Coventry City 2 - 2 Blackburn Rovers

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Coventry City 2 - 2 Blackburn Rovers

Postby dutchman » Sat Apr 02, 2022 5:44 pm

The Sky Blues scored another late goal to secure a point in more stoppage time drama at the CBS Arena

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Viktor Gyokeres popped up with a 99th-minute equaliser to salvage a point for Coventry City in another breath-taking game to the death at the CBS Arena.

The Sky Blues got themselves ahead from a Callum O’Hare inspired own goal from defender Harry Pickering in a lively first half when Mark Robins’s men had chances to extend their lead against a lacklustre opposition.

But Tony Mowbray made two halftime changes, sending on Bradley Dack and Ben Brereton Diaz and looked a completely different proposition in the second half, with Dack scoring just 15 seconds into the restart.

And Rovers looked to have secured the three points eight minutes from time when centre-half Scott Wharton headed home from a corner, only for Gyokeres to head home from a Fankaty Dabo ball to the far post deep in stoppage time.

Rovers started on the front foot, getting at City early and looking to get shots off in and around the box which left them vulnerable to the counter attack, which Robins’s men were more than happy to do.

But the tide soon turned with Gus Hamer being set up by Matty Godden and having a powerful shot blocked before the latter was played clean through on goal where he appeared to be brought down by Jan Paul van Hecke in what looked like a stonewall penalty on first viewing.

City, however, deservedly got themselves in front minutes later in the eighth when Godden slipped Callum O’Hare through on goal and as the midfielder touched the ball to his right to go across the keeper, the ball struck covering defender Harry Pickering who inadvertently kicked it into his own net to give Coventry the lead.

Robins, meanwhile, was spoken to by the referee, clearly still not happy about the penalty decision, and his assistant Adi Viveash was booked.

Simon Moore was called upon to make his first save in the 18th minute but it was a comfortable stop to deny big centre-forward Sam Gallagher who attempted to side foot his first time shot into the net.

Coventry continued to probe in the final third and went agonisingly close to doubling their lead when Hamer hit a wonderful curling shot that beat the keeper but thumped the far post, while the visiting crowd began to turn, singing, “Mowbray, sort it out...”

The Brazilian had another chance minutes later when he sent in a free-kick from the edge of the box which was denied by a decent save from Thomas Kaminski before the half fell a little flat to the break.

Mowbray’s halftime double substitution was inspired, with his side immediately back on level terms when an attack down the right resulted in the ball being played in by Buckley for Dack to score with a stooping header with virtually his first touch of the ball.

The visitors continued to push, forcing City to sit deep and defend for a good 15 minutes until they finally managed to compose themselves enough to spark a meaningful counter attack.

But Mowbray’s men looked a different side in the second half, looking by far the more likely to go on to win the game with the talismanic Brereton Diaz a real handful and going close in the 67th minute when he dragged a shot inches wide of Moore’s right-hand post. Gallagher then sent a low ball into the far post where Dack slid in but just failed to connect.

Coventry finally began to reassert themselves around the 74th minute with more purposeful attacks in a bad-tempered second 45 with card happy Peter Bankes issuing a string of yellows, including one for Mowbray on the sidelines.

Rovers then grabbed the lead from an 82nd-minute corner when centre-back Scott Wharton was allowed too much space to glance home in the box.

But this Coventry team don't give up easily and kept pushing for an equaliser which came in virtually the last touch of the game, from a brave and brilliant header from Gyokeres.

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Re: Coventry City 2 - 2 Blackburn Rovers

Postby dutchman » Sat Apr 02, 2022 5:48 pm

Coventry seal dramatic late point against Rovers

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Viktor Gyokeres' goal in the ninth minute of second-half stoppage time saw Coventry City seal a late point at home to Blackburn Rovers.

The Swede struck with a back-post header after an initial six minutes of stoppage-time was extended due to injuries.

Harry Pickering's ninth-minute own goal put the hosts ahead, but Rovers were level a minute after the restart as Bradley Dack headed in with his first touch after coming on at the break.

Rovers created several good chances as the second half wore on and were rewarded when Scott Wharton headed them in front with eight minutes to go with what they thought was the winner.

The draw sees Rovers remain sixth in the table, level on points with fifth-placed Middlesbrough and a point ahead of Nottingham Forest in seventh, having played three games more, while City are six points off the play-off places in 11th.

Coventry manager Mark Robins was unhappy when his side were not give a seventh-minute penalty after Jan-Paul van Hecke appeared to catch Matty Godden's heels after going through in the penalty area.

But City only had to wait two more minutes as Godden's excellent ball found Callum O'Hare who tried to round Pickering, but the defender's challenge sent the ball past goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski.

Rovers could have levelled nine minutes later when Sam Gallagher had an effort saved, while at the other end Godden headed a Fankaty Dabo ball inches over before Gustavo Hamer struck the outside of the post.

Lewis Travis' cross set up Dack's diving header from six yards out to restore parity while Sam Gallagher and Dack both went close in the following 15 minutes as Rovers began to assert themselves.

More Rovers chances followed as Ben Brereton-Diaz shot wide before Wharton rose highest to head in Joe Rothwell's 82nd-minute corner for what looked the game's decisive moment.

But injuries to three Rovers players and a pitch invader extended the six minutes of stoppage-time, allowing late substitute Fabio Tavares to hold the ball up and cut it back to Dabo who picked out Gyokeres at the back post to head home.

Coventry City manager Mark Robins told BBC Coventry and Warwickshire:

"It's taken about two-and-a-half years off my life, no doubt, at a minimum.

"I think we deserved a point, I think we played brilliantly in the first half and in the second half their changes meant that the intensity just changed in that instant.

"That cost us the goals and any momentum that we'd built in the first half, but what we didn't lose was the bravery, the courage, and the determination to go and get a goal back.

:bbc_sport_logo:
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Re: Coventry City 2 - 2 Blackburn Rovers

Postby dutchman » Sat Apr 02, 2022 5:49 pm

Once again I fail to see how dropping two points at home is cause for celebration? :roll:
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