Brilliant fight-back against ten man CherriesA brilliant stoppage time Todd Kane goal handed Coventry City a superb point as Mark Robins’s men battled back from two goals down against ten man Bournemouth.
The Sky Blues trailed 2-0 midway through the second half after Jaidon Anthony floated home the first on the stroke of half-time before turning provider for Philip Billing just after the hour as the Cherries were largely in control of the Championship clash for just over an hour.
But the home side had a man sent off minutes later when Jefferson Lerma took out Matty Godden en-route to the box, the midfielder – who had been filling in at centre-back – shown a straight red card.
Godden then pulled one back as City looked capitalise on their extra man advantage and was denied an equaliser on 90 minutes by an athletic save from the keeper as the visitors mounted an exciting late fight-back.
But that never-say-die attitude came to the fore and Kane popped up with a delightful wind-assisted angled shot over the keeper that nestled inside the far side netting in the fifth and final minute of added time to send the travelling fans wild.
The Sky Blues were forced to field a makeshift back three themselves, with Fankaty Dabo filling in for Michael Rose, who was taken ill overnight, while star midfielder Gus Hamer was out with a foot injury.
And the visitors certainly had their work cut out at the Vitality Stadium where the hosts dominated the ball from the first whistle, forcing City to chase and work hard to get it back and spark counter attacks.
But Coventry grew in confidence and carved out their first attempt on goal on ten minutes when good combination play between O’Hare and Kane resulted in a good ball in to Matty Godden who attempted to back flick it into the goal at the near post, only for the keeper to block.
The Cherries had their first shot on goal five minutes later when Lewis Cook picked up the ball just outside the box and tried his luck, but Simon Moore dropped to make the save to deny the wind assisted effort.
Coventry’s biggest problem was that when they did manage to win possession back they struggled to hold onto it for long enough to cause problems themselves, too often playing hopeful forward passes that were intercepted, resulting in the pressure coming straight back at them.
Scott Parker’s men enjoyed 63 per cent of the ball by the half hour mark when they continued to probe and test City’s resolve with their quick and intricate passing and moving, working the ball wide before trying to find Dominic Solanke in the box.
The Sky Blues had a rare attempt on goal in the 35th minute when O’Hare slipped a square ball to Ben Sheaf to shoot but, with plenty of the goal to aim at, the midfielder sent it straight to the keeper.
Kane then sent in a lovely ball from the right looking for Matty Godden who just failed to get a touch ahead of the keeper.
But the home side’s pressure finally paid off on the stroke of half-time when left wing-back Jaidon Anthony received the ball out wide and cut inside his marker, Kane, and lifted a curling, wind-assisted cross-cum-shot over the defence and inside the far side netting with Moore diving but unable to keep it out as he looked to have taken his eye off the flight of the ball with Solanke closing in.
Bournemouth continued to dominate after the break when they looked to increase their advantage with more intricate and fast-paced play in City’s half.
Robins’ men had a bright and determined spell just before the hour but just couldn’t find an opening or get any shots off with the wind now in their favour.
Philip Billing passed up the chance to double his side’s lead in the 62nd minute when he raced onto a through ball that evaded Dabo and, with Moore diving at his feet, hit an angled shot into the side netting.
Robins threw on Viktor Gyokeres for Allen shortly after as City went to two up top but the Cherries doubled their lead minutes later on 66 minutes when Anthony lifted the ball into the box and Philip Billing poked home between McFadzean and Moore in the box.
City received a boost in the 68th minute when midfielder Jefferson Lerma, who was filling in at centre-back, took out Godden as he raced through on goal, taking the man rather than the ball and being sent off with a straight red card in the process.
The resulting free-kick from just outside the box, however, was blocked and cleared by the ten man home side.
Coventry perked up after that, enjoying their best spell of the game but just couldn’t find a way through to create clear cut opportunities.
But Liam Kelly managed to evade his marker in the box and sent the ball into the six yard area where keeper Mark Travers palmed it away but only as far as the lurking Godden who hooked home through a crowd of players to pull one back and make for an exciting end.
Jodi Jones was immediately thrown on for Sheaf as City pushed for a point, with Godden denied by a brilliant stop by the keeper ahead of five minutes of added time when Tyler Walker was thrown on as Coventry ended the game with three strikers on the pitch.