Win worth a Fortune for Tony’s Sky Blues
MOMENTUM, they say, is crucial at this stage of a season.
If that’s the case, Coventry could be back in the hunt after walking away from Bloomfield Road with a victory that manager Tony Mowbray hopes will kick-start their play-off push. In contrast, Blackpool’s downward slide shows no signs of halting.
Marc-Antoine Fortune profited on a lapse by Blackpool keeper Colin Doyle to end Coventry’s run of four straight defeats and earn just their second win in 11 to keep touch with the play-offs.
Blackpool are now winless in seven, two points adrift of safety and in danger of losing touch with those above them.
Sky Blues boss Mowbray said:“We needed to find a result from somewhere which will hopefully kick-start us to winning football matches.
“We should be positive and hopefully it’s the start of us looking upwards rather than falling out of the play-offs which we have done.
“We’ve got to fight hard, like we did here, and achieve our aims for the season. I thought the team played with heart and put everything on the line.
“The amazing support we had here shows the players what a big club they’re playing for and our targets haven’t changed. I think we deserved the points but we wish Blackpool well in their plight.”
Blackpool went close as on-loan Newcastle midfielder Liam Smith almost notched a superb league debut goal after six minutes, but his 25yard strike was well saved by Reice Charles-Cook.
But Coventry took the lead after 26 minutes. Doyle made a hash of claiming a dropping ball following a corner and it fell to Fortune, who lashed home from three yards.
Joe Cole came on for Coventry and almost set up a goal for Adam Armstrong in the 71st minute, but Lloyd Jones blocked the strike from 12 yards.
Not for the first time this season, Blackpool boss Neil McDonald bemoaned bad luck and criticised the referee, while insisting his side believe they can survive. “We didn’t get that little bit of luck or help off the officials,” he said.
“I thought it was a blatant foul on Colin Doyle but that’s cost us in the end.We’ve had a couple of chances but it’s just not falling for us at the moment.
“We’ve just got to keep on believing in what we’re doing. It’s a tengame season to get as many points as we can.
“It’s a huge lost opportunity for us, that’s for sure. Every game is a cup final now.
“Everybody believes, I believe and we have ten games now to get enough points on the board.”