Sunderland midfielder Emma Kelly reflects on 'frustrating' season so far, Liverpool test and why the future is bright

To widespread bemusement the officials flagged for a corner, and one header later the game was level. Sunderland would go on to lose 3-2 in the last minute, after a red card and a deflected goal. It summed up the season so far. There have been real positives, frustrating errors and some truly rotten luck.

The point is not to blame officiating, because as Kelly points out Sunderland know there are areas where they can be better and where they have to be better. Contentious calls are part of the game. The point is to underline how fine the margins have been so far this season, and that the headline of one point from four games barely begins to tell the full story of performances in general.

Sunderland were bitterly disappointed with their 4-0 defeat to Birmingham City but they have competed tenaciously in every other fixture.

The squad has more depth and experience this season, but the reality is that across the division more teams have turned full time and are making investments of their own in their playing squad.

Staying patient and not letting short-term results affect long-term performances is the key for Sunderland moving forward, Kelly tells The Echo: "We're obviously all really frustrated as a team, because we've been working so hard and training has been really productive, we all know our jobs going into a Sunday.

"The performance has been there, it's just been switching off for a moment in the game or not quite being clinical enough in front of goal. It's just about managing the game a bit better to see it through and get those results.

"We've all got a positive outlook looking forward, we know that we're getting there and that we are progressing as a team, it's just about waiting for our luck to flip.

"We know we've got a lot of depth in the squad this season, and we have definitely improved the squad, but again we know that is the case with all the teams across the division," she adds.

"Most of them have gone full time so it's a lot more competitive, and we understand that both as individuals and as a team we need to up our performance to get the results we need.

"It's just having a bit of resilience, and with having a mixture of young and older girls in the squad I think it's just a case of making sure people don't let their heads drop, making sure people don't think this is the way it's going to be all season. We're only four games in, and we've been playing teams who are full time and who are going to be right up there at the top end of the table.

"We've more than competed, and could easily have taken more points. So we've just got to stay on the same wavelength, it's a long season and so there are still loads of opportunities to turn around our position in the league completely."

Sunday marks the start of Sunderland's Continental Cup campaign, with Liverpool the visitors to Eppleton (11.30am KO).

Maintaining Championship status is again the priority for Sunderland this season but last time out the competition played an important role in allowing head coach Mel Reay to rotate her squad and also in building confidence.

A penalty shootout win over Sunday's opponents was one of the highlights of the campaign and the black Cats were unfortunate not to progress to the knockout stages.

"Last season the game against Liverpool was a great one for us," Kelly says.

"Mel and Steph [Libbey] do a really good job in setting up our structure and explaining our roles, so everyone knows what they've got to do.

"Hopefully there'll be opportunities for people to get game time and improve themselves, because we're building to a point where it's really competitive in terms of the starting positions for league games, which is where you want to be as a team.

"It's another chance for people to showcase what they can do."

Kelly has again been an integral part of Reay's side so far this season, the vice captain who has regularly worn the armband in the opening weeks.

A goal against Charlton Athletic last week underlined the importance of one of the most experienced players in the squad.

Though there has been frustration in recent weeks, Kelly is relishing the responsibility and has no doubts that it is a club on the up.

"It's been great, it's just felt like being back at home since I came back last summer," Kelly says.

"I've been getting regular game time and being vice captain of the team, it's just made me feel like I've got a whole new responsibility and a new role from all those years ago, when I was one of the youngsters looking up to the senior players.

"I've really enjoyed it, the playing time was the most important thing for me I think. You want to be out there playing, you don't want to be sat on the bench.

"I'm playing regularly, trying to improve my confidence and my game every time I'm out there on the pitch and that's where you get your enjoyment from, as well as seeing everyone else around you progress.

"It feels like as a club we are heading back to where we belong, it's going in the right direction. What happened all those years ago shouldn't have happened, but we are heading in the right direction."