Port Vale 1 - 1 Coventry City

Sky Blues denied by late goal



Coventry soaked up heavy pressure to snatch a point at Port Vale courtesy of Jacob Murphy’s tenth goal of the season.

And while Sam Kelly’s spectacular equaliser was the least Vale deserved, the Sky Blues almost condemned them to only their second home defeat of the season as debutant substitute Darius Henderson’s injury-time header was blocked on the line.

Tony Mowbray drafted in new Premier League loans Baily Cargill and Jack Stephens – the former at the centre of defence, the latter as the holding player in a fluid 4-1-4-1 formation.

And the back five found themselves with plenty of work to do in the opening stages as Vale launched long balls towards the sharp end of their 4-4-2.

It was the Sky Blues who created the first clear-cut chance, Cargill heading over from Murphy’s free-kick, but City then had to soak up a spell of intense pressure as Leitch-Smith had two shots blocked in rapid succession before Charles-Cook grabbed Grant’s header.

City were struggling to find any midfield cohesion or provide Adam Armstrong with any service and they almost fell adrift just before the half-hour as Robinson’s improvised back-heel found Leitch-Smith sprinting through but Charles-Cook parried his first effort and reacted well to hold the follow-up.

Mowbray had to reorganise moments later as Lorentzson, who had earlier received lengthy treatment for a knock on the head, was led-off – Ricketts switching to right-back as substitute Ramage took over in the middle.

City produced their best move of the match five minutes before half-time, as Armstrong collected Maddison’s pass on the right and cut inside for a fierce left-foot shot that was straight at Alnwick.

But two minutes later he played a key role as City snatched the lead, playing a return pass to Murphy who picked his way through the middle of a congested box to rounds the keeper and tuck home.

Many home fans thought Leitch-Smith had fired an instant equaliser but his angled shot was fractionally outside the near post.

City were kicking towards their own fans in the second half but it was Vale who threatened first as Foley’s long-range pot flew straight to Charles-Cook.

The keeper was fully extended when Leitch-Smith swivelled on the edge of the box for a low shot that looked set to skid just inside the post.

And Charles-Cook then pulled off one of the saves of the season, changing direction brilliantly to flip the ball over the bar as Dickinson’s free-kick took a big deflection off the wall.

Alnwick did well at the other end, narrowing the angle to deny Armstrong as the Newcastle teenager ran on to Maddison’s fine through ball. But that was virtually Maddison’s last contribution as he gave way to newly-arrived striker Darius Henderson.

City were then indebted to a moment of role reversal as the back-tracking Armstrong produced a perfectly-timed tackle to foil Dickinson’s overlap.

The Sky Blues in turn broke well, Rose starting the move inside his own half and nearly producing the perfect finish as Alnwick dived to parry his low 20-yarder.

That was a rare foray into home territory as Vale racked up the pressure with a sequence of inswinging corners. But the equaliser finally came from a flash of individual magic from substitute Sam Kelly who had been on the pitch for barely three minutes when he cut in from the right and unleashed a thunderous 25-yard left-footer that was too hot for even Charles-Cook to cope with as it flew into the top corner.

But there was almost a Sky Blues sting in the tail as Dickinson and Foley both miscued dangerously close to their own goal before Grant blocked Henderson’s header on the line.