Oxford United 2 - 2 Coventry City

[dutchman]

Oxford get first point with draw against Coventry



Oxford United twice came from behind to pick up their first point of the Championship season against free-scoring Coventry City.

Haji Wright and Victor Torp scored either side of Will Lankshear's goal for Oxford to put the Sky Blues 2-1 up at the break.

Gary Rowett's side improved after the break and Cameron Brannagan ensured the hosts ended a run of three successive defeats to start the campaign.

Wright hit the crossbar in injury time as the visitors almost claimed all three points.

Coventry have now netted 14 goals in their last three games and while they remain unbeaten, they have conceded six, something manager Frank Lampard will be keen to resolve.

Lampard's side have been one of the quietest clubs in the Championship's frantic summer transfer window and every single one of their outfield players was at the CBS Arena last season as they reached the play-offs.

That continuity was evident in their attacking play after scoring five goals and then seven against Derby and QPR, and again for their opening goal this time around as USA forward Wright grabbed his fifth in four league and cup games.

They only led for seven minutes as on-loan Tottenham Hotspur striker Lankshear scored his second Oxford goal, reacting quickest after goalkeeper Carl Rushworth could only parry Brannagan's free-kick.

Yet, a brilliant free-kick from Torp restored Sky Blues' advantage as the Danish midfielder scored his fourth in three league games, while Jamie Cumming's save prevented Ephron Mason-Clark from netting a third goal before the break.

In the second half, 20-year-old Lankshear had a header narrowly ruled out for offside, before set-piece specialist Brannagan caught Rushworth off guard with a free-kick from a narrow angle to draw the Us level again.

Yet Coventry were desperately close to claiming all three points only for Wright's effort to come back off the crossbar in injury time.

Coventry City manager Frank Lampard told BBC Radio CWR:

"I'm disappointed to drop points. They made the second half difficult for us without doubt, but the first half was probably as good as you can play without being two, three, four up. Our play was brilliant.

"The second half was different, fair play to them. They put it behind us, were more direct, opened the game up and we couldn't quite wrestle it back and never got that control again.

"Then we had that massive chance at the end so for sure, we're disappointed to have dropped two points."

When the Championship returns after the international break, Coventry entertain Norwich City (15:00).