Coventry City 2 - 1 Reading

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Coventry City 2 - 1 Reading

Postby dutchman » Sat Aug 21, 2021 5:45 pm

Matty Godden steals the show

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Super subs Jamie Allen and Matty Godden put Coventry City on the way to victory against Reading in the Championship.

Allen hammered home with his first touch of the game to put City back on level terms just after the hour mark having conceded from the penalty spot in the first-half and Godden, coming back from a foot injury, scored deep into added time to secure all three points.

Having been benched by City boss Mark Robins, Allen responded with a superb effort from the edge of the penalty area giving Reading goalkeeper Rafael no chance.

And Godden netted in the eighth minute of added time to send City fans inside the Coventry Building Society Arena wild.

Robins named two changes to the side that beat Blackpool 1-0 last time out on Tuesday.

Martyn Waghorn and Julien Dacosta replaced Allen and Jake Clarke-Salter.

Robins deployed five players in defence in front of Simon Moore with Dacosta, Fankaty Dabo, Kyle McFadzean, Dominic Hyam and Ian Maatsen lining up at the back.

Ben Sheaf, Hamer and Callum O'Hare began in midfield with Waghorn up front alongside the match-winner at Blackpool, Viktor Gyokeres.

City created the game's first big chance after just four minutes.

Gustavo Hamer pinged the ball out to Maatsen, who found Gyokeres with inch-perfect precision.

The Swede headed straight into the arms of a grateful Rafael, though, with the Reading goalkeeper saving easily.

Gyokeres went close again after 17 minutes, hitting the post having created a chance for himself in an unusual fashion.

The 23 year-old saw an initial effort blocked and went again with a searching shot that hit the woodwork, leaving Rafael stranded.

As City continued to try and find an opener, Maatsen flashed a shot past Rafael's goal with Robins' men upping the tempo in their play.

With 24 minutes on the clock there was another chance for City with O'Hare encouraged to shoot by the crowd, doing just that.

O'Hare's effort had plenty of power and pace but little direction either side of Rafael and the same could be said about the follow-up with both shots saved comfortably.

Moore was a bystander for much of the first half but was called into action to collect a cross from Reading's right-hand side.

Veljko Paunovic's side played their way into the box but their final product was lacking - but it was a chance for the Royals at long last.

And five minutes before half-time they would get a golden opportunity to score which was duly taken by John Swift.

Moore was sent the wrong way from 12 yards after referee David Webb gave a foul for a push on Swift by Dabo.

City should not have been behind but a profligacy in front of goal meant they headed into half-time behind.

They began the second half well, though, with O'Hare setting himself up for a shot on the edge of the box.

Reading's defence could see what would happen if they didn't get something on it and a yellow shirt darted desperately toward O'Hare and blocked the shot over the bar.

City came again, this time with Dacosta who whipped in an inviting centre which was scrambled out for a corner.

Two minutes after the hour mark City would get their rewards for a fine start to the second half.

Allen, on as a substitute for Dacosta, lashed home a shot past Rafael and into the bottom left-hand-side of his goal.

Robins decided to ditch his five-at-the-back system that started the game and moved Dabo to right-back and put the returning Matty Godden on for Waghorn.

It was working well, with Gyokeres forcing Rafael into action again with a header from a corner.

Godden showed some nice touches too and almost set up a second for City when his centre was diverted away.

He would have the final say, though, slotting home eight minutes into added time to crown a brilliant comeback for the player and his club.

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Re: Coventry City 2 - 1 Reading

Postby dutchman » Sat Aug 21, 2021 5:47 pm

Godden grabs late winner for Coventry

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Substitute Matty Godden grabbed a 98th-minute winner as Coventry City came from behind to defeat Reading.

Fellow sub Jamie Allen had scored an equaliser with his first touch earlier in the second half after John Swift's penalty had put the visitors ahead.

The hosts have won three of their four games, their best start in the second tier for 14 years.

But the Royals have failed to win any of their last eight away matches.

Buoyed by their return to the Coventry Building Society Arena after two years at Birmingham City's St Andrew's ground, Mark Robins' side were on the offensive straight away as Rafael Cabral was forced to make saves from Viktor Gyokeres and Callum O'Hare twice.

On-loan Brighton striker Gyokeres was unlucky not to grab his third goal of the season when he hit the bar after his initial shot had been blocked.

Having been second best though, it was the visitors who took the lead when Swift was pushed over in the penalty area and then stepped up to send Simon Moore the wrong way from the spot.

Robins responded with a double change just past the hour mark and, within a minute, Allen deservedly brought his side level with a half-volley for his first goal since January.

Coventry pushed for a winner and Cabral looked to have kept them at bay until Godden fired in the winner on his first appearance of the season as the Sky Blues secured a second straight injury-time winner in front of their own fans after doing the same against Nottingham Forest.

Coventry City manager Mark Robins told BBC Radio CWR:

"The game needed a bit of energy and Jamie provides that, and obviously Matty Godden has been working so hard over the last few months.

"He has been really frustrated he has been out for the length of time he has been but you could sense he was ready and you could see it today.

"It's been a really good, strong week for us and the performance was a really good one."

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