SUNDERLAND manager Peter Reid sympathised with Coventry City for going away empty-handed from a decidedly lacklustre affair, which left the home fans happy with the result but frustrated by a dire absence of entertainment.

Results might be all-important to the club and players hungering for a taste of European football after just missing out last season.

But there must also be an onus on the team to provide a degree of enterprising football, which will keep the paying public satisfied that they are getting value for money.

Many fans in the 44,526 crowd were not at all happy with the football served up by a Sunderland side which lacked shape and direction.

Reid admitted: "It wasn't pretty but it was solid and resilient.

"We are not fluent at the moment. But I think there is better to come. If you win football matches when you are not playing at your best it is certainly a good sign.

"I'm just relieved and satisfied that we got something out of it. We worked hard and had to dig out a result."

He added: "I would rather not play well and nick a result than play well and get beaten."

Sunderland, without the suspended Republic of Ireland international Kevin Kilbane, played without a winger and did not seem to have any shape against a Coventry side obviously determined to bounce back after a 6-1 hiding at Chelsea the previous week, when young goalkeeper Chris Kirkland was wrongly sent off.

This time the Sky Blues were also out of luck midway through the first half when they seemed to score a good goal through the dangerous Craig Bellamy. But it was ruled out by an off-side flag.

Even Reid admitted that Bellamy had run from behind Niall Quinn to stab home a left wing centre and City manager Gordon Strachan said: "The ball was so slow coming across he had time to run from the halfway line to reach it."

Before this Coventry skipper Mustapha Hadji had wasted a glorious chance and the home defence looked uncomfortable against the wiles of the Moroccan midfielder and his fellow countryman Youssef Chippo.

Sunderland's central defender, Emerson Thome and his partner, Jody Craddock, were certainly given plenty to think about as they battled to keep City's attack at bay as their midfielders kept adding to their problems by giving the ball away.

Sunderland's attacking efforts were unconvincing, with Phillips, again in a deep role, only once troubling Kirkland with a long-range left-foot shot which the keeper managed to save at the second attempt.

He almost lost the greasy ball to the on-rushing Argentinian Julio Arca, who again showed some promising touches.

But it was generally a dour affair which had a goalless draw written all over it until Sunderland managed to break the deadlock, thanks to Thome.

Midfielder Darren Williams had a rasping 25-yard shot deflected over the bar, and when Arca swung over the corner, Thome was ideally placed to power home a header for his first goal for the club.

Kirtland, claiming he had been obstructed as he tried to reach the corner, raced out to protest to match referee Alan Wiley, who booked him for dissent.

Afterwards Strachan claimed that Kirtland had earlier complained to the referee about being obstructed at corners.

But this was difficult to understand as it was the home side's one and only flag kick of the game.

The goal did not settle Sunderland into any better rhythm and Coventry always looked capable of salvaging an equaliser as they pushed forward, with Bellamy in particular causing problems.

Sunderland managed to hold out, however, mainly thanks to the combined efforts of Thome and Craddock, who have been instrumental in helping Sunderland keep four consecutive clean sheets.

But the midfield is not creating chances and Quinn and Phillips are struggling to get on the end of anything decent up front, which explained their recent goal drought.

Phillips, who had an insatiable appetite for goals last season, winning the Premiership's Golden Boot award and Europe's Golden Slipper for his 30 strikes, has not scored from general play in the League for four matches now, while his partner has not hit the net since the second game of the season at Manchester City.

Reid, while delighted to be keeping clean sheets, appreciates the concern about the lack of goals after scoring only twice in four games in an unbeaten eight-match run.

He said: "We need to share the responsibility for getting goals and that's what we will work on.