BOBBY Thomas scored a dramatic 97th-minute winner as Coventry City beat Stoke City 3-2 to spoil the return of former boss Mark Robins.
Thomas lashed a shot into the bottom right corner at the death to spark wild scenes of celebration at a packed Coventry Building Society Arena.
That came after Victor Torp’s first-half brace put the Sky Blues in command at the break only for Stoke substitute Sam Gallagher to net a second-half double for the visitors.
And the result means Coventry stay fifth in the Championship table, after securing a fifth straight league win, four points clear of the chasing pack in the race for a play-off spot.
The return of former Sky Blues boss Robins dominated the build-up to the game although he received no sort of welcome from the home fans before kick-off.
The visitors started the brighter of the two teams as Oliver Dovin made a superb early save to tip Lewis Koumas’s shot behind for a corner.
And Thomas then bravely threw himself in the way of Ali Al-Hamadi’s goalbound effort after he broke free down the left channel and burst into the penalty area.
However, Coventry broke the deadlock on 22 minutes when Milan van Ewijk delivered a long throw into the box from the right and Torp glanced a header into the bottom left corner from eight-yards out.
And Torp doubled City’s lead on 31 minutes after Tatsuhiro Sakamoto beat his man with a nutmeg down the right before playing a pass into the goalscorer who coolly placed a shot into the bottom left corner from 12-yards out.
The Sky Blues almost extended their lead on the stroke of half time as Josh Eccles curled a shot against the outside of the post from the edge of the penalty area.
And City were left furious with the officials moments later after the rerferee awarded Stoke a goal kick despite Potters goalkeeper Viktor Johhansson appearing to wipe out Ephron Mason-Clark inside the six-yard box.
The Sky Blues had control of the game after the break although Al-Hamadi headed wide from close range for Stoke while Dovin comfortably held substitute Million Manhoef’s low effort moments later.
And Stoke halved the deficit on 65 minutes when substitute Gallagher tapped home into an empty net from five-yards out after Wouter Burger showed great composure in the box.
The Potters equalised four minutes from time when Gallagher headed in Manhoef’s free-kick from six-yards out.
And Stoke almost snatched the points momets later when Burger’s audacious backheel at a corner went inches over the crossbar with Dovin at full stretch.
However, after Stoke failed to deal with a cross from the right, Thomas lashed a shot into the bottom right corner and celebrated with boss Frank Lampard on the pitch.
City saw out the final moments to claim a fifth successive league win and chanted their appreciation for former boss Robins as he left the field at the end of the game.
