The Sky Blues secured a sensational late point against Preston North End at the CBS ArenaFabio Tavares scored a dramatic late equaliser to snatch Coventry City a point at the death in a bad tempered game against Preston North End.
The Sky Blues’ miserable run against the Lilywhites looked to continue when Fankaty Dabo conceded a late penalty in a fiercely contested match at the CBS Arena where assistant manager Adi Viveash and North End manager Ryan Lowe were both booked for an off the field clash following the brilliant stoppage time equaliser.
City conceded late on when wing-back Dabo was shown a straight red card for his last man challenge on Emil Riss Jakobsen just minutes after the visitors had been reduced to ten men themselves when centre-back Liam Lindsay was shown a second yellow for a foul on Viktor Gyokeres.
Up stepped Daniel Johnson to score the 89th winner from the spot, sending the outstanding Simon Moore the wrong way after a man of the match display from the goalkeeper who had kept City in the game with a string of fine saves.
But Mark Robins’s men continued to battle to the end with super sub Tavares popping up with a sensational curling effort into the top corner to lift the roof off the Arena.
The game got underway with a lively atmosphere, heightened by over 2,500 travelling fans, with City getting on the offensive early with Todd Kane sending in some decent crosses, one of which Gyokeres connected with on the edge of the six yard box, only to head it over the bar.
The home side enjoyed 70 per cent of the possession in the first 20-odd minutes as the Lilywhites were forced to play a game of containment, failing to create a single chance on goal during that early spell when they picked up two bookings as they attempted to bully City off the ball.
North End began to play their way into the game more as the half progressed when Ched Evans broke in behind down the right and hit a fierce shot from the right of goal which Simon Moore pushed out of harm’s way, albeit the effort looked to be going wide.
There was a nervous moment just after the half hour mark when Dom Hyam won the ball off Alan Browne in the Coventry box and the North End player went to ground, but the referee had a good view and saw nothing untoward.
Moore came to the rescue on 40 minutes when Browne played Evans through on the counter attack, only for the City keeper to make a crucial one-handed save to deny the visitors the lead before the break.
Preston continued to look the more likely at the start of the second half when Evans was again involved, playing the ball to Cameron Archer who lifted it back into the box where Evans got on the end of it, only to be denied by Moore again at the foot of the post.
Martyn Waghorn was played in behind just before the hour but dispossessed by Sepp van den Berg in the box as he attempted to adjust his body to shoot.
The striker and Todd Kane made way for Jake Bidwell and Fankaty Dabo, with Ian Maatsen pushing into an attacking midfield position shortly after as Mark Robins looked for his side to regain control.
But Preston continued to cause problems with Moore once again coming to the rescue in the 76th minute to deny Villa loan man Cameron Archer, with City now forced to play on the counter attack.
The visitors were then reduced to ten men in the 84th minute when centre-back Liam Lindsay took out Gyokeres, with the referee showing the defender his second yellow card of the afternoon.
But Coventry shot themselves in the foot minutes later when Dabo was also sent off, this time with a straight red for a last man tackle on Evans to concede a penalty.
Daniel Johnson converted the 89th minute spot-kick ahead of eight minutes of stoppage time, during which Tavares was thrown on and scored in the 98th minute with a beautifully taken goal that left Daniel Iversen rooted to his line, sparking dramatic scenes on the sidelines as Preston’s manager and Viveash clashed.
ATTENDANCE: 19,743 (2,594 away)