Coventry City 1 - 2 West Bromwich Albion

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Coventry City 1 - 2 West Bromwich Albion

Postby dutchman » Sat Dec 04, 2021 4:10 pm

Controversial handball and OG as Sky Blues beaten

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A poor first goal and a controversial second handed West Brom a comfortable lead before the break to set them on course for victory over Coventry City.

Suffering only their second CBS Arena defeat of the season, the Sky Blues struggled against the high pressing Baggies in a frustrating and disappointing first half.

There was a big improvement after the break when they mounted a sustained fight-back but a combination of a lack of quality in the final third and stout defending frustrated them until McFadzean popped up with a header from a corner to reduce the deficit with seven minutes to go.

The Baggies got at City from the first whistle, clearly looking to gain the early advantage and take the sting out of the home side who were buoyed by a terrific derby atmosphere.

But Coventry carved out the first decent attack of the game in the fifth minute when Fankaty Dabo played a lovely ball down the right flank to Callum O’Hare who pulled the ball back into the box to Ben Sheaf who mis-kicked his attempted shot which, hand he connected with, would have tested the keeper.

Albion pressed high up the pitch, putting the squeeze on Mark Robins' men and trying to force mistakes as Coventry looked to break on the counter attack with pace, only for their final pass to let them down time and time again or get caught by the off-side trap.

But the visitors got the breakthrough they’d been threatening in the 20th minute when Albion cut straight through the middle and Karlan Grant raced through to beat Simon Moore with a precise early shot to give his side the lead - and their first goal in five hours of football.

West Brom continued to push for a second and almost got it when Darnell Furlong was denied by Ian Maatsen who blocked with his chest in the six-yard box.

Coventry’s best chance of the first half came in the 37th minute when Kane was played in on the right and he hit a powerful effort that deflected off Kyle Bartley to the top of the post.

They then suffered a blow when Gus Hamer was forced off with what looked like a recurrence of his foot injury, and was replaced by Liam Kelly.

Disaster then struck before the break when Furlong sent in a low ball to the six-yard box from the right and Cedric Kipre handled onto McFadzean to send it over the line for a controversial own goal.

Robins made a change at half-time when he sent on centre-back Dom Hyam for Maatsen, and switched Dabo to left wing-back as City set about mounting a fight-back.

O’Hare went close with a shot across the face of goal and Sheaf hit a decent shot from outside the box that was denied by a decent save from Sam Johnstone.

Godden turned smartly to shoot at the near post but the keeper had it well covered before Kane hit a first tie effort at the far post which flew wide of the target.

Tyler Walker then replaced O’Hare as Coventry continued to dominate but just couldn’t find a way through as a lack of quality in the final third let them down, with Sheaf firing high over the crossbar.

City then got the breakthrough they’d been looking for when McFadzean headed home a Todd Kane corner seven minutes from time and they continued to push for an equaliser in five minutes of added time.

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Re: Coventry City 1 - 2 West Bromwich Albion

Postby dutchman » Sat Dec 04, 2021 4:50 pm

Baggies win at Coventry to end poor run

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West Bromwich Albion struck two first-half goals as they ended a worrying winless four-game run with victory over Coventry City.

On a day when the home fans, in a season's second best crowd of 23,755, were there to commemorate former Sky Blues boss John Sillett, Albion spoiled the wake.

In five visits now to this stadium, they have not lost - and Albion's latest win was enough to lift them back up to third, ahead of QPR's home game with Stoke City on Sunday.

Albion were ahead on 20 minutes with their first goal since 6 November, having failed to score in their previous three games.

Callum Robinson's slick slide-rule right-foot pass opened up the Sky Blues defence with worrying ease - and Karlan Grant ran to drill a low right-foot shot past Simon Moore.

If that was a nice move, the second two minutes before half-time was a video nasty for City.

Darnell Furlong's dangerous low right-foot cross flicked up off the covering Matt Godden, hit Cedric Kipre in the arm and deflected over the line off defender Kyle McFadzean.

Luckless home skipper McFadzean made amends seven minutes from time when his bullet header from Todd Kane's left-wing corner pulled one back.

But, although City are kings of the injury-time goal this season, Mark Robins' men did not have the final word this time.

Coventry at least found the back of the net against Albion for the first time in five home meetings since moving to the stadium formerly known as the Ricoh Arena - and now called the Coventry Building Society - in 2005.

It was the Sky Blues' first home goal against the Baggies since an 89th minute winner for on-loan Spurs winger Johnnie Jackson in a 1-0 victory at Highfield Road in December 2003.

But, after making their home such a fortress in early season following their summer return to Coventry, they have now won just once in their last five home games.

And, since beating Fulham 4-1 here two months ago, they have won just twice and picked up just 11 points out of a possible 30.

Sky Blues boss Mark Robins told BBC CWR:

"We were poor. We looked leggy and our pass execution was as poor as it's been all season. We didn't give ourselves a chance,

"The first half looked like it might have been a rout .We were better second half and won it 1-0 but that means nothing.

"In terms of the physicality of the team, it was a mismatch. We didn't have any structure, and gave them too much space. Furlong caused us major problems.

"He's obviously punched it in the net for the second goal, the ref's not seen it and we've not appealed for it, which is disappointing."

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Re: Coventry City 1 - 2 West Bromwich Albion

Postby dutchman » Sat Dec 04, 2021 4:52 pm

Remembering John Sillett

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Coventry City remembered one of their favourite sons, as pre-match tributes were paid to Sky Blues legend John Sillett, who this week passed away at the age of 85.

Former Sky Blues player Sillett was, with George Curtis, joint-manager of City when they shocked Tottenham Hotspur to win the FA Cup in 1987, the greatest day in the club's history.

Sillett's passing came just five months after Curtis' death this summer, at the age of 82.

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