SAVAGE BLOW FOR SKY BLUES
BRAVE CITY SUFFER HEARTBREAK WITH BORO SUB’S LATE GOAL
COVENTRY City suffered late agony at St Andrew’s with defeat to ninthplaced Middlesbrough.
The Sky Blues got themselves in front in the 11th minute when Max Biamou and Boro centre-back Anfernee Dijksteel competed at the back post with the goal credited to the visiting player.
And City looked good on their advantage until they conceded another dreadful set-piece goal to go in all square at the break.
But Mark Robins’ men couldn’t hold out for a point as Boro snatched a winner three minutes from time to spoil an otherwise creditable display.
City started brightly with some good work down the right resulting in the ball being sent into the box where it fell to Sam Mccallum who mis-cued a shot to spurn the first chance of the game. Robins’ men were playing the ball out nicely from the back and enjoying all the early possession against a physical Boro side who had an early nibble at the lively Callum O’hare, the midfielder one of three changes along with Gus Hamer and Michael Rose, replacing Jordan Shipley, Matty James and the suspended Leo Ostigard.
O’hare caused more problems in the ninth minute when he cut into the box from the left and slipped the ball to Biamou who was snuffed out by some brave goalkeeping from Marcus Bettinelli.
But the ball was in the back of the net two minutes later in the 11th when a long Mccallum throw into the box was flicked on by Rose and headed in at the far post as Biamou and Dijksteel competed in the air, with a suggestion of an own goal. But it certainly gave Coventry a deserved lead on the back of their early endeavour which continued as the half went on as the Sky Blues strung some lovely passes together to get them moving up the pitch.
Rose and Kelly threw themselves into crucial blocks to protect the keeper as Boro attempted to get back on level terms before Kyle Mcfadzean took a boot to the face from former City loan striker Chuba Akpom, the defender requiring treatment and a bandage to his head before carrying on. City continued to look the more likely to score with Gus Hamer pushing the ball into space and curling an effort just round the far post from the edge of the box. But the home side shot themselves in the foot four minutes from the break when they conceded an equaliser from a deep free-kick to the far post.
Paddy Mcnair sent the ball in and keeper Ben Wilson went to go for it and then stopped and found himself in no man’s land while Mccallum didn’t compete well enough for the header as centre-back Grant Hall was allowed to head home far too easily at the back stick.
It was another poor set-piece goal conceded and put a dampener on an otherwise decent first 45 minutes from the Sky Blues.
Fankaty Dabo helped get City on the attack in the second half but for all Coventry’s positive approach play, Boro defended well.
And it was the visitors who snatched a late winner when City caved in amid some late pressure, Jonny Howson cutting into the box on the left and sending a low ball in that ricocheted off a number of players before falling kindly to substitute George Saville for a simple tap-in.
They get you in positions that you don’t necessarily want to be in and they build the pressure which is what happened at the end.
Mark Robins