Sunderland defender Conor McLaughlin has admitted there is a growing sense of frustration in the Black Cats dressing room following their 1-1 draw with Gillingham in the first round of the FA Cup on Saturday.

Aiden McGeady had given Sunderland a 15th minute lead in the cup clash with their League One rivals on Saturday, before an error from goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin allowed Olly Lee to equalise for Gillingham just after half time, taking the tie to a replay which is expected to be played at some point next week.

That draw means that Sunderland have now won just two of their seven games in all competitions since the appointment of Phil Parkinson as the club's new manager, and it appears that poor run of results is getting to the club's players.

Speaking to The Chronicle following Saturday's draw with the Gills about the mood around the Stadium of Light, McLaughlin said: "It's obviously frustration in the dressing room. But we know there is quality in there and we can see it in flashes. But it's more of a determination, really, to do things regularly.

"It is fine margins, especially in this league. Against teams in this league, every team has a spell in the game. Today we didn't weather that storm and we're making it hard for ourselves at the minute."

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Assessing the opportunities both teams had to win the game on Saturday, the defender added: "It was fine lines the second half. They had a couple of chances and we did as well. It was that first 15, 20 minute spell in the second half where we weren't composed enough and we didn't weather the storm.

"As I said, we're frustrated and we should've done the same things we did in the first half and made it more comfortable."

Sunderland's are next in action away at Scunthorpe in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday night, with their league game away at Bristol Rovers, which had been scheduled for Saturday, now postponed due to international call-ups, meaning they should have a full week to prepare for the replay at Priestfield.

The Verdict

I can certainly understand why this run is causing frustration for Sunderland.

Those players will know the weight of expectation that is on them this season, having gone so close to promotion last year, and the fact that they are struggling to make in-roads into that is only going to add pressure to them.

Indeed, when you consider the only two teams they have beaten - Tranmere and Southend - are both struggling at the wrong end of the League One table, you can certainly see why there would be cause for concern about a lack of better results against sides further up the division.

That being said, that frustration does at least provide an element of encouragement, in that it suggests there is still a determination to make sure those results do change, rather than simply sitting back and believing that the quality of performance means that the wins are guaranteed to eventually come for Sunderland.