Sunderland boss Michael Beale said his team only had themselves to blame after their 2-1 defeat at Ipswich Town.

The play-off chasing Black Cats went 1-0 up at Portman Road, only to fall to a rare defeat from a winning position.

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Substitute Adil Aouchiche was involved in two big second half moments which Beale highlighted as key to the loss.

First, he missed an open goal after a misplaced pass from Town keeper Vaclav Hladky, a chance which could have put Sunderland back in front.

Then he needlessly fouled Leif Davis for the free-kick from which Town's left back found the diminutive Conor Chaplin for the winner.  

East Anglian Daily Times: Conor Chaplin celebrates his winning goalConor Chaplin celebrates his winning goal (Image: Steve Waller)
"It was a good game between two good teams," said Beale.

"As the away team coming here, sixth or seventh in the league against the team second, I thought we had enough of the game to get a result out of it. We had two big chances before we scored in the first half.

"And obviously the big miss (by Aouchiche) in the second half, and then how naive we are to give away a free-kick when the boy was facing the stand.

"It was a poor decision (by Aouchiche) to give the free-kick away, but then the smallest player on the pitch (Chaplin) has had a free header in the middle of the goal.

"So we have only got ourselves to blame."

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He added: "It was two good teams giving each other problems and going at each other. It would have been a good game for the neutral.

"It's our naivety that has cost us the points. If we had gone back up the road with one point, we'd have had ifs and buts about the chances we had so to go away with nothing is really disappointing.

"I feel, as the away manager, we should have taken something from this game but I'm sure Kieran will feel his team deserved it as well.

"I thought it was finely balanced and it was bitterly disappointing for us."