Blackpool 1 - 4 Coventry City

[dutchman]

Sheaf, Fadz and Godden party at the seaside



Coventry City got themselves back in the play-off hunt with a comprehensive 4-1 victory at Blackpool that extended their outstanding unbeaten run to nine games.

Buoyed by a magnificent Sky Blue Army that numbered almost 4,000, Ben Sheaf gave the visitors an early lead before the Seasiders pulled level from the penalty spot. But a Curtis Nelson own goal restored Coventry’s lead before the break and Kyle McFadzean extended the advantage with a brilliant finish five minutes into the second period.

Matty Godden then wrapped things up from the bench with a fourth in the 73rd minute as the fans partied in the stands.

Mick McCarthy’s men went into the game off the back of a 6-1 thrashing of QPR in the week and created the first chance of the game when CJ Hamilton hit the foot of the post as early as the third minute, but the Seasiders suffered a blow in the sixth when centre-back Jordan Thornily got injured and had to go off, replaced by Kenny Dougall.

City then took the lead in the 20th minute when Gus Hamer fed Viktor Gyokeres who, in turn, pulled the ball back for Sheaf in space to hit a lovely shot past the goalkeeper from 25 yards out.

Coventry, however, only had themselves to blame for letting Blackpool back in the game when McFadzean stepped across to intercept Morgan Rogers in the box and tripped the forward who immediately went down to earn a 34th minute penalty, leaving Jerry Yates to slot home to level the scores at 1-1.

But the Sky Blues restored their lead in first half stoppage time when Curtis Nelson headed into his own net, under pressure from McFadzean, from a curling corner from Hamer. And McFadzean extended the lead to 3-1 five minutes into the second half when he thumped home a loose ball from a cleared Hamer free-kick.

Hamer then won possession high up the pitch and fed substitute Godden who hit an angled finish to beat the keeper and score City’s fourth of the afternoon to complete a brilliant weekend for the travelling faithful.

[dutchman]

Coventry continue fine form with win at Blackpool



Coventry continued their late push for the Championship play-offs with a thumping win at relegation-threatened Blackpool - their fifth victory in the last eight games.

Defeat stifled Blackpool's brief revival which saw them crush Queen's Park Rangers 6-1 in midweek.

Referee Geoff Elderingham was a central, and controversial figure in the game, only showing influential Viktor Gyokeres a yellow card for lashing out at Callum Connolly with the game still goalless.

The official also refused to give Mick McCarthy's team a penalty when Jerry Yates appeared to be clipped by Kyle McFadzean as he went to finish an easy chance.

That came after Yates had equalised Ben Sheaf's opener for the visitors, and Coventry eased away, taking the three points courtesy of Curtis Nelson's own goal, a clean strike from McFadzean and a fourth from substitute Matty Godden.

The Sky Blues are three points outside the top six with eight games remaining, while Blackpool are five points from safety.

The match was packed with incident as the Seasiders began brightly, buoyed by their six goals on Tuesday, as Morgan Rogers headed over and then teed up CJ Hamilton for a shot which rattled the post.

The home side were hit by an injury to key centre back Jordan Thorniley after 10 minutes, but the Sky Blues were fortunate a few minutes later when leading scorer Gyokeres lashed out at Connolly, in full view of the referee, and was only give a caution.

Gyokeres rubbed salt in the wound by playing an astute pass to the edge of the box for Sheaf to drive home the opener, following a sharp break by Gustavo Hamer on the Coventry left.

Blackpool were level when McFadzean crashed into Rogers and Yates made no mistake from the spot, but Blackpool were denied a seemingly more obvious penalty when Hamer clipped the heels of Yates just as he seemed poised to score.

Blackpool's frustration at the two big calls by the referee was exacerbated in first-half added time when Hamer's corner was missed by goalkeeper Chris Maxwell and deflected in at the far post off Nelson.

The game was over as a contest five minutes into the second half when Hamer's free kick was only half-cleared by Rogers and McFadzean produced a striker's finish to fire the ball back past Maxwell.

Coventry completed a great day out at the seaside for the travelling Coventry fans as Hamer battled to win the ball and then released Godden for a neatly-taken fourth.

Coventry manager Mark Robins told BBC CWR:

"It was a great start to the game for us, we moved the ball really well. They had a brilliant result in the week and we were good value for the lead.

"Really they should have had a second penalty. There's no doubt it was a push in the back, and I've seen those given all day long and then it becomes difficult. They didn't give it, we got away with that one.

"Then just before half-time we got a really good delivery from Gus and had the lead again.

"We spoke at half-time about not being too open and try to go after that. Both teams went to win the game and it became a bit of a basketball game, about who was able to create the chances and take them, and thankfully that was us."