SKY BLUES HALTED BY MADDEN
SCUNTHORPE United turned the League One form book upside down as Paddy Madden’s late strike sank high-flying Coventry City.
The Irish striker struck in the 79th minute of a game the home side dominated for long spells – despite having gone into the clash without a victory in four attempts.
Boss Mark Robins, seemingly under pressure following his side’s sluggish start to the campaign, was pleased with a clean sheet and his side’s build-up play, but admitted he’d have been happier if the Iron had put the game to bed earlier.
“I thought we deserved it – we played well and had the majority of the game,” said Robins, a former boss of the Sky Blues.
“We’ve worked really hard this week on trying to stand Coventry’s movement, because they have had a good start to the season and Tony Mowbray has put a good squad together.
“It’s good to see them on a good footing, but it was important we got back to winning ways.
“We created chances and did a number of things really well. We passed the ball okay, but in the final third I thought we were a bit lacking.
“That was down to that little bit of the belief that we needed, but that will come. We were under no real pressure and we dealt with their threats really well.”
Scunthorpe’s victory was inspired by their two Coventry old boys – Jordan Clarke and Gary McSheffrey.
Both returned to the Iron’s starting line-up and impressed against their home town club.
McSheffrey’s trickery and deadball class helped United quickly get on the front foot.
They went close three times in the opening 11 minutes. In contrast, City did not have their first shot of the afternoon until the 75th and that was a wayward effort from Liverpool loanee Ryan Kent which flew over the bar.
McSheffrey whistled in a freekick that goalkeeper Lee Burge pushed away one-handed and five minutes before half-time Jack King had a header cleared off the line by midfielder Ruben Lameiras.
Scunthorpe maintained their attacking momentum after the break with Tom Hopper twice going close, but they did not find a breakthrough until 11 minutes from time, when Madden fired into the bottom corner following good work by Clarke in the right-hand corner.
Sky Blues boss Mowbray admitted his side had been disappointing on the ball, although didn’t feel Scunthorpe had been that much of a threat.
“It was disappointing in a lot of aspects but obviously the result is the major one,” he said. “I think out of possession we were all right. We were solid enough and it looked like a 0-0 for long spells.
“If you paid your money to come and watch, it wasn’t a spectacle. But that doesn’t suppose for Scunthorpe.
“For us it was disappointing we weren’t good enough with the ball. We’ve generally scored goals and threatened, but here we didn’t have any opportunities.Yet I didn’t really feel threatened by them.
“Scunthorpe find themselves in a position where hard work was very key. They changed their formation and shape and closed us down and stopped us playing.”