Sunderland head coach Lee Johnson was angry that he was left with little choice but to face Wimbledon after Covid-19 wreaked havoc with team selection.

The Black Cats secured a Sky Bet League One point after Bailey Wright’s 62nd minute volley cancelled out Joe Pigott’s penalty three minutes before half-time.

The draw was a decent one for Wimbledon at the Stadium of Light but in the circumstances it was also pretty good for the Wearsiders, with Johnson not wanting his team to play.

A Sunderland first team player tested positive for coronavirus and a further seven are self-isolating – two of whom are displaying symptoms – after coming in close proximity of the positive case. It places Saturday’s trip to Shrewsbury in doubt.

The development on the day of the game led to Sunderland exploring the option of postponing the contest with the EFL, but they did not feel comfortable over fears it could cost them points.

Johnson said: “Mainly I was so proud, with the players putting themselves above the parapet at least I know what it means to these guys.

“Jordan Willis, Lynden Gooch, Aiden O’Brien shouldn’t have been near the team because they have been recovering from injuries.  They performed very well.

“That game should have been called off, no doubt in my mind. That was dangerous for those two sets of players, those who had injuries, the (Under-) 23s played yesterday. The team was changing by the hour, in terms of being told I can’t do that or this.

“I can’t help but feel angry, frustrated, at the moment I am not sure who I am angry at. I had to control the controllables, that was all I could do.

“We didn’t get any help with clarity. Bristol Rovers have cancelled a game today in very similar circumstance, but the threat of retribution was the bit that is very unclear. It was difficult to make a decision based on safety. I feel let down.

“The amount of games in football I have had as a player, a manager, a head coach, it is all unprecedented what is going on.

“Other clubs will have to deal with it. I am not playing the victim, we played tonight, played hard, no lack of effort.”

Sunderland had looked to build on Saturday’s 4-0 win at Lincoln by winning at home, but Wimbledon made the most of the opportunity in front of them.

The Dons travelled back with a point to end a run of two successive defeats but boss Glyn Hodges said: “We are really frustrated.

“At the end we had two great chances but their equaliser, I’ll have to look at it again, but I felt it was a foul and we did enough to win the game.

“You come to these places and you don’t expect to boss them with the ball, so we let them have the ball at times.

“The possession stats don’t worry me, it’s shots on target and goals.

“We had more shots than them, so for the away side, we did not do too bad.

“These are a top side looking for promotion, so to come and play like this shows we can win points anywhere.”