SNARL ROBINSON
We’re such a soft touch I’m pulling my hair out moans Oxford boss
OXFORD UNITED 1 Obika 86 COVENTRY CITY 2 Mousinho 64 og, Chaplin 81 pen OXFORD manager Karl Robinson called his side a soft touch after a fifth defeat in seven League One matches.
Robinson, watching from the TV gantry because of a touchline ban, moaned that his players wilt when the going gets tough.
“It seems to me that when we play well we’re good but when teams get in our face we don’t really want to be there,” Robinson said. “I’m pulling my hair out seeing players doing things that we’ve never worked on.”
A run of two wins and a draw (two of those matches cup ties) had given Oxford hope that their early-season problems were behind them but Robinson knows he has a big job on his hands to lift them away from the drop zone.
James Henry looped an effort onto the crossbar after seven minutes to suggest Oxford were up for this.
Ricky Holmes was causing problems down the left and almost set up Henry on the half-hour mark.
And after a goalless first half Oxford almost took the lead early in the second period when John Mousinho fired wide following a Marcus Browne corner.
But Coventry, who’d won only one of ther opening six league games, began to take command and swept into a 64th-minute lead, albeit with a stroke of luck.
Jordan Shipley’s shot took a deflection off Mousinho and wrongfooted Oxford keeper Jonathan Mitchell, who could not recover.
Oxford almost replied five minutes later when Henry took advantage of a defensive mix-up, only for keeper Lee Burge to save his effort.
Coventry continued to push for a second, though, and doubled their lead from the penalty spot eight minutes from time.
Mitchell’s challenge on Shipley was deemed illegal and Conor Chaplin made no mistake from 12 yards.
If the Sky Blues expected a comfortable last few minutes they were in for a rude awakening – Jon Obika headed home from a corner to give Oxford a glimmer of hope.
But a late rally never materialised and Coventry hung on for the three points that lifted them to 12th in the table.
The shot-shy Sky Blues had previously netted only three times this season so manager Mark Robins was delighted with the scoreline.
“It was really tight and there wasn’t a great deal in it, but we got the bit of luck with the first goal,” he said.
“You’re just looking for something to give you a kick-start and get you up and running, and we got that.
“It’s taken a hell of a lot of work to go two goals up, and then we conceded a rubbish goal from a set-play. But we defended well and saw it out.
“We played really well, controlled things and grew into the game.”