'Sunderland got battered': Gillingham boss Steve Evans delivers verdict on Cats defeat and slams Elliot Embleton red card

The Gills have now won just one of their last nine games in League One but took the lead when Danny Lloyd converted a 25th-minute penalty at Priestfield.

Sunderland equalised on the stroke of half-time through Aiden O’Brien before Tom Flanagan headed home a second-half winner.

Lee Johnson’s team were left hanging on in the closing stages as Elliot Embleton was sent off for a late challenge on Jack Tucker.

“Sunderland got battered,” said Evans. “We made the best chances, played the best football, but got beat.

“At time-up their gaffer said to me ‘we got away with that’ and there were Sunderland fans saying the same to me. We dominated from start to finish.

“They had the odd counter-attack and ball into our box but the two goals we gave away were disappointing, two easy crosses.

Evans also felt his side should have been awarded a stoppage-time penalty when substitute John Akinde went down in the box.

“They have rode their luck, they have had blocks, they have had it off the line, they have had a penalty on John Akinde not given,” Evans added.

“We should be winning it, it would have been our most comfortable win all season, but we didn’t take our chances and we conceded two sloppy goals.”

“They will never get a battering like that again all season and go away with the points.

“The boys have been good and the best team has got beaten. The best team, by a long way, got beat.

“I have been there, I have been a manager in charge of teams that have been second best all day and won a game, you take it, because that is what good teams do and they are a really good team and with a good manager. That is what they do, they find a way to win.

“They blocked things and got some decisions in their favour.”

When asked about Embleton’s red card, Evans replied: “He should get three reds shouldn’t he?

“It was an absolutely horrendous challenge. I don’t know if a red is strong enough, it is horrendous, it is a leg breaking challenge.”

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