ROBINS BUOYED BY BAKAYOKO
COVENTRY CITY manager Mark Robins said his team’s home win over Plymouth could be just the boost they need.
Sierra Leone striker Amadou Bakayoko’s first-half penalty clinched the points from a tight game which required the hosts to survive a nervy finale against opponents reduced to ten men through the 57th-minute dismissal of Jamie Ness.
“That’s good for confidence and also we’ve had some real good cameos, some of the players there are performing,” he said.
“It’s great having competiton for places and people are going to have to be on their game to stay in the team.
“There were loads of openings, it was just that last finishing touch was missing. We managed to get a penalty which Bakayoko took and he’s off the mark now, so that’s good for him.
“He’s scored the winner so that’s brilliant for his confidence. There were also a number of other good performances where players were trying things, being brave on the ball and taking passes under pressure and the movement was good.
“The amount of chances we’ve had that we haven’t scored nearly gave me a heart attack. But it’s a great three points, first win at home and the second clean sheet in a row.”
Bakayoko’s first goal for the Sky Blues came when referee Darren Drysdale adjudged Jordy Hiwula to have been tripped as he cut into the box.
It was otherwise a forgettable opening 45 minutes, with little by way of goalmouth action at either end.
Coventry went closest to breaking the deadlock through Tony Andreu’s low shot, which visiting stopper Matt Macey blocked at his near post. Former City favourite Ruben Lameiras then forced home keeper Liam O’Brien into a fine low save just minutes after arriving as a half-time sub.
The visitors played the final 33 minutes with 10 men after Ness received a second yellow card – for handball.
And it was Coventry who went closest to finding another goal through two Tom Bayliss efforts then Jordan Shipley who failed to convert a one-on-one.
Plymouth boss Derek Adams was philosophical about the penalty decision, but described Ness’s second yellow card as “harsh”.
“It was a difficult afternoon for us conceding another penalty and getting a sending off which I thought was harsh,” he said.
“The first booking was correct, and unfortunately the ball hit his hand for the second one.
“I didn’t see Coventry troubling us this afternoon as I thought we looked defensively sound. They huffed and puffed but were never going to play through us.
“We were better in the second half, even down to 10 players, and when we put balls forward they looked nervous and went deeper and deeper.”
COVENTRY: O’Brien 7, Sterling 7, Willis 6, Hyam 7, Mason 7, Ogogo 6, Doyle 6, Hiwula 7 (Shipley 81, 6), Andreu 6 (Thomas 73, 6), Bayliss, Bakayoko 7 (Biamou 73, 6) Subs not used: Burge, Grimmer, Ponticelli, Thompson
PLYMOUTH: Macey 6, Moore 6, Wootton 6, Canavan 6, Smith-Brown 6, C Grant 5 (Lameiras 46, 6), Songo’o 6 (Fox 73, 6), Ness 4, Carey 7, Ladapo 6, J Grant 5 (Taylor 53, 6) Subs not u sed: Sawyer, Edwards, Wylde, Letheren