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Bristol City 2-1 Coventry City

PostPosted: Sat Sep 12, 2020 5:30 pm
by dutchman
Match report as Sky Blues suffer late agony at Ashton Gate

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Coventry City suffered a late and undeserved defeat to Bristol City on their return to Championship football.

It looked like it was going to be a baptism of fire when the Sky Blues conceded from Jamie Paterson with just 19 seconds on the clock.

But Mark Robins’s men battled back and bossed a terrific first half, during which Matty Godden got them back on level terms.

Leo Ostigard went close to giving the visitors the lead in the second half when the Robins got themselves back into the game and bagged a winner eight minutes from time from the head of skipper Tomas Kalas.

City got off to the worst possible start to life back in the second tier, conceding straight from the kick-off.

The visitors were simply caught napping as they were undone by a slick three-man move down the left, starting with big No.9 Famara Diedhiou who slipped striker Nahki Wells into the box where he played a square ball to Jamie Paterson to place past the helpless Marko Marosi from just outside the six-yard box.

Coventry, however, quickly regained their composure and settled into the game, playing some bright and enterprising football, and going close to pulling level on 12 minutes when a Gustavo Hamer free-kick was met by Godden’s head, only to be denied by ta good reflex save from keeper Dan Bentley. Callum O’Hare then nipped in on the rebound and thumped a terrific shot that was blocked on the line.

City were dealt another blow just after the 20 minute mark when skipper Liam Kelly had to go off injured, replaced by Jordan Shipley who immediately got into the game as the Sky Blues continued to look the brighter of the two sides, enjoying 62 per cent of possession in the first half.

And they got their rewards just after the half hour mark when Godden played a brilliant through ball to send O’Hare into space in the area where he sent in a low ball that was cleared straight to Godden who thumped his shot home to pull City level.

They continued to look the better team to the break but started the second half as they had the first, looking at sixes and sevens at the back as they struggled to deal with Diedhiou, albeit getting away without being punished this time.

City quickly settled again and went close to taking the lead when centre-back Ostigard went up for a free-kick and hooked a loose ball goalwards, forcing the keeper into a decent save at his bottom left-hand corner.

The Robins, meanwhile, made two changes with old head Chris Martin and lively forward Tyreeq Bakinson helping to get them on the front foot for the first time since the opening seconds, and back into the game, forcing Coventry to defend a number of attacks and set-pieces.

Mark Robins responded by sending on fresh legs in the form of Ben Sheaf for the outstanding Hamer, and Tyler Walker for Jamie Allen as City switched to two up top in a bid to win the game.

But the home side grew in confidence as the game went on and found a way through from an 82nd minute Paterson cross following a corner which found the unmarked Kalas who sent a header over Marosi and into the far top corner.

City then ran out of time but certainly will feel they deserved something from the game.

Attendance: 0 (Away 0)

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