Spot-on Wag bags late winner for Sky Blues...
A LATE Martyn Waghorn penalty gave Coventry City a brilliant three points against a resilient Sheffield United at the CBS Arena.
The Sky Blues were awarded the spot-kick last night when Viktor Gyokeres was brought down by Chris Basham, leaving the experienced striker to hit a brilliant shot from 12 yards as Mark Robins’ men secured back-to-back victories for the first time this season and kept another clean sheet.
City weathered an early free-kick in behind on a blustery night that saw the wind take the ball when played off the deck in an otherwise tight start to the game.
The Blades suffered an injury setback in the ninth minute when Rhys Norrington-davies pulled a hamstring as he burst forward into the City box and had to be stretchered off and replaced by Manchester City teenager James Mcatee.
Coventry enjoyed some good approach play and possession but struggled to break a well organised visiting defence down with not a single attempt on goal for the Sky Blues in a frustrating first 30 minutes, and the only effort of the half came from a wild shot from Matty Godden that flew well wide of the target.
There was controversy in the 36th minute when Mcatee flew in on Fankaty Dabo who went down holding his ankles but the young midfielder got away with a yellow card
amid widespread calls for him to be sent off for what looked like a two footed challenge.
The game got extremely lively with Ben Sheaf and Dabo then going into the book before the break with the home fans singing, ‘you’re not fit to referee,’ to man in the middle Keith Stroud.
Coventry defended three corners before the break in an increasingly scrappy and bad tempered affair and went in all square at half-time, clearly requiring some wise words from the manager as to how to improve in the second half.
United went closest to breaking the deadlock from a 50th minute Oliver Norwood free-kick which was floated
into the box and bounced off the crossbar before being cleared by City.
Dabo, meanwhile, was treading a fine line when he shoulder barged and fouled a Blades player on the far touchline, having already been booked. And the wing-back was substituted shortly after, being replaced by Gustavo Hamer as Eccles switched across to fill in on the right.
Waghorn and Kasey Palmer followed just after the hour for Godden and Allen as Mark Robins looked to find a way through a solid Blades back line.
And Palmer made an immediate impact when he raced into the box and was clattered by John Egan, immediately appealing for a penalty.
But the referee was having none of it and waved play on. Minutes later Hamer cut in from the right and hit a lovely shot to the near post to force the visiting keeper to save for the first time.
But United suddenly enjoyed a spell of pressure with Oli Mcburnie hitting the foot of the post before Egan headed goalwards, only for Ben Wilson to be in the right place to make the catch.
Gyokeres then drove into the box on the right and was hauled down by centre-half Basham with the referee looking at his linesman before awarding City a penalty, leaving Waghorn to step up and score with a brilliantly taken spot-kick to secure the win.