Coventry City 0 - 0 Blackpool

The Sky Blues missed out on the chance to go joint top of the third tier



Coventry City FC squandered the chance to move joint top of League One when they failed to find a way though a resolute Blackpool defence.

And a frustrating afternoon took a worrying turn ten minutes from time when iconic defender Reda Johnson hobbled off after being fouled by Blackpool sub Kwame Thomas.

Tony Mowbray opted to change a winning side, Jim O’Brien and Ruben Lameiras making way as loanees Ryan Kent and Adam Armstrong returned from their young England travels.

The Sky Blues made a lively start, Fortune’s tight-angled shot skidding past the far post before Doyle moved smartly to block Murphy when Stokes’s clever ball carved out a gap.

City almost broke through just before the half-hour mark as Stokes collected Murphy’s short corner and pumped in a first-time cross that Armstrong headed fractionally over.

The Newcastle teenager was well wide with a curling 20-yarder before Murphy logged an on-target attempt that didn’t have the power to inconvenience Doyle.

The keeper earned his pay with a splendid one-handed stop when Stokes cut inside to unleash a cracking right-footer.

Blackpool were out of the traps for the second half, Martin halting Redshaw with a perfectly-timed tackle before Charles-Cook got down to save from Cameron.

But Coventry quickly picked up the pace, Kent firing over from 20 yards and then pulling back a low cross to Armstrong who was blocked by Robertson as he moved in to shoot.

City survived a massive scare in the 67th minute when Cullen, having cut past Johnson and Martin in a splendid run, pulled his shot wide from prime position.

Doyle just about saved Murphy’s fierce shot before Ferguson’s free-kick was deflected over at the other end – Fleck to the rescue moments after the foul that earned him his fifth booking of the term.

Armstrong’s free-kick was blocked by the wall and substitute Lamerias’s shot charged down as City looked for the winner that would have hauled them level with new leaders Gillingham.

And although Johnson’s injury earned them five minutes of overtime they couldn’t cash in on defeats for top two Burton and Walsall.