Luke O'Nien reckons Sunderland's point-saving penalty against Luton Town offered proof that refereeing decisions even themselves out over the course of a season. The Black Cats were awarded a spot-kick five minutes from time against the Hatters at the Stadium of Light for a foul by Amari Bell on Amad, although replays suggested any contact was minimal, which Amad stepped up to convert and secure a 1-1 draw.
Luton boss Rob Edwards was frustrated at the decision, which came just three days after Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray was infuriated when Sheffield United ran out 2-1 winners on Wearside courtesy of a goal that should have been disallowed for offside. O'Nien took a phlegmatic approach, insisting that referees are only human and mistakes will happen.
"It's difficult because for example take the other night [against Sheffield United], we trust our line and the way we set up, and we did well," he said. "You look at the goal and we set up the way we should set up, and it was offside.
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"Listen, people are going to moan, they are going to complain and you have to remember we are all human, we all make mistakes I've made mistakes this season and will continue to make them, referees are going to make mistakes as well.
"Of course if you are on the receiving end it's a bit more difficult because you have the emotion, but I think over the course of the season it will even itself out. If you take kind of an isolated decision like the other day of course it's frustrating because we have walked away with no points when we should have done, and could have gone on to get the three.
"From my approach I understand referees are human just like us and are going to make mistakes as well. Maybe it's just going to make the referees better when they are watching the games back, the same as a player.
"We make a mistake, we watch it back, we get better. Maybe there is a call for them to get better quicker, but I just take the approach they are human and they make mistakes just as we do as well.
"You just have to focus on your own performance. The other night cost us a goal but we still focused today on doing the right things, the approach is still the same way.
"I understand the frustration, I'm frustrated as well, but we are all human."
Sunderland have won just one of their last seven games, with that run seeing them drop from the play-off places into midtable. But, zeroing in on the last three games - a win at play-off hopefuls Norwich City, that controversial home defeat against second-placed Sheffield United, and the draw against fourth-placed Luton - Sunderland's form does not look so bad, considering the standard of the opposition.
And when they resume the campaign after the international break, they face what will be arguably their toughest test yet when they travel to Turf Moor to take on runaway league leaders Burnley who remain unbeaten on home soil. O'Nien said: "I think the team just looked at them [this run of fixtures] with excitement.
"We saw it as an opportunity to test ourselves against the best in the league, which brings excitement, you have to bring an intensity to the game. I'm proud of the boys and the way we have gone ahead and approached these games.
"We've gone out not to sit in behind, not to get the draw. We've gone out to get the wins.
"We did that at Norwich, started well, were aggressive, I thought we played really well and deserved the three points. The other night against Sheffield I think we deserved more and I know there was a refereeing decision but I thought we had chances and looked good both forwards and backwards.
"Saturday was another difficult game. They got a bit of a deflected goal, then we went and scored and I think we looked like the team going to win it.
"It was similar to the game down at their place as well. It's been a good few games, we would have obviously liked more points because that's the sort of team we are and always want to get the three points.
"We have a break now, then we have Burnley and have to do our homework and be just as aggressive as we have been the last couple of games. It will be a tough one but we will be working hard to make sure we have a good performance and try and get all the points."
Sunderland go into the international break sitting 11th in the table, seven points shy of the play-off places with eight games remaining.
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