Stoke City 1 - 0 Coventry City

[dutchman]

Baker's late Stoke winner sees off Coventry



Stoke City started the new Championship campaign as they ended last season with an emphatic display to beat Midlands rivals Coventry City.

It took until the 78th minute for the winning goal to arrive, from Stoke substitute Lewis Baker.

But, in a highly competitive game of few direct chances, Steven Schumacher's Potters, who ended last season on a three-game winning streak to stay up, were worthy victors - and the majority of the 25,037 crowd were sent home very happy.

The moment that brought the house down came just two minutes after Baker had left the bench, in place of Wouter Burger.

Million Manhoef slid a neat return pass to get Baker in down the inside-right channel, in the Coventry box and he fired low through Oliver Dovin.

Stoke should have gone ahead before the break when Junior Tchamadeu rose highest to head Lynden Gooch's far-post cross against the upright.

Emre Tezgel also had a header parried by debutant Coventry keeper Dovin, from Tchamadeu's right-wing cross - but it was the only on-target effort of the first half.

And the two keepers did not get much busier after the break despite Coventry improving.

Strikers Haji Wright, on his way back to full fitness after missing most of pre-season, and Brandon Thomas-Asante, the Sky Blues' new signing from West Bromwich Albion, both made lively appearances from the bench as the visitors finally looked a threat up front.

But it was Baker's introduction that proved most telling.

And, although Dovin may have been disappointed to be beaten at his near post, the former Chelsea youth player's match-winning strike was a beautifully-constructed move which simply cut Coventry open.

Aside from new keeper Viktor Johansson, Stoke also had two other debutants in their starting line-up, midfielder Eric Bocat and defender Ben Gibson, while 18-year-old Emre Tezgel impressed on his return from last season's loan at MK Dons.

Coventry also had three starting debutants, keeper Dovin, midfielder Jack Rudoni and winger Ephron Mason-Clark, who they signed in January, before allowing him to return on loan to Peterborough.

Coventry now move on to face Bristol City in the League Cup this Tuesday night before more evening action on Friday when they play their first home league game of the season against promoted first-day winners Oxford United.

Coventry City boss Mark Robins told BBC CWR:

"First half, it wasn’t as good as it needed to be but we gave them a leg-up. We put them under pressure eventually but we didn’t get there quickly enough.

"To be on the front foot is what we are after and we were a little too passive. Definitely an opportunity missed.

"When we got into the second half we controlled the game a lot more, but we still didn't have enough quality with the ball.

"And they’ve run through and got a goal against the run of play – a bit like we did to them here in this game last season when we won 1-0."