Gyokeres is redoubling efforts to make the first-team for Sky Blues
VIKTOR Gyokeres staked a claim for a place in Coventry City’s starting line-up with two goals and an assist to help the Under-23s romp to a 4-0 victory over Charlton Athletic.
The Sky Blues have fallen short in the goals department in recent weeks, missing several clear-cut chances in the last two Championship games.
Luke Tisdale named a strong side that included six firstteam squad members as senior manager Mark Robins looks to get match minutes into his more peripheral players during the international break. Amadou Bakayoko, who has been missing from the matchday squad in recent weeks, got City off the mark in the 23rd minute when a Jamie Allen shot was saved into the path of the big centrefroward to head home. Attacking midfielder Allen was also in impressive form as he set up Gyokeres who was denied by the keeper before unleashing a terrific shot himself which the visiting stopper dived and pushed on to the post.
But City doubled their lead shortly after the half hour mark when young full-back Joe Newton broke down the left and slid the ball through for Gyokeres to pick
out Jordan Shipley in the box, from where the midfielder fired into the back of the net.
Tisdale’s lads spurned the opportunity to further extend their advantage
four minutes into the second half when awarded a penalty, which Josh Eccles struck but was denied by Nathan Harness who dived the right way to make the save.
The inspired visiting keeper then pulled off another good save to deny Bakayoko a second before Gyokeres smashed a shot into the top corner from just inside of the box to make it 3-0 on 71 minutes.
And the on-loan striker from Brighton completed his brace seven minutes later with another superb finish when the ball was played over the top by Jack Burroughs which Gyokeres chased down before turning his man and picking his spot past Harness.
COVENTRY CITY UNDER-23S: Cian Tyler; Jack Burroughs (85 mins, Blaine Rowe), Josh Pask, Jordon Thompson, Joe Newton (66 mins, Josh Reid); Josh Eccles, Ben Sheaf, Jordan Shipley; Jamie Allen, Amadou Bakayoko, Viktor Gyokeres. Subs (not used): Keelan Fallows, Jonny Ngandu, Will Bapaga.
The on-loan striker from Brighton completed his brace seven minutes later with another superb finish.