of them underlined by an afternoon in which Sunderland did some good things but ultimately fell short.

One is the here and how, how this team can improve and make good on their potential. The management is undoubtedly an aspect of that, on another afternoon when the attacking play left much to be desired, particularly in the second half when the game appeared to be there for the taking. Sunderland’s position in the table remains relatively strong (points wise, at least) but they have won two of their last eight in all competitions and in both of those, the opponents were shown a red card with the scores level.

The second is where this institution wants to go.

The pathway from the academy, the style of play, the club structure. These frustrating afternoons owe much to the lack of clarity there, and that cannot be forgotten as we sift through another missed opportunity.

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