Middlesbrough 1 - 1 Coventry City
Posted: Mon May 08, 2023 5:23 pm
Hamer and Kelly masterclass as play-offs secured
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.