Coventry City 1 - 2 Milton Keynes Dons

[dutchman]

[dutchman]

Sky Blues drop into relegation zone



Coventry City’s fourth league defeat on the spin sent them sliding back into the relegation zone as Dons claimed their first win in nine to scramble above them.

The match turned on an 80th-minute red card for Ben Stevenson who had earlier wiped out Ed Upson’s opener with a spectacular 30-yard shot. Referee Andy Davies decided the teenage midfielder was guilty of a reckless tackle when he went for a 50-50 ball with Dons skipper Dean Lewington. And the Dons took quick advantage of their extra man, Upson’s second close-range finish giving them the edge in a tense six-pointer.

Mark Venus made four changes from Tuesday’s 1-0 defeat at Bolton – one accommodating the return of fit-again Andy Rose while two were enforced by one-game suspensions for Marvin Sordell and Jamie Sterry. Right from the start wide men Jodi Jones and Kyel Reid looked City’s likeliest route as they both seemed to have the beating of their respective full-backs. Reid’s low cross saw Stevenson fire just wide from 20 yards after Tudgay’s air-shot and Bigirimana then volleyed a fraction too high when Tudgay chested down Jones’s first-time cross.

The home side’s shot count mounted without causing Dave Martin any inconvenience as the game passed the half-hour mark Dons suddenly found some penetration at the other end. City were mightily relieved to see Upson’s effort just clear the bar and there was no reprieve two minutes as the visitors grabbed the lead with an absurdly easy goal – Lewington crossing from the left and Upson rising between two defenders to steer his header into the bottom corner.

That temporarily shoved the Sky Blues into the relegation zone but they were back above their rivals just three minutes later as Jones harried Lewington into a back-pass which in turn forced keeper Martin into a hasty kick and Stevenson intercepted 30 yards out to sweep a superb first-timer into the top corner.

City survived a major score four minutes in to the centre-half as Kelly-Evans, very impressive up to that point, lost the ball in the centre-circle and Powell sprinted through the middle only to graze the bar with a shot from prime position.

Venus had to reorganise shortly afterwards as Rose, clearly struggling for fitness, was replaced by Callum Maycock. And events took a far more significant turn in the 74th minute as Stevenson and Lewington dived in for a 50-50 ball and referee Davies – perhaps persuaded by the Dons skipper’s melodramatic reaction, promptly red-carded the teenager. Six minutes later Dons were ahead again, Lewington’s blocked shot bouncing to Upson who, for the second time in the game, was left with a simple finish from six yards.

Jack McBean and Ruen Lameiras were pitched on in a bid to salvage a point but the game petered out with Dons defending the ball in the corner – an undignified session which saw visiting substitute Chuks Aneke pick a lop-sided fight with Kelly Evans.