Coventry City 1 - 0 Blackburn Rovers

[dutchman]

Coventry leave it late to defeat Blackburn



Haji Wright's late winner made it back-to-back wins for Coventry City and extended Blackburn Rovers' losing streak to four.

The USA international, on as a substitute, was on hand to head in the rebound when Yasin Ayari thundered a shot against the underside of the crossbar with five minutes left.

It was a night when the woodwork took some punishment as Matty Godden and Bobby Thomas also hit the bar for Coventry and James Hill did the same for Rovers.

The visitors looked to be heading for a much-needed point and clean sheet after leaking goals lately, and they were furious when Andrew Moran had a goal chalked off for his challenge on the goalkeeper Ben Wilson after referee Jeremy Simpson had initially awarded it.

Both teams have had poor starts to the Championship season after being play-off contenders last season, although at the weekend Coventry ended a six-match winless run with victory at QPR and Blackburn were better at home to league leaders Leicester than the 4-1 scoreline would suggest.

The visitors came closest to breaking the first-half deadlock when Hill, making his first league start on loan from Bournemouth, got forward from right back to crash a 25-yard shot against the bar.

Coventry stepped up after the break and within a minute went close as Godden made use of Tyrhys Dolan giving the ball away on the edge of his own area to strike the bar himself.

Moran thought he had scored when he bundled his way through the defence from Sammie Szmodics' incisive pass, as he and Wilson seemed to make contact with the ball at the same time, the ball squeezing loose for the Brighton loanee to prod over the line.

The referee awarded the goal but after consulting with his assistant ruled that Wilson had the ball in his hands.

The chances continued to come and go, Thomas showing an unusual deftness of touch for a centre back to volley a Josh Eccles corner against the bar.

Blackburn also had chances to win it, not least when substitute Arnor Sigurdsson raced clear and showed great control only to place his shot too close to Wilson, cueing up Wright to come off the bench for Coventry and grab the three points.

The Sky Blues, 13th in the table, host Norwich City on Saturday, while Blackburn, who sit two places above the relegation zone, visit fellow strugglers QPR.

Coventry manager Mark Robins told BBC CWR:

"They are the best team in possession we've played this season here. They are really brave in possession and have some talented young players who can beat you one on one.

"We started quite brightly, had loads of energy and were getting after them, moving the ball OK but they work hard and get bodies behind the ball and are expansive when they turn it over. They make you sit deeper, and we never want to do that.

"Second half of the first half they controlled it, the crowd were quiet and we had to do something to lift it.

"Ben [Wilson] made a great save from Jimmy Hill and then we did better in the second half, hitting the bar three times, the third a great shot from Yasin and Haji followed in with a really good goal, which we deserved.

"Liam Kelly has torn his hamstring, which is difficult because it's another midfield player we've lost."