KELVIN Davis hopes his impressive display against North-East rivals Middlesbrough last weekend has gone a little way towards redeeming himself in front of those fans who doubted his top-flight credentials.

The Sunderland goalkeeper has come under fire recently after a couple of indifferent performances for his new club.

Davis, by his own admission, believes he could have done better in trying to stop Geremi's opener against Premiership champions Chelsea at Stamford Bridge a fortnight ago.

But the finger of blame could hardly be pointed at his door for West Brom's late equaliser at the Stadium of Light.

Davis unfortunately collided with his defenders prior to the Baggies' equaliser from a corner. It was later revealed that the Sunderland goalkeeper had lost his voice 20 minutes before the end of the game and couldn't communicate with his back four.

If the jury was still out on whether Mick McCarthy's £1.25m summer signing was still guilty prior to the game at Boro on Sunday, then the verdict quickly changed to innocent after a string of fine saves helped the Black Cats chalk up their first three points of the season.

"As a goalkeeper criticism happens in your career," said a philosophical Davis.

"It has been well documented that I lost my voice. I tried to call for a cross and Stubbsy didn't hear me and we collided. I thought we'd got away with it but then they scored from a corner.

"We were very disappointed because it would have been our first win of the season.

"Criticism is going to be aimed somewhere and nine times out of ten it will be the goalkeeper, but I'm experienced enough not to let it affect me."

Davis admitted the West Brom game was probably his lowest ebb in football.

He said: "I could have slipped under a closed door after the match without anyone noticing, I felt so low."

The Bedford-born keeper revealed no conclusion has been drawn as to why or how he lost his voice but confessed it is a worry for him regarding his future as talking is an integral part of a goalkeeper's armoury.

"The doctor had a scope down my nose and throat last week, which wasn't pleasant" admitted Davis, who celebrates his 29th birthday tomorrow.

"There is no diagnosis at the moment because they couldn't see any damage but hopefully I can recover.

"For the average guy it will take a couple of weeks but with my profession it's longer because talking is a vital part of a goalkeeper's game."

Davis revealed on only one other occasion during his career has he suffered a loss of speech.

He admitted he did fear lightning was about to strike for the second time in two weeks. Fortunately, the travelling Wearsiders were on hand to help out.

He said: "The fans did me a big favour in the first half on Sunday and it wouldn't have mattered if I could shout or not.

The lads wouldn't have been able to hear me as the fans were making so much noise. If we have that week-in, week-out I'll not have to talk at all.

"I lost my voice when I was at Wimbledon about three years ago but I haven't had a problem since. We ended up losing 4-0 at Portsmouth on that day.

"But it's nice to be able to speak again. I was a bit croaky towards the end of the game on Sunday but with a minute to go I was quite happy for the referee to blow."

Davis was modest about his own heroics last Sunday.

Instead he preferred to hail the part his teammates played in their crucial win on Teesside and talk about the new dawn approaching on Wearside.

He said: "I'm just happy we got the three points and to keep a clean sheet is good as well.

"It was also good to stop that silly talk of having 27 games without a Premiership win.

Now it's time for us to start climbing up the table and continuing the good performances we have been putting in."

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