Coventry City 1 - 2 Burnley

[dutchman]

Burnley go top as Anthony double sees off Coventry



Jaidon Anthony's double was enough to help Burnley win 2-1 at Coventry City and go to the top of the Championship.

The 25-year-old winger's two goals either side of half-time were enough for the three points and extend Burnley's astonishing unbeaten run in the league to 27 games.

Haji Wright's controversial fifth minute goal had given the Sky Blues - who saw head coach Frank Lampard sent off after the full-time whistle - the lead at a sun-kissed CBS Arena.

Coventry stay sixth and two points inside the play-off positions while Scott Parker's side will remain at the summit of the second-tier if Sheffield United fail to beat Oxford United.

Anthony was a constant thorn in Coventry's side and 30 seconds into the match he linked up well with Lyle Foster and struck at goal, an effort comfortably claimed by Coventry's Bradley Collins deputising for injured first choice goalkeeper Oliver Dovin.

Yet in just the fifth minute, Burnley's defence - which had conceded just 11 goals all season before the match - was breached when a fabulous interception from Milan Van Ewijk allowed the right-back to race down the wing and pick out Jack Rudoni.

Rudoni's left footed effort was superbly pushed onto the post by Burnley keeper James Trafford and after Ephron Mason-Clark's effort was blocked on the line by Connor Roberts, Wright smartly swivelled to score his 11th goal of the season from a yard out. However replays showed the American international was standing in an offside position.

Coventry's lead did not last long when 11 minutes later, Matt Grimes gave the ball away in midfield and after Marcus Edwards found Josh Cullen, his pull-back fell invitingly into the path of Anthony who had the simplest of tasks to tap home into an empty net.

In a frantic first half hour, excellent play between Mason-Clark and Jay Dasilva allowed the left-back to pick out a pinpoint cross but the ball managed to go through the legs of Wright, and miss the chance to regain the Sky Blues' lead.

The Clarets continued to prove a threat down the left and after Edwards' shot was blocked, the ball came back to Josh Laurent who volleyed narrowly over.

An extraordinary mix-up 50 seconds into the second-half between former Clarets youth graduate Bobby Thomas and Collins, who both failed to deal with a long ball, presented a gift for Anthony who nutmegged Thomas to find the back of the net for his second goal.

Five minutes later, a free-kick into the Burnley box was not dealt with and allowed Wright the chance to equalise but at point blank range, Trafford came out to smother on the ball.

Despite the hosts dominating possession, Burnley looked more threatening and when Foster rolled Thomas, his strike from an angle was beaten out by Collins.

Then, an excellent through ball from the outstanding Anthony picked out substitute Hannibal, whose back heel fell into the path of Laurent but his 18-yard shot was well parried away.

Coventry fled forward with numbers forward late on and despite Collins having a late chance to equalise after coming up for a free-kick, Scott Parker's side clung on for a vital three points in their bid for a instant return to the Premier League.

Coventry City assistant coach Joe Edwards told BBC Radio CWR:

"I'm here because Frank was sent off which I've just been informed of as we came off the pitch.

"Frank's received the red card, I'm not entirely sure what for to be honest with you. Obviously there was a bit of frustration from everyone in the stadium and it's boiled over and Frank's been punished.

"The last thing I want to do is get punished myself by speaking too much.

"When you concede a goal like that against a Burnley side who are capable of shutting up shop, the big marker is what's the reaction going to be like and that was the positive thing for us because for the remaining 30 minutes of the game, the game was played in Burnley's half."