CHRIS COLEMAN feels like he has “fallen flat on his face” after watching his first home game in charge of Sunderland end in a 3-1 defeat to Reading.

The Royals ensured the Black Cats’ wait for a win at the Stadium of Light was extended to 21 matches – an English record.

David Edwards scored the first eight minutes after half-time before Mo Barrow added two more in the 68th and 71st minutes to make it one defeat in seven for Reading – even though Lewis Grabban stroked in a penalty with 14 minutes remaining.

Sunderland’s cause was not helped because they had Callum McManaman sent off for a second bookable offence deep in first half stoppage-time for helping the ball over the line with his arm. He had earlier been cautioned for a needless challenge on Mo Barrow.

Coleman said: “It was always going to be tough today. Our record here is not great and we were against a team, that plays possession based football. Then we got a man sent off, everyone was flat, doom and gloom, then Reading bossed it for long periods.

“It is a huge disappointment for us because we are flat again. I can see the frustration here, you can’t blame everybody for being frustrated. The only way that will be eased is to get a win somehow, no matter who it is against.

“This week it’s being kicked back down into the gutter and we have to deal with that. Between now and the end of the season there are a lot of games, but every game that rolls by here where we don’t get that magical three points, it grows.

“Whatever happened before I arrived all I can say is I have had one game and I have fallen flat on my face. No comebacks and no points. That’s my responsibility. No excuses.”

“That moment when we get Callum sent off, there was a big shift. I’m a little disappointed with him, I thought he was going to head it.

"There was a bit of contact from behind on the replay we have seen, the referee really has it tough. He thinks it’s a deliberate handball. So from feeling we have scored, seconds later we went down to ten men then psychologically were down.”