SUNDERLAND 3 IPSWICH TOWN 2TOWN put on a superbly committed performance, but Blues boss Joe Royle was still fuming after going down to Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

By Derek Davis

SUNDERLAND 3 IPSWICH TOWN 2

TOWN put on a superbly committed performance, but Blues boss Joe Royle was still fuming after going down to Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

He raged at the referee for failing to send off match-winner Kevin Kyle.

He ranted about his defence's inability to defend crosses.

And he was livid at losing a game he feels his side should have won.

There was plenty for Royle to be proud of even though Town's run of three straight league wins was ended.

It was an excellent performance, full of commitment throughout the team and with two well-worked goals, although Gary Breen finally deflected Town's opener after a Darren Bent shot.

Richard Naylor nodded in his third goal of the season to make him the club's top scorer.

But Royle fumed: "I would have been disappointed with a draw, never mind losing.

"To give a goal away as we did just before half-time was criminal. And our inability to defend at crosses has cost us dearly."

Royle was unhappy that Kevin Kyle was only booked once after committing a series of offences. He had clearly used his elbow to flatten Naylor, then kicked the ball away when the foul was given.

Royle said: "I don't want to see players sent off, but the lad who scored the winner should not have been on the field. He could have been sent off twice in the first half.

"He should have gone for a succession of fouls, elbows and landing on people. At some stage we will get a player sent off for less than that."

Sunderland boss Mick McCarthy did not agree. He said: "I thought Kyle was brilliant. He scored a great header and gave the centre-halves hell. He will do for me.

"Ipswich were excellent in the first half and stopped us playing. But we deserved the win on our second half, which we had to work for and won it with honest endeavour."

But it was not just aggressive centre forwards that upset Joe, it was his own centre-halves.

He said: "Our goalkeeper has had an outstanding season yet we have not had a clean sheet so far. We are a little weak in areas defensively. We are close to being a very decent side, but I'm disappointed."

And Royle discounted any chance of Bent getting Town's first goal added to his tally.

He said: "He will try and claim it but it was going across the goal."

Former Town striker Marcus Stewart was given a standing ovation by the travelling Blues fans as he was substituted a couple of minutes before the end.