No excuses from Wilkinson

Sunderland boss Howard Wilkinson refused to make excuses after seeing his side slump to their seventh home defeat of the season against Southampton.

The Wearsiders were sunk by James Beattie's 50th-minute strike - his 16th in the Premiership during the current campaign - in front 34,102 spectators, the lowest ever crowd at the Stadium of Light for a league game.