DEAN Whitehead refused to back calls for the adoption of video technology in the wake of Sunderland's controversial 2-1 defeat at Reading, and instead claimed football would function more effectively if officials were capable of doing the job currently being asked of them.

Black Cats boss Roy Keane voiced his support for the use of video replays after assistant referee Steve Rubery awarded Stephen Hunt's stoppage-time winner at the Madejski Stadium despite the ball not having appeared to cross the line.

Whitehead was every bit as dejected as his manager after a controversial refereeing decision went against the Wearsiders for the second game in a row, but stopped short of calling for the installation of goal-line technology.

Instead, the Sunderland skipper argued that the current debate would not be happening if officials were capable of getting relatively simple decisions right.

"I don't think you lose faith in the officials, but it's definitely annoying," said Whitehead, who marked Reading winger Bobby Convey out of the game.

"They're paid to make big decisions and, a lot of the time, they get them wrong.

"I think goal-line technology might take the edge off the game - we just need the officials to do their job. Big decisions decide games, and the last two have gone against us."

Those decisions have effectively robbed Sunderland of three precious Premier League points, and plunged the Black Cats back into the bottom-three.

Escaping the relegation zone imminently could prove difficult, as reigning champions Manchester United visit the Stadium of Light on Boxing Day before Sunderland play quick-fire games against Bolton and Blackburn at the turn of the year.

Any hangover from Saturday's events will be ruthlessly exploited, but Whitehead is confident his team-mates are professional enough to put their disappointment behind them later this week.

"The gaffer won't let us feel sorry for ourselves," he said.

"We've seen it (Hunt's strike) and it's not in. But we've got to take it on the chin.

"We've had two big decisions against us, but we can't change that now, they're done. A couple of things have gone against us in the last few weeks, so hopefully next week things will go in our favour. It would certainly help if it could happen against Manchester United."

Perhaps the only positive to emerge from Saturday's game was Michael Chopra's successful conversion of an 82nd-minute penalty. Chopra had gone more than four months since his last goal against Birmingham, and ending such a lengthy barren run must have lifted a considerable weight from his mind.

"It was very important for him to score," admitted Whitehead.

"He'd gone a few games without a goal and that will have given him a lot of confidence."