Swindon Town 1 - 0 Coventry City

Andy Turner dissects a disappointing start to the 2016/17 season for City



Yaser Kasim’s 86th-minute goal tipped the scales for Swindon and condemned the Sky Blues to another defeat at one of their bogey grounds.

Although it wasn’t a classic game of two halves, the Robins certainly gained the momentum in the second period after Tony Mowbray’s men had passed up four excellent opportunities to take a lead into the break.

City’s side was pretty much as expected on pre-season form, the one minor surprise, perhaps, the decision to go with George Thomas up front ahead of Marcus Tudgay and Ruben Lameiras who were joined by summer signings Kyel Reid and Kwame Thomas on a bench that looked rich in game-changing potential.

Swindon who, like City, are desperately short of specialist defenders, opened with Cov Kid Conor Thomas on the left of a back three.

Both sides were keen to stroke the ball around on the billiard-baize pitch but Swindon’s build-from-the back philosophy almost cost them dear in the opening seven minutes as they twice lost possession just outside their own area. Marvin Sordell pounced each time, first unleashing a fierce angles shot that smacked against the far post with Lawrence Vigouroux rooted to the spot and then combining with Jodi Jones to give George Thomas the space for an off-balance shot that skewed well wide.

With Dion Kelly-Evans and Ryan Haynes dropping back whenever Town were in possession, the Sky Blues drew a five-man curtain in front of Reice Charles-Cook but underlined the formation’s counter-attacking potential when Thomas’s superb turn and pass in the centre-circle was developed by Sordell and Kelly-Evans cut in to force a sharp save from Vigouroux.

Swindon’s first-real threat was a self-inflicted situation, Thomas’s over-revved pass smacking into Rose and bouncing kindly for Anton Rogers to fire in a diagonal shot that was a fraction too high.

Sordell picked up the first booking of the game, somewhat harshly, for a mistimed challenge on Yaser Kasim bore a burst of Swindon attacking activity saw Brophy get in a shot that was on target but lacked power while Jon Obika’s blast slid wide.

The Sky Blues should have taken the lead in the 38th minute when Sordell’s precision through-ball found Thomas in yards of space on the left but, perhaps distracted by the option of a pass inside to Jones, he undercooked his shot and saw Vigouroux make a comfortable stop.

But as the half ticked into overtime it was the 2,000 travelling fans holding their breath as Kasim made a meal of a 50-50 challenge from Sordell and, having ascertained that he hadn’t secured a second yellow card for the striker, picked himself up to loft the free-kick high over the bar.

Reid was pitched on for his debut at half-time, the decision to withdraw Sordell perhaps influenced by his ‘another strike and you’re out’ status.

Vigouroux had to intervene in the 54th minute, sticking out to divert Jones’s low shot after a route-one ball from Kelly-Evans had opened up the home defence, and two minutes later Jones pulled his shot wide following a far more considered build-up involving Thomas and Reid.

Haynes was booked for a bad foul on Bradley Barry, whose three rolls were hardly required to convince the referee, but the young defender made a far more important intervention moments later when he charged down Rodgers’ blast from the six-yard line.

Nathan Thompson glanced a header wide from Brophy’s cross during a spell of home pressure before Jones went down with what looked like cramp and the City fans’ growing chants of ‘Oh Ruben Lameiras’ were duly answered.

Both sides were starting to look a tad leg-weary but Brophy summoned up the energy for a left-wing dash crowned by a low cross that Conor Thomas, all on his own ten yards out, side-footed over the bar.

Kwamwe Thomas went on his Sky Blues debut in the 72nd minute, replacing namesake George, but Swindon promptly squandered the best chance of the game when Michael Doughty – newly arrived on loan from QPR – dithered on a clear opportunity and allowed Willis to nip and block.

City survived by the skin of their teeth five minutes from time as substitute Jordan Young swivelled on the edge of the area to fire in a shot that ricocheted off the bar. And there was no reprieve two minutes later as a well-worked move down the left found Kasim clear in virtually the same spot and although Charles-Cook got a hand to his shot it spun into the net.

Rose was pushed upfield as a target man for the four minutes of injury time but Swindon held out with no major scares.

Attendance: 9,023 (Away 1,956)