Mowbray ‘frustrated’ as sad Cov go bottom
COVENTRY City boss Tony Mowbray admits he’s at a loss as to why his team have made such a disastrous start to the season as they slumped to the bottom of League One.
Oldham came within inches of piling on the misery with Lee Erwin rattling the crossbar just before the hour with a stunning volley.
The Sky Blues failed to take their chances in the first half and that left the door open for Oldham in the second period.
City full-back Jamie Sterry, who had been outstanding in the opening half, was stretchered off after a horrible clash with Charles Dunne just after the break and the visitors never looked back.
Paul Green and Ollie Banks both went close before Erwin’s effort, leaving Mowbray bemused at his team’s struggles.
He said: “That’s the most frustrating afternoon so far, probably because the expectation was there that this would be the game where we would go and get our first three points.
“We played Oldham on the last day of last season and we totally dominated the game, scored two goals and it could have been more and yet here we are asking where that team has gone.
“They are different players – I know that – but we cannot slip that far in such a short space of time where we go from total domination of 90 minutes to hanging on at times in the second half. It’s so frustrating and disappointing.”
Coventry had plenty of the ball in Oldham’s half but were afraid to shoot when they got into promising positions and were often guilty of over-playing in the final third.
Marcus Tudgayhad chances either side of the break to win it for the home team too but was off target with the first and then crowded out with the second.
And in the end Oldham boss Steve Robinson thought a win would have been no more than his side deserved after creating the best chances in the match.
He said: “I think we totally dominated the game – especially second half.
“We got players on the ball, created chances, hit the crossbar and I thought there was only one team in it.
“We were well organised in the first half and then really stepped it up in the second half. I can’t ask for anything more of the players – they were absolutely terrific. We were creating chances, getting into good positions and worked our socks off – we just needed a little bit of good fortune.”