Coventry City player evaluations from Coventry Live following the Sky Blues’ victory at the CBS Arena by the full three points.
Haji Wright secured the full three points with a late winner against a lively Blackburn Rovers at the CBS Arena. The game looked like it was heading for a draw as the Sky Blues were twice denied by the woodwork.
Mark Robison’ men had goalkeeper Ben Wilson to thank for not being behind just past the half hour mark when he got his finger tips to a rising James Hill effort that looked destined for the roof of the net. Minutes earlier the home side suffered an injury blow when skipper Liam Kelly limped off, replaced by Yasin Ayari who had big boots to fill against a lively and mobile forward line of two banks of three.
Matty Godden almost broke the deadlock in the first minute of the second half when he connected first time with a cross and sent it thundering onto the underside of the crossbar, and Bobby Thomas also hit the woodwork when he hit a smart near post volley from a corner. But Wright secured the victory five minutes from time when he nodded home the loose ball after Yasin Ayari had hit the underside of the bar to secure Coventry their first back-to-back wins of the season.
STARTING FORMATION: 3-4-1-2
BEN WILSON: 8
Got down low to make a string of important stops at his near post and then tipped a rising effort from James Hill onto the bar with a brilliant intervention. Came off his line to collect on the deck well and pulled off a late save to deny Szmodics an equaliser.
BOBBY THOMAS: 6
Dispossessed early on by Szmodics for Rovers’ first chance as he took time to get into the game, but brought the ball out well and went agonisingly close to scoring when he hit a volley onto the bar from a second half corner. Defended well at the death.
KYLE McFADZEAN: 7
Read the game and organized things from the middle of the back three where he was alert to danger from Rovers’ lively front three. Pretty solid throughout.
Coventry-vs-BlackburnLUIS BINKS: 7
Forced the keeper into a really good early save as he drove forward to join attacks and thread balls through to the strikers. Read the game really well and slid in with some important tackles. Replaced by Kitching late on after he was on a yellow card.
JOEL LATIBEAUDIERE: 5.5
Once again deployed out of position at right wing-back but didn’t offer a great deal going forward in the first half. Better after the break but doesn’t look a natural wing-back. Made a crucial block late on.
JOSH ECCLES: 5.5
Took most of City’s corners in the first half but his deliveries lacked quality. Worked hard in the middle of the park on a difficult night against a quick and mobile midfield and forward three, made all the more problematic when Kelly left the field injured. Deliveries improved after the break.
LIAM KELLY: 6
Stopped Dolan in his tracks from a blistering early counter attack and got plenty of important tackles in, helping to clear up a dangerous 24th minute counter attack, during which he got injured and had to go off, replaced by Ayari.
JAY DASILVA: 6.5
Got forward from the first few minutes to provide a decent outlet down the left and might have done better with an early shot that went wide.
JAMIE ALLEN: 7
Busy and full of life in the final third where he tackled as well as making good use of the ball. Dropped deeper when Kelly went off to help contain Rovers’ quick and fluid midfield three.
MATTY GODDEN: 6
Displayed excellent movement and work-rate, as usual, but the ball just wouldn’t stick up front. Almost scored from his first touch in the second half when he connected with a cross and thumped the underside of the bar.
ELLIS SIMMS: 5.5
Strong and mobile but lacked any real service in a disappointing first half from the Sky Blues who spent most of the half defending frantically against a fluid forward three. Struggled to impose himself in the second half before making way for Wright.
SUBSTITUTES:
YASIN AYARI (26 mins, for the injured Kelly): 6.5
Passed up the opportunity for instant glory when he slashed at a Dasilva centre, seemingly with all the time in the world, and struggled to get into the game for the remainder of the first half when City missed Kelly’s presence and experience. Thumped the bar before Haji scored.
LIAM KITCHING (72 mins, for Binks): 6
Slotted in to the left of the back three in place of Binks and defended well.
HAJI WRIGHT (72 mins, for Simms): 7
Put himself about well up top and looked a handful without really causing Rovers any real trouble until he pounced in the 85th minute, heading home the loose ball after Ayari thumped the bar. Helped change the game.
TATSUHIRO SAKAMOTO (90+3 for Godden):
Subs (not used): Brad Collins (GK), Jake Bidwell, Evan Eghosa, Bradley Stretton, Justin Obikwu.
BLACKBURN ROVERS (4-3-3): Leopold Wahlstedt; James Hill, Dom Hyam, Hayden Carter, Callum Brittain; Joe Rankin-Costello (69 mins, for Lewis Travis), Sammie Szmodics, Adam Wharton (48 mins, for Sondre Tronstad); Dilan Markanday (69 min, for Arnor Sigurdsson), Tyrhys Dolan, Andrew Moran.
Subs (not used): Joe Hilton (GK), Harry Pickering, Niall Ennis, Scott Wharton, Jake Garrett, Semir Telalovic.
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