WHIZZ KID JORDAN’S A MENACE
COVENTRY boss Mark Robins was full of praise for Jordan Ponticelli after seeing his striker down Crawley.
The 19-year-old, who is nominated for the apprentice of the year award at tonight’s EFL Awards, struck twice to help the play-off chasing Sky Blues return to winning ways.
Robins said: “His finishes were fantastic and he deserved his goals because he kept getting in great positions.
“The second goal, in particular, was outstanding and that brace will give him a lot of confidence moving on.
“It was a decent performance from us. Crawley are a good team. They know how to play, and present a very difficult challenge.
“We could have scored more if we were more ruthless.
“It is a really important victory for us and keeps us in a good position to clinch a play-off spot.”
The away side got off to a flying start. Marc McNulty worked the ball down the right before pulling it back and Ponticelli found the bottom corner with his left-foot shot.
Their lead only lasted eight minutes, however, after a well-worked team goal.
Jimmy Smith’s pass found Thomas Verheydt, whose first-time ball was inch-perfect to Lewis Young, who drove his shot into the bottom corner.
The Sky Blues’ best chance of regaining the lead in the first half came in the 22nd minute.
Jonson Clarke-Harris latched on to a poor back-pass but his effort from 25 yards was pushed over the bar by Glenn Morris.
The Reds could have gone in front in the 55th minute but after finding himself all alone and only six-yards out, Smith mistimed his volley and the chance went begging.
The away side came close to regaining the lead in the 72nd minute after a string of defensive errors allowed McNulty to get a shot away but Morris was able to push the ball over the bar.
Coventry reclaimed the lead five minutes later after Max Biamou held the ball up inside the penalty area before passing to Ponticelli, who curled the ball into the net and grabbed his second of the game.
The Sky Blues could have grabbed a goal with virtually the last kick of the game but substitute Biamou put his effort wide from eight yards. Frustration was the overriding emotion for Crawley chief Harry Kewell post-match. He said: “We were relaxed and maybe we became just a little bit too relaxed. “We just stopped playing. Coventry aren’t a difficult team to play against and I am disappointed to have nothing from the game. “We are unlucky but there were positives to take from that performance.”