EDDIE Howe admitted the "wrong mentality" had hindered Cherries against Sunderland and insisted the pain of defeat was as strong as any other loss suffered under his charge.

Cherries appeared in control of the Premier League clash at Vitality Stadium when a positive opening was followed by a flowing team move finished off by Dan Gosling from close range – his third goal in seven games.

But with Sunderland seemingly on the ropes, Cherries failed to increase their advantage and the visitors found a route back into the game when Victor Anichebe – making his first Premier League start of the season – escaped the clutches of Simon Francis and drilled high into Artur Boruc's net just after the half hour mark.

Steven Pienaar's second yellow card early in the second period appeared to swing the pendulum in Cherries' favour but after Junior Stanislas clipped the post, the Black Cats took an unlikely lead when Jermain Defoe rattled home from the spot after Adam Smith had been penalised for bringing down the tireless Anichebe.

Cherries laid siege to the Sunderland goal in the closing stages and Joshua King was brilliantly denied by a flying save from goalkeeper Jordan Pickford – superb all afternoon – with two minutes to play.

Reflecting on the defeat, Howe admitted Cherries had not provided attacking midfielder Jack Wilshere with enough ammunition during the first half and admitted a slight negativity had crept in to his team's play which had prevented them from extending their early lead.

Howe said: "With a player like Jack, you want to get him on the ball as much as you can in the opposition's half, so his passing ability and eye to create a moment can open up a defence.

"The closer he gets to the goal, the more damage he can do.

"I think there was a little bit of a problem with the team in that we went a little bit negative when we were 1-0 up. We were quite content to sit at 1-0 and that for me was the wrong mentality.

"I think we needed to really go for the game and try and make it two and three."

Cherries' players cut despondent figures after the final whistle having suffered a home defeat to a team previously winless in 10 attempts in the league this season.

Asked if it was the most disappointed dressing room he had seen this season, Howe said: "I don't think you can scale it.

"For me every defeat hurts exactly the same. I don't think you can rank them, regardless of who you are playing. Whether you're playing top of the league or bottom of the league, losing hurts.

"It was a very disappointed dressing room. The players are hungry to win games. The aim now is to bounce back."

Cherries have surrendered seven points from winning positions this season having being pegged back to draws by Crystal Palace and Watford and beaten by Sunderland.

Cherries had 70 per cent of possession against David Moyes's side and Howe was asked if his team needed to learn a ruthlessness to finish off games they dominated.

He added: "With our style of football is it's an easy tag to say you need to win ugly or do certain things. But we play this way, it's the way we believe in. And obviously we have to do it better to win more games."