Coventry City 2 - 1 Sunderland

[dutchman]

Coventry win again to see off Mowbray's Sunderland



Coventry City scored a goal in each half as they made it three straight wins by beating former boss Tony Mowbray's Sunderland.

The Sky Blues carved open the visitors to take the lead on 25 minutes when Viktor Gyokeres set up Jamie Allen for the opener.

Top scorer Gyokeres then struck himself in the 89th minute for his 16th goal of the season when he turned in Matt Godden's low right-wing cross from close range.

On-loan Manchester United youngster Amad Diallo caused a few very late wobbles when he pulled a goal back with a 94th-minute curler.

But Mark Robins' City saw it out to edge to within a point of their Championship play-off rivals.

As a test of form, both sides went into the match following meetings with Rotherham, who lost 2-0 at home to Coventry last Saturday, then won 2-1 at home to Sunderland in midweek.

And, for an unchanged City side, that form guide ultimately proved correct, although not without a few anxious moments along the way.

Sunderland have not won an away game against Coventry in 11 attempts since April 1985, the last three of them at the CBS - formerly Ricoh - Arena.

Having made three changes from their midweek defeat, Sunderland made a vibrant start, forcing home keeper Ben Wilson to save from Trai Hume before Danny Batth's looping header brushed the bar.

But Gyokeres went close when he pounced on a loose pass to gallop clear round Batth, only to blast his right-foot shot over, but the Swedish striker's involvement was a foretaste of what was to come.

On-loan Burnley defender Luke McNally threaded a pass through the inside-right channel, Gyokeres took it on and timed his square pass superbly for Allen running in to almost effortlessly side-foot home a sweet strike for his seventh goal of the season.

Sunderland remained a threat throughout, had the lion's share of possession, created more chances and won more corners.

But it was Coventry who had the sting in the tail when Gyokeres netted for the third game running.

Diallo had the last word when he curled home beautifully, but the hosts held on to inflict Sunderland's second straight defeat.

Coventry now face successive away games, a rearranged visit to Preston on Tuesday night followed by next Saturday's trip to Huddersfield, when Sunderland will be at home to former manager Alex Neil's Stoke City.

Coventry City boss Mark Robins told BBC CWR:

"They're one of the better sides we've had here so this was particularly pleasing, We dealt with their threat and took our opportunities.

"It was important to take the lead, the crowd was lively and drove us on - and helped us get that second goal.

"Both goals were fantastic. The move for the second was outstanding and no more than Viktor deserved for his work rate after all the effort he put in."

"He is not finished there, that's for sure. He is going to be hungry for more goals between now and the end of the season. You can't do it on your own. He's part of a team working hard to create chances for him. But sometimes he can turn a game and do something out of nothing."

[dutchman]

Allen and Gyokeres secure points in feisty affair



Jamie Allen scored his seventh goal of the season to set Coventry City on course for a brilliant three points against eighth placed Sunderland in a feisty match at the CBS Arena.

Viktor Gyokeres topped a dominant performance with his 16th of the campaign to secure the victory in the 89th minute before Amad Diallo scored a stoppage time consolation for Tony Mowbray's men.

There was a lively start to the game with attacks at both ends but the Black Cats went closest to breaking the deadlock when centre-half Danny Batth headed onto the bar from a free-kick.

The visitors then got a let off in the 17th minute when Diallo played a stray pass straight to Gyokeres who drove into the box past Batth and hit an angled shot over the bar when he really should have hit the target and punished Sunderland’s sloppy play.

Determination from Luke McNally to win two tackles in the middle of the park paid off as the outstanding defender slipped a lovely pass to Gyokeres who pulled the ball back to Allen in the box to score with a brilliant first time shot and give City a 25th minute lead.

Gustavo Hamer and Gyokeres, again, went close as Coventry finished the half the stronger of the two sides.

The Black Cats started the second half as they had the first, pushing forward in numbers and looking for an equaliser which almost came from the boot of Diallo when he cut in on the right and hit a shot to the near post which Ben Wilson saved.

City then weathered two corners in quick succession when Wilson tipped over a header before Roberts wasted a clear chance in the box by shooting wide from close range as Mark Robins’ men held on to a slender and fragile looking lead.

But Gyokeres slid in at the six yard box to score Coventry’s second, looking to have killed the game before Diallo snatched a stoppage time consolation.