Peterborough United 1 - 1 Coventry City

Sky Blues end seven game losing streak



Coventry City ended their bleak run of seven consecutive league defeats but left London Road bitterly disappointed at not claiming the full three points.

Posh defender Michael Bostwick snatched an equaliser in the third of four added minutes, Sky Blues protesting in vain that Marvin Sordelll had been fouled in the build-up.

But new boss Russell Slade will take comfort from a battling performance which saw City dominate first-half proceedings and almost hang on as their hosts mounted a desperate late push.

Slade recalled Ben Stevenson and George Thomas in place of Gael Bigirimana and Marvin Sordell as he plumped for a 4-1-4-1 formation. Posh were the first to threaten, Taylor’s deflected shot skidding through to Burge, but City quickly began to dictate the game with Stevenson regularly prompting raids from his berth in front of the back four.

And it was no more than the Sky Blues deserved when they broke through in the 19th minute, McCann picking up a half-cleared corner on the right flank and pumping the ball back into the box where Rose headed forward for Willis to bundle home – the skipper’s second goal in consecutive games.

A superb move seemed set to double the lead five minutes later but Reid’s low pull-back was fractionally behind Tudgay. Although Burge twice had to sprint out of his area to kick clear he was never seriously tested – Angol closest when his fierce shot was deflected wide – and City finished the half on a high as McCann’s shot flashed past the post.

Page, clattered just before the break, failed to appear for the restart, Sterry switching sides while Kelly-Evans slotted in on the left. And the half got off to a cracking start, McGee going down at his near post to deflect Tudgay’s shot and Posh breaking for Angol to test Burge with a far-post header.

McGee had to dash out and improvise a headed clearance when picked out Tudgay with a quick free-kick. With City still enjoying the lion’s share of possession, Slade freshened up his attack by replacing Thomas with Jones, Grant McCann responding by sending on Maddison and Nuneaton Town old boy Chettle.

Coulthirst followed five minutes later and Posh almost hauled themselves level when Burge parried Maddison’s angled pot shot and Kelly-Evans hurled himself into a heroic tackle to deny Bostwick as the defender moved in on the loose ball. Peterborough’s revamped attack were starting to make inroads and City looked uncertain whether to stick or twist although a quick break almost paid off five minutes from time as McCann’s thumping drive was charged down.

Bostwick headed just wide from Maddison’s corner – averting controversy because the Posh sub clearly fouled Kelly-Evans in the process of forcing the setpiece – and Burge then had to react sharply to foil Tafazolli. But with barely a minute left on the overtime clock Peterborough grabbed their point, Maddison haring down the right wing and crossing first-time for Bostwick, arriving late at the back post, to head down across Burge and into the bottom corner.