Sunderland boss opens up on that Wembley penalty line-up and why he has no regrets

The Black Cats suffered heartbreak in the Checkatrade Trophy final against Portsmouth on Sunday, losing 5-4 in the shootout.

Lee Cattermole was the only player from either side to miss.

There had been some surprise among Black Cats supporters that Charlie Wyke, Sunderland's centre-forward, and captain George Honeyman, were not in the five.

Ross said earlier this season that he left the matter of penalties in league games to the players, but says preparation was thorough in the build-up and he was more than happy with the five who stepped up.

The Black Cats were unfortunate that Will Grigg and Grant Leadbitter, both of whom would have been among the first choices, had left the pitch.

"We had done a lot of work on it in training," Ross said.

"We had done it pretty much every day post-training.

"So I knew from the ones in training who would, and the quality of the penalties as well.

"Luke O'Nien, I knew would score.

"I believed that every of those five would score because of what they'd done and what I'd seen during the week.

"If Griggy and Grant [Leadbitter] had still be on the pitch then we would have had a fight to narrow it down to five. Geads, Gooch, Max, were always going to have one.

"I understand that point [on Wyke & Honeyman]. As a manager I would have been concerned if I felt any of the five weren't equipped to take a penalty or score.

"But those five, I had no qualms," he added.

"Ultimately, someone [from either side] will miss at some point but I was comfortable with those that wanted to take it.

"The standard of the penalties throughout was very, very good from both teams.

"Even Lee's, OK it probably ends up being an OK height for the goalkeeper but it's not as if it is not struck properly."