Joy of six for O’Neill

STOKE again demonstrated their Scrooge-like defence to pick up a point in their push for the play-off spots.

The Potters kept their 12th Championship clean sheet of the season and extended their unbeaten away run to six matches.

But boss Michael O’Neill admitted: “We are disappointed. We had enough chances to win the game and just couldn’t find the goal.

“We just couldn’t find that clear opportunity although there was one or two we should have done better with.”

A big bright spot for the visitors was Joe Allen coming off the bench in the second half nine months after rupturing an Achilles tendon.

O’Neill added: “Straight away he gave us that little bit of control in the middle third of the pitch.”

Stoke went closest to scoring six minutes after the break when Jordan Thompson hit the bar after Jacob Brown skipped past his man and pulled the ball back.

And Brown had the best opportunity of the first period when he forced keeper Ben Wilson into a terrific save with a fierce effort from a tight angle.

The Sky Blues struggled to carve out chances but boss Mark Robins, who confirmed striker Tyler Walker faces six weeks out through injury, was satisfied.

He said: “It’s a good point against really strong opposition – but I thought our defenders played really well.

“They keep things really tight at the back and make it difficult for you to create chances, never mind score goals.”

COVENTRY CITY: Wilson 6; Dabo 6, McCallum 7, Ostigard 7, McFadzean 7, Hyam 6; Allen 6, Sheaf 6 (Biamou 74, 7), Hamer 5; O’Hare 5 (Shipley 88), Godden 8 (Bakayoko 74, 6).

Unused subs: Camp, Pask, Hilssner, Giles, Dacosta, Bapaga STOKE CITY: Bursik 7; Smith 8, Collins 7, Souttar 7, Chester 7, McClean 6; Cousins 6, Thompson 7 (Allen 64, 6), Powell 7; Brown 9, Fletcher 6.

Unused subs: Lonergan, Batth, Ince, Vokes, Shawcross, OakleyBoothe, Verlinden, Tymon

MAN OF THE MATCH: Jacob Brown. Full of running and the most likely to either score or create a goal.

REFEREE: Jarred Gillett 8.