Middlesbrough 1 - 1 Coventry City

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Middlesbrough 1 - 1 Coventry City

Postby dutchman » Mon May 08, 2023 5:23 pm

Hamer and Kelly masterclass as play-offs secured

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Coventry City booked their place in the Championship play-offs with a well deserved draw at Middlesbrough on a dramatic final day at the Riverside Stadium.

The Sky Blues took a deserved lead through Gustavo Hamer, only for Boro to pull level on the stroke of half-time ahead of a nerve-racking second 45 when results elsewhere ebbed and flowed with Mark Robins men knowing they dare not risk defeat.

City made a really positive start to the match with Hamer going close to opening the scoring as early as the second minute when he nicked possession, played a one/two with Gyokeres and forced the keeper into a really good save, and the first of three corners in quick succession.

Hamer then gave the visitors the lead in the 22nd minute after a lovely four man move resulted in the playmaker drilling home into the far bottom corner. It all started with Liam Kelly who fed Josh Eccles – the young midfielder finding Hamer who played it to Matty Godden. He then received it back and picked his spot with a brilliant hard and low finish.

Coventry continued to look comfortable in the game in which Boro enjoyed almost 70 per cent of the opening half possession, albeit only having one shot on target to show for it, and that found the back of the net in the third and final minute of first half stoppage time. City were guilty of switching off, with Hamer failing to read a short corner played to Riley McGree who sent the ball into the box where Alex Mowatt had a shot blocked by Callum Doyle. However, Cameron Archer was on hand to slam home the rebound to give the home side an equaliser going into the break.

Boro upped their game in the second half when they pushed for a second goal with a sustained spell of pressure that forced Robins’ men to play largely on the counter attack. And nerves started to set in, off the pitch at least, when Sunderland took the lead at Preston, meaning City really did need to avoid defeat.

But the 12th man was there when the players needed it most, with the Sky Blue Army in full voice to help them over the line – a point enough for a fifth place finish on the day.

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Re: Middlesbrough 1 - 1 Coventry City

Postby dutchman » Mon May 08, 2023 5:28 pm

Coventry set up Boro play-off with Riverside draw

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Coventry City drew with Middlesbrough on the final day of the Championship season to set up a play-off semi-final with the Teessiders.

Results elsewhere meant that the Sky Blues finished fifth in the table to see them progress to a two-legged showdown with Boro for a place in the Wembley promotion final.

Gustavo Hamer's excellent finish from just inside the box for his third goal in five games put Coventry ahead midway through the first half.

Cameron Archer levelled in first-half injury time, forcing the ball home after scramble in the box.

Boro heaped pressure on in search of a winner, but Coventry held on for the point that saw them finish ahead of Sunderland, who claimed the last of the play-off places.

Boro now head into the play-offs without a win in their past three games, having lost at both Luton and Rotherham before the draw with Coventry.

The Sky Blues, meanwhile, extended their unbeaten run to seven games as they bid to return to the Premier League for the first time since 2001.

At the start of the day Coventry knew a win would seal a fifth-place finish and set up two more meetings with Boro in the two-legged semi-finals, and they began brightly with Hamer testing home goalkeeper Zack Steffen with a shot inside the first two minutes.

Hamer made his second shot on goal count, beating Steffen with a strike from just inside the area to put the Sky Blues ahead in the 22nd minute.

While the hosts were kept well contained for much of the first half, a quick corner caught Coventry's defence out and Archer was able to level in the fourth minute of injury time.

Boro were more of a menace after that, and Riley McGree tested the Championship's goalkeeper of the season Ben Wilson with 30 minutes remaining.

The tension remained high at the Riverside as results elsewhere saw teams dip in and out of the play-off places, but neither side managed to find a winner to change how the day started for them.

Coventry City boss Mark Robins told BBC CWR:

"It's just a phenomenal achievement, really. But it's only the start. We have work to do now.

"There was already a chance of it being a triple header, and it turns out that way. We have a home game Sunday and we are really looking forward to it.

"It was an outstanding and brilliant achievement considering all the rubbish we have had to put up with.

"The new ownership, Doug [King], must be thanking his lucky stars. Hopefully we are three games away from something really, really special."

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