Stephen Elliott: Sunderland's draw against Oxford United was a disappointing result but a positive performance

I have to make myself clear and clarify the word result in this opening line and not the actual performance.

I know it’s a results-based business and that will always be the thing that matters most but sometimes a good showing can give a team a real sense of confidence going into the next group of fixtures. On Saturday that was the case.

I don’t think many would disagree with me in saying Sunderland deserved more than the one point achieved from Saturday's game. I felt it was a huge improvement on recent weeks.

If I was to be over critical I could say that after taking the lead so early in a home game the team should have had enough to go and get the three points.

However, I actually think Oxford are a top team at this level and put in a decent performance themselves. They have been around the play-offs in the last few seasons so they are definitely no mugs at this level.

In the first half, Oxford did well getting back into the game, albeit through a really poor error of judgement by Lynden Gooch. Why he didn’t just clear the ball I still don’t understand. Maybe it’s the natural attacker in him.

If you take into account the injury’s that have ravaged through Sunderlands squad in recent weeks then there is a lot to be hopeful for looking at the way the team acquitted themselves on Saturday.

Lee Johnson has said that he may have to stick a few square pegs in round holes over these next few weeks and that's exactly what we saw in the starting lineup again on Saturday.

I was thrilled to see Leon Dajaku score early doors and it set him up nicely for the rest of the game.

Playing in that wing-back role probably isn’t his most natural position but I felt he put in a tireless shift for just over an hour.

I think we have to remember he is still only 20 years old and at times he may be inconsistent. I thought he took his goal really well and that will give him great confidence moving forward. He is a player that has undoubted technical ability.

I believe on another day Sunderland could have scored 2 or 3 more goals if the team had have been slightly more clinical, especially in the second half.

Nathan Broadhead should maybe have done slightly better with his opportunity. After his wonder goal last week I was quite surprised he didn’t score. There were a couple of other half chances and but for the width of the woodwork we could have been talking about a comfortable win rather than a draw.

As I said, Lee Johnson will be thrilled with the performance and if the team can produce a similar one on Tuesday night against Morecambe at the Stadium then I think a win will be incoming.

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