Stoke City 2 - 3 Coventry City

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Stoke City 2 - 3 Coventry City

Postby dutchman » Wed Apr 21, 2021 9:58 pm

Coventry almost safe after win at Stoke

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Coventry City moved to within touching distance of securing Championship survival as they got the better of Stoke City in an entertaining game.

Viktor Gyokeres netted the winner on a night when they were twice pegged back before winning for a fourth time in five matches.

Tyler Walker had earlier put them ahead just before half-time from Callum O'Hare's ball across the area.

Stoke levelled after the break when Jacob Brown latched on to a mistake by Gustavo Hamer in his own penalty area before Maxime Biamou nodded them back in front.

Sam Clucas quickly drew Stoke level again with a half-volley but Gyokeres scored with just over 10 minutes to play with a low drilled shot past Angus Gunn.

Coventry's third successive win moved them 12 points ahead of third-from-bottom Rotherham United with three games to play. But they could still be caught by the Millers who have five games still to play.

Victory saw them win back-to-back away games for the first time this season having won at Rotherham on their last away day.

They eventually came out on top in a game during which four goals were scored in the space of 20 second-half minutes.

Goalkeeper Ben Wilson also ensured they came away with all three points as he denied Steven Fletcher from close range with a header in the closing moments.

Their goals came through Walker's deft dink over Gunn, Biamou with his first touch off the bench when he nodded in at the back post after Leo Ostigard had flicked-on a Sam McCallum long throw-in and Gyokeres being allowed time and space to pick his spot with a low shot.

Mid-table Stoke were unfortunate not to come away with at least a draw after two brilliant individual finishes from Brown and Clucas.

Fletcher also skimmed the crossbar with a header midway through the second half on a night when his luck seemed to be out.

Coventry boss Mark Robins told BBC CWR:

"I think it was a really tough game. They're a physical side and you can see how much effort we had to put.

"I thought we passed the ball really well. The three goals were outstanding, although the goals we conceded were poor.

"After the hour we started to flag a little bit, I had players there on their last legs, and obviously we needed some energy higher up the field. But thankfully we got through it."

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Re: Stoke City 2 - 3 Coventry City

Postby dutchman » Wed Apr 21, 2021 10:01 pm

The Sky Blues recorded their third Championship win on the spin to lift themselves to 51 points

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Second half goals from substitutes Max Biamou and Viktor Gyokeres saw Coventry City beat mid-table Stoke in a five goal thriller to secure a third consecutive Championship victory to virtually guarantee their second tier status.

Both goalkeepers kept the score line level with Angus Dunn getting his finger tips to a curling Gus Hamer free-kick that was heading for the top corner before Ben Wilson clawed out a Connor Taylor header with a brilliant flying save.

But the Sky Blues got a deserved breakthrough just before the interval from a good move that resulted in Tyler Walker hitting a clinical finish to give City the lead.

Jacob Brown was gifted an equaliser just before the hour but Biamou restored Coventry’s lead two minutes after going on midway through the second half, only for Sam Clucas to restore parity again two minutes later in the 70th minute.

But Gyokeres grabbed the winner 12 minutes from normal time to hand Mark Robins’s men the win and put them on 51 points.

City started with plenty of energy and attacking intent but it developed into a fairly tight affair with the Potters making their aerial and physical presence felt at the back where they kept a tight rein on the front two of Matty Godden and Tyler Walker.

Good work from Godden freed up Sam McCallum on the overlap on the left where the wing-back sent in a hard and low ball to the near post which just evaded Walker, with keeper Angus Gunn getting a vital touch to clear the danger.

Godden appealed in vain for a penalty when the keeper dived at his legs with the ball spinning loose to Gus Hamer who hit a hard and low shot that hit Dunn, who was still on the floor, and deflected clear as the midfielder was unable to steer home.

Stoke suffered an early injury blow when centre-half James Chester limped off on 16 minutes, replaced by Connor Taylor, before City enjoyed a set-piece opportunity that saw Hamer curl a brilliant effort that was heading for the far top corner of the net until the keeper got a touch at the last second to put it out for a corner.

Coventry lived dangerously at the other end when Stoke sent in a couple of threatening crosses the fizzed across the face of goal, one resulting in Liam Kelly injuring himself when he slid in to attempt to clear and collided with the far post, his knee smacking the foot of the upright and resulting in him being in considerable pain and requiring treatment.

Despite attempting to carry on, the skipper dropped to the ground and limped off, replaced by Matty James on the half-hour mark.

Ben Wilson came to the rescue on 32 minutes when Potters’ sub Taylor looked to have scored with a well directed header, only to be denied by a brilliant save from the Coventry keeper who flung himself to his right and somehow clawed the ball away with a strong hand.

But Mark Robins’s men finally got their rewards for their endeavour when Godden slipped the ball to O’Hare who wriggled into the box on the right and played a lovely square pass to Walker who hit a brilliant first time finish to beat the keeper and give the visitors the lead on 44 minutes.

Michael O’Neill made two changes at the break with the experienced John Obi Mikel and Steven Fletcher going on in midfield and attack as the home side made a determined start to the second half.

Fletcher was causing all sorts of problems with his physical presence in the box to test City’s defensive resolve and the Potters capitalised on their pressure just short of the hour, albeit taking full advantage of a mistake by Hamer.

The midfielder attempted to clear by beating his man but took too heavy a touch and the ball fell straight to Jacob Brown who hit a thunderous first time shot from just inside the box that gave Wilson no chance.

City almost restored their lead when Hamer lifted a lovely ball over the top with Walker beating the off-side trap and hitting a left-footed shot that was pushed away by the keeper.

O’Hare then nipped in on a poor back pass for a free shot from the edge of the D, only to send his effort straight into Dunn’s arms rather than steering it wide of the keeper.

Robins made a triple substitution on 66 minutes, swapping the front two for Biamou and Gyokeres, while Josh Eccles replaced Hamer in midfield.

And the change paid instant dividends when Biamou restored City’s lead with a far post tap-in that started from a long throw from McCallum that was flicked on by Leo Ostigard.

However, Stoke were back level two minutes later when City were stretched at the back and a deep cross from the right found Sam Clucas unmarked in the box, the midfielder hitting a brilliant first time shot with his left foot to beat Wilson.

But City took the lead for the third time on 78 minutes when Gyokeres was given far too much time on the apex of the box from where the striker hit a low and angled shot into the far bottom corner.

Wilson pulled off another brilliant reaction stop to deny a free Fletcher header at the far post as Stoke threatened to equaliser for a third time but Coventry hung on amid six long minutes of added time to secure the win and another huge three points.

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