SIMON GRAYSON abandoned plans to see his favourite band Kasabian on Saturday night in the wake of Sunderland’s jarring 3-0 defeat at Barnsley.

The Black Cats boss had been due at the Leeds Festival to watch the group who topped the charts this year with their latest album ‘For Crying Out Loud’.

But that album title perfectly summed up Grayson’s mood of frustration after fragile Sunderland flattered to deceive in the first half and folded meekly in the second.

“That display hasn’t just ruined my night, it’s ruined my fortnight,” fumed the Black Cats boss, who headed into the international break on the back of two consecutive league defeats which have left his side 19th in the Championship.

“It’s not acceptable to lose a game in the manner that we did and by the scoreline that we did,” he said.

“For 25-30 minutes we were the dominant team, played well and had some good opportunities.

“But we conceded against the run of play and from then on Barnsley deserved to win the game because they did the basics better - ran further, tackled harder, put their bodies on the line and did everything you have to do in the Championship to win a game.

“Too many of our players didn’t do that after that first third of the game and I’ve had words with them about it.

"Some of them wanted to do their own individual stuff instead of playing for the shape of the team and working hard for each other, and that meant Barnsley found it quite easy after scoring the first goal.

“We lacked an inner desire to roll our sleeves up and get back into the game and as someone who is passionate about what they do, I hate to see the team cave in so much.

“The simple fact is we didn’t handle the pressure we knew Barnsley would put us under - we didn’t dig deep enough.”

This was not what 4,000 Sunderland fans, who arrived at Oakwell in great heart and great voice, had expected.

Cheers turned to jeers in the sun-kissed stands as Sunderland started well but faded badly and Grayson said he had no complaints about the travelling support ending the game booing the players off the pitch and singing ‘You’re not fit to wear the shirt’.

It could have all been different had Sunderland been able to build on a positive start in which they played some lovely passing football.

James Vaughan, George Honeyman and Lewis Grabban might have done better with the chances that came their way.

But all the good work was undone when the visitors defended very poorly just after the half-hour and conceded two quick goals.

Left-back Billy Jones, who had got away with an earlier error, failed to stop a low cross coming in from 19-year-old Harvey Barnes and on-loan Chelsea and England Under-20 striker, Ike Ugbo, scuffed a close-range shot home.

Four minutes later. Adam Hammill, who had done good work in the build-up to the first goal, was involved in the second - his cross from the right produced a weak, headed clearance from Ty Browning and Barnes was there at the far post to lash a right-footed volley past Jones and high into Robbin Ruiter’s net.

Sunderland might have been thrown a lifeline in the 41st minute when Lee Cattermole sent Vaughan away down the right and he was brought down by Liam Lindsay as he entered the box.

But instead of a penalty and a red, it was a free-kick and a yellow and Aiden McGeady could not find the target.

“Looking at the replays, it appears it was the wrong decision,” said Grayson afterwards. “But it doesn’t take away from the fact that we didn’t do enough overall in the game.”

Sunderland fans would have hoped for a barn-storming second-half fight back from their side - some sign of pride, some hint of bloody-minded resolve - but it never emerged.

The Black Cats lacked focus and their only shot on goal in the second 45 minutes came from Grabban, whose long-range effort was casually tipped over by Barnsley captain and keeper Adam Davies.

Instead, it was the Tykes who posed the greater threat and they increased their lead when Ugbo capitalised on more sloppy play from Sunderland to tee up George Moncur down the left who lashed a superb left-foot strike just inside Ruiter’s right-hand post.

That 67th-minute goal sent many Sunderland fans heading for the exits, while the more masochistic hung around to be able to rain down abuse on their team for the remainder of the game.