Bruce blasts 'costly stupidity'

Bruce: Gutted

Sunderland manager Steve Bruce hit out at Lee Cattermole and David Meyler after the two players saw red before his side fell to a late 1-1 draw at Portsmouth.

Darren Bent handed the Black Cats the lead from the penalty spot after Ricardo Rocha was dismissed for the home side.

And Sunderland looked set for a first win in 12 league games only for a second yellow for Cattermole and a straight red for substitute Meyler to turn the game in Pompey's favour.

Aruna Dindane grabbed the late leveller for Portsmouth and, after the final whistle, Bruce was a defeated man.

He said: "(Shattered) is an understatement.

"I think that is now four times we have gone where we are leading with less than a minute to go and got pegged back.

"We needed to be a bit more professional and not do anything stupid. We did do that and it gave Portsmouth impetus."

Of the dismissals, he said: "The two of them, for me, are stupid. I can't defend them. In the end it has cost us the match."

Bruce also concluded that midfielder Steed Malbranque suffered a worrying chest injury, with the Frenchman on his way to hospital.