message from Roy as we draw with the Smoggies

Dear Coxhoe Branch,
I think we deserved a point, mind Gareth [Southgate] might think differently. Overall, we deserved something.
We probably scored too early, we didn't know what to do and we got sloppy. I thought the game had 1-1 written all over it. It's always nice to get something, especially when it comes late in the game.
There were a few [controversial] decisions, a few tackles, but I don't mind that, it's a derby match, I enjoy that side. We could have passed it better.
Liam [Miller] has been doing good in training so it was touch and go whether I started him. It was a good goal.
It's nice to get an early goal - we have not got too many since I got the job. After that, we struggled, we lacked experience, someone to put their foot on the ball.
We looked like we wanted to hold onto it and you can't do it for that length of time.
It was written in the script that [Julio] Arca was going to score. I hope the lad is OK.
I have to say that at 1-1 I thought it would take a spectacular goal to win it. [Stewart] Downing did it and after that it needed something special from us. Liam produced it.
When you play these matches, you know they are going to be tough. It was stop-start, there were plenty of bookings. I've played in these type of games before and I thought it was going to be a 1-1 draw.
It was a fantastic strike from their lad and from Liam - they were the highlights of the game. If we had lost it would have been one step forward from last week and two back.
Come the end of the season, this point might be vital. It's good to get something out of the game when it's so late, it's pleasing and we can play a lot better than today.
All the best,
Roy Keane
Middlesbrough 2 Sunderland 2Click here to visit the safc.com Match Centre.
Next match: Sunderland v Blackburn, Saturday September 29 (3pm).Click here to buy tickets online.