Millwall 1 - 1 Coventry City

[dutchman]

[dutchman]

Marvin Sordell's strike inspires Coventry City to a point at high-flying Millwall



The Sky Blues remain second from bottom, still looking for their first victory – but their fourth draw of the season will certainly boost morale.

Coventry City temporarily climbed out of the relegation zone courtesy of Marvin Sordell’s stunning first goal for the club.

But despite being pegged back by another counter-attack goal, their all-round display at one of the division’s more daunting destinations suggests that they should soon start to haul themselves up the table.

Mowbray made three changes from the side that went down 2-0 at Fleetwood last time out, skipper Sam Ricketts replacing Cian Harries at the back while Ruben Lameiras and Kyel Reid were drafted into the attack.

The Lions made a high-energy start on the saturated pitch, Worrall heading just over from Martin’s left-wing cross while Webster was also too high when he climbed to Worrall’s corner.

But with Gadzhev’ and Bigirimana getting a grip on midfield the Sky Blues began to stroke the ball around, the Bulgarian forcing Archer to move smartly with a skidding 25-yarder.

And three minutes later the keeper was confounded as Sordell collected Birigimana’s pass, turned and smacked a superb shot into the corner of the net. It was his first goal for City and he took great delight in signalling his pleasure to the home fans who had booed him from the start – the aftermath of a 2012 row that erupted while he was playing for Bolton in 2012.

The Sky Blues looked well in control at that stage – although O’Brien was almost presented with a free-gift when Page’s overcooked back-pass put Charles-Cook in trouble – and a suitably fired-up Sordell tried to do an Armstrong when he spotted Archer off his line but curled wide from 45 yards.

Millwall’s game-plan was based on the aerial threat of Morison, who headed straight at Charles-Cook when Webster picked him out with a free-kick early in the second half.

But it was the Sky Blues who passed up a golden opportunity to double their lead, Gadzhev’s corner finding Sordell completely in the clear on the six-yard line but the striker glancing his header wide of the far post.

He threatened again just past the hour, brilliantly winning back the ball from Webster to feed Reid on the right and meeting the low cross with a shot that was deflected fractionally wide.

City were forced to reorganise minutes later, Kelly-Evans replacing Page who hadn’t looked fully fit since taking a knock inside the opening quarter-of-an-hour.

And it was an attack down that flank which produced Millwall’s out-of-the-blue equaliser 20 minutes from time, Morrison galloping clear to sweep over a low cross that O’Brien tucked home at the near post.

Mowbray responded by sending on Jones and Agyei.

And Jones almost broke the deadlock when, having been grappled by three Millwall defenders in the course of a sinuous run, he finally won a free-kick 25 yards out and forced Archer to a full-length save with a shot that was dipping into the top corner.