Tony Mowbray was left bemoaning Sunderland's lack of 'ruthlessness' in front of goal as they slipped to defeat at Plymouth Argyle. The Black Cats dominated the game at Home Park and had 24 shots at goal yet could not convert their chances, with Jobe Bellingham and Trai Hume going closest when they hit the woodwork either side of half-time.

In contrast, Plymouth scored with their only two shots on target as Morgan Whittaker scored with an unstoppable strike midway through the first period and Finn Azaz added the second shortly before the break. "We've talked about it before," said Mowbray.

"We work with the strikers every day. I think they [Plymouth ] had two shots on target and scored both of them.

"Sometimes you have to suck it up and accept it. We were pretty dominant for most of the game, yet we knew they had threats - I think they are the third top-scorers in the league so we knew they could score goals, and they showed they can do that.

"I was a bit disappointed with the first half, that we didn't get to the intensity that we should have. You have to put the ball in the net.

"I talked at half-time about us being 2-0 up at half-time against Burnley last season and then losing 4-2 - we needed to score in the first 10 minutes of the second half today [if we were going to turn it around today]. It didn't quite happen for us, we hit the post a couple of times, didn't make the keeper work enough, but we got into lots of amazing positions in the box but just didn't find the space or the pass - or the combination.

"Jack [Clarke] drove into that box 30 times or something, putting it across and hitting the first man a few times or not finding the right finish. We're a work in progress, we know that.

"It's frustrating when you get results like today but there are plenty of positives as well. They worked hard enough but they are just a little bit naive.

"I'm trying not to be harsh on them but it is frustrating, the fans made a long trip to come here today and we have to find a way to put the ball in the net, we have to be more ruthless. They are young players but they are footballers, they have to more ruthless, they have to understand we are all being judged."

Whittaker's goal came when he cut inside from the right-hand touchline and inside Niall Huggins before hitting a stunning strike that left Anthony Patterson no chance. Mowbray said: "He shouldn't have been allowed to step inside, for a start!

"But, credit to Plymouth, I thought they fought really hard, they were really well-organised, they have attacking players who showed they can score a goal without creating a lot of chances."