JACK ROSS wants everyone connected with Sunderland to remain realistic after letting another two points slip in the battle for promotion in League One.

In a strong defence of his players after they were booed off the pitch at half-time and full-time by sections of the support, the Sunderland boss thinks the positives outweigh the negatives after a 1-1 draw with play-off chasing Blackpool.

The Black Cats failed to score more than one goal for the tenth League One game in a row and were indebted to a header from defender Jack Baldwin with 15 minutes remaining for avoiding a defeat.

Sunderland, who now sit four points behind second placed Barnsley with a game in hand, were rattled when Blackpool were good value for the lead when French striker Armand Gnanduillet found the bottom right corner of Jon McLaughlin’s net in the 31st minute.

And Ross, whose side have now drawn 13 matches this season, said: “Our remit is to get out of this league, so we are fourth in the league, do we want to be top? Of course we do. Are we in a position with plenty games to go where we achieve promotion? Absolutely.

“We have been beaten twice this season and scored in every league game. It depends on how you view it. 50 per cent of the people out there will view it as it’s not good enough, the other 50 per cent will be more realistic and think we are doing alright. I will be happy to discuss that with any person.

“That group of players, from what they have done since the summer, the challenges they have had to deal with, tonight is another example because they had a real sticky patch, it was a bit uneasy in the stadium. They had two choices after half-time, and they decided to come out and show what they were made of.

“The players can wear that jersey, they deserve that and they will get their rewards one way or another. One interesting thing about managing this club is the extreme of emotions, it’s wide. It’s my job to make sure while I am managing this club that there is realism about and a pragmatism that needs to be there for us to take us where we need to be.”

He added: “We have had an element of frustration after recent games, for different reasons. We have had a couple of games where we have not seen games out, tonight with the exception of a 15-minute period post their goal I thought we were good. We played better, created more opportunities. There is frustration there but not as much as recent games.”

Things might have shaped up differently had £4m buy Will Grigg marked his debut by finishing one of his two fantastic chances in the game. There was one in each half.

The first was a shot he hit straight at goalkeeper Mark Howard seconds before the Blackpool opener, and the second was after the restart when Grigg somehow hit the sidenetting when he had rounded the goalkeeper and was faced with an empty net.

Ross said: “Two opportunities, clear cut, one was prior to their opening goal and the second I think he would back himself every time to score.

“The good thing for me is he is in those positions because if we get him in those then he will score goals, his track record says that. He is still sore in there. He prides himself on scoring because he is a goalscorer. If we keep making opportunities for him he will take them.”

Ross felt that there should have been a penalty in both halves, one for each team, and he was hugely impressed by the performance of Duncan Watmore ahead of two more home games against Accrington on Friday and Gillingham next Tuesday.

He said: “He was a big part of us being more effective in the final third.

“Duncan, the way he plays the game, is different to the other attacking players we have. He has looked better in recent weeks. It has been a long journey for him and it was a big step forward for him tonight.”

Sunderland midfielder Max Power was left out because of an injury doubt, while the absence of right-back Adam Matthews was down to a tactical decision.