Rotherham United 0 - 2 Coventry City

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Allen and Gyokeres secure fourth away win



Second half goals from Jamie Allen and Viktor Gyokeres secured the full three points for Coventry City in a scrappy 2-0 win at struggling Rotherham United.

City were slow to get started and had a lucky escape in the fourth minute when United striker Jordan Hugill headed home untracked at the far post from a corner, only for the goal to be disallowed for a foul – shirt pulling – on goalkeeper Ben Wilson in the box.

Mark Robins’ men took time to find any rhythm but Gus Hamer and Viktor Gyokeres forced goalkeeper Viktor Johansson into two at his near post in the opening 20 minutes while Ollie Rathbone went closest for the home side when he looped an effort over the bar on the half hour mark in a dreadful first half, devoid of quality.

Hugill wasted his side’s best chance of the half when Rathbone picked him out in the box and, worryingly unmarked, he sent a free header straight at Wilson when he could have picked his spot to score.

Coventry came out flying after the break when they promptly got themselves in front when Kasey Palmer and Jake Bidwell combined down the left flank before the wing-back sent in a square ball to the box where Allen took a touch and then toe poked past the keeper to give the visitors the lead.

City weathered three corners in quick succession just after the hour mark when United substitute Tariqe Fosu fired wide from a loose ball from the third flag-kick as the Millers attempted to get back on level terms. Robins threw on Matty Godden in an attempt to get a second goal as the home side made five changes as they mounted some late pressure.

But a break-away goal sparked by Hamer who fed Gyokeres in stoppage time sealed the deserved victory away from home.

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Coventry ease to win at struggling Rotherham



Goals from Jamie Allen and Viktor Gyokeres gave Coventry all three points at the New York Stadium and plunged Rotherham further into relegation trouble.

Allen's goal was his sixth goal of the season, while Gyokeres' strike in injury time was the icing on the cake for the Sky Blues as they kept up their surge towards the promotion places.

Allen scored two minutes into the second half when he took a pass from Jake Bidwell on the left and poked the ball into the net after appearing to take a heavy first touch.

Rotherham, who dropped to 21st place in the division on Friday night when a late Cardiff goal against Reading moved the Bluebirds above the Millers, struggled to get a shot on target throughout.

They had a chance to level with two minutes remaining when Chiedozie Ogbene's cross to Conor Washington saw the striker's effort blocked by a Sky Blues defender.

The Millers have now won just once in their last seven league games and have only scored more than one goal in a game in two of their last 13 outings.

The win keeps Coventry in the hunt for a top-six finish with Mark Robins' side in 11th place, four points off the play-off spots.

Rotherham seemed to have made the perfect start when they had the ball in the net from a back-post header after four minutes, only to have the effort disallowed for a foul in the build-up.

From that point on, Rotherham's Viktor Johansson was the busier of the two goalkeepers, saving from Gustavo Hamer and Gyokeres in the opening 20 minutes.

Rotherham had few chances in the first half, Oliver Rathbone twice being off target from distance and Cohen Bramall also failing to work Coventry goalkeeper Ben Wilson

Their one attempt on target in the match came four minutes before the interval, when Jordan Hugill's header from in front of goal was held by Wilson.

The visitors broke the game open two minutes into the second half, Bidwell feeding Allen for his sixth goal of the season, and Coventry could have doubled the lead almost immediately.

Only a poor pass from Hamer prevented Gyokeres from getting a shot on goal after the striker had made the initial tackle to send the Sky Blues off on the break.

Rotherham were caught on the break again in the 67th minute, only to be spared when Tariqe Fosu hit his shot wide.

But they failed to heed the warning and were caught again in injury time as they went after the equaliser. This time Hamer's pass to Gyokeres was accurate enough for the striker take it on and fire past Johansson to secure the points.

The win breaks Coventry's run of four straight away defeats in the league and also means the Sky Blues have not lost in their last 12 games against promoted teams - a run that includes nine wins stretching back five seasons.

Coventry City manager Mark Robins told BBC CWR:

"This was good because this is a difficult place to come. We won 1-0 last time but the previous time we got hammered 4-0.

"We spoke at half-time about upping the work-rate 10% and how that would win us the game. The breakaway for the first goal was brilliant, but before that, we another chance when we just over-hit the pass a little bit.

"We managed the game pretty well - to a man we stood up to them, because they're a very physical team."