Mike Dodds left 'shellshocked' by Sunderland's first half display against Doncaster

Interim boss Mike Dodds was left 'shellshocked' by Sunderland's first-half horror show against basement side Doncaster Rovers, admitting there are 'no excuses' for their performance.

The Black Cats produced a dire first half display at the Stadium of Light and found themselves 2-0 down at the break - the only surprise being that the South Yorkshire side were not further ahead.

Sunderland pulled a goal back right at the end of the match when it was too late, but it might have been a different story had Ross Stewart's header been given when it appeared to cross the line on the hour but the officials failed to spot it.

Dodds was not looking for ifs and buts at the end of the game, however, acknowledging that the result was Sunderland's own fault for giving Doncaster a two-goal lead after an 'unacceptable' opening 45 minutes.

"I was going into the game quietly confident because you can get the feel and smell the dressing room, the training ground," said the U23 coach, who was taking charge of his first game as the club searches for a new head coach following the sacking of Lee Johnson last weekend in the wake of the 6-0 defeat at Bolton.

"So I'm still a bit shellshocked, to be honest, because I felt that we were in a really good place.

"I'm devastated for the lads because they have been magnificent this week. I felt there had been a drop-off in work ethic or focus, then I wouldn't have put this starting XI out.

"But it had been a good week - we had lots of meetings with individuals, two or three days good work on the grass, they seemed really positive, and there was a real focus and intensity.

"This is the toughest industry in the world and we have dust ourselves down and know that that spell in the first half wasn't