Reading 1 - 0 Coventry City

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Reading 1 - 0 Coventry City

Postby dutchman » Sun Dec 11, 2022 3:02 am

Restart setback amid set-piece switch off

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Coventry City suffered their first defeat in five games despite dominating for long periods at Reading on the resumption of the Championship season.

The Royals started the brighter of the two sides, getting forward from the first whistle and testing City with a number of early set pieces, but the visitors grew into the game and soon began to ask questions of their own.

Callum O’Hare went closest to breaking the deadlock in the 25th minute when he received the ball with his back to goal, turned on the edge of the D and hit and hard and low effort which was denied by a decent save by goalkeeper Joe Lumley who dropped to his right to palm the ball away.

Gus Hamer curled a 20 yard free-kick just wide of the target five minutes from the break in a half of very few chances for either side until first half stoppage time when Yakou Meite got on the end of a Tom Ince cross and headed goalwards, denied by a good save from Ben Wilson.

Coventry counter attacked from the resulting corner when O’Hare was tripped outside the box, leaving Viktor Gyokeres to try his luck from the free-kick but smash it disappointingly into the wall.

The Sky Blues came out all guns blazing in the second half with a string of attacking moves in the final third and Michael Rose heading onto the post from a corner.

But it was the Royals who snatched the lead in the 57th minute from a set piece, with Meite beating Bidwell in the air from a corner and flicking the ball goalwards where Amadou Mbengue nodded in unmarked from two yards out.

City continued to probe and press for an equaliser but simply couldn’t find the bit of quality required to pick their way through and find the back of the net.

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Re: Reading 1 - 0 Coventry City

Postby dutchman » Sun Dec 11, 2022 3:04 am

Mbengue heads Reading to victory over Coventry

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Amadou Mbengue's first senior goal gave Reading a fortuitous home win over Coventry.

The Royals hit the second-half winner against the run of play when Tom McIntyre headed Tom Ince's corner goalwards to Mbengue, who nodded in from three yards.

Michael Rose had almost put City ahead moments before when he glanced a near-post header from Gustavo Hamer's corner against the far post.

Coventry, who had four straight wins before the World Cup break, carried the greater threat in the first half, with Callum O'Hare's long-range half-volley forcing a good save from Joe Lumley.

The interruption to the season came at a bad time for the Sky Blues after a run of seven wins in nine had lifted them into mid-table, but it provided timely respite for Paul Ince's side, who had slid out of the play-off places after a run of two victories in 10.

Mbengue's goal gave Reading a seventh home win of the campaign and was the first Coventry had conceded on the road since a 2-2 draw at Luton on 14 September.

City seemed to quickly regain their momentum, with Viktor Gyokeres denied a clear shot on goal by Andy Yiadom's crucial challenge, and Hamer sending a free-kick inches past the post.

The Royals started with midfielder Baba Rahman and striker Junior Hoilett back from World Cup duties with Ghana and Canada respectively.

Yet the home fans had to wait until first-half stoppage-time for their first effort on target when Coventry goalkeeper Ben Wilson pushed Yakou Meite's header around the post.

Lumley's reaction save prevented an Ince own goal before Mbengue put Reading in front - ending City's run of four clean sheets - but the visitors continued to threaten afterwards without reward, as O'Hare pulled a shot wide when well-placed before the Royals keeper parried Ben Sheaf's effort.

The Sky Blues do not yet know where they will play next Saturday's game with Swansea after being served with an eviction notice from their Coventry Building Society Arena home.

Coventry City manager Mark Robins told BBC CWR:

"I think that performance on any other day could have got us three points, certainly a point. I thought it was harsh on us not to get anything from it.

"We were playing really well and thought we came out in the second half and were really on top and then we concede a goal really against the run of play.

"It was the first set-play goal we've conceded all season so for that to happen and us to lose the game on the back of it was really disappointing.

"You could tell we needed a game. That sharpness in the final third, I think from both teams really, was lacking, but I thought we were really good."

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