COVENTRY City grabbed an unlikely and important three points in a remarkable turnaround against in-form Fleetwood Town.
The 2-1 home win tonight (Wednesday) was inspired by manager Mark Robins’ team changes at half-time, and the confidence a goal brings – after a three-game goal drought.
For the first time this season, City were unable to create any meaningful chances for almost an hour, or to find their characteristic swift passing and movement.
An early Fleetwood goal by poacher Paddy Madden after a Ched Evans shot hit the post, after he’d been played in by flat-footed central defending, rocked the home side.
They showed no signs of recovery in a first half in which Joey Barton’s physical and athletic side appeared to outnumber Coventry in midfield.
Upfront too, Coventry were lacklustre and devoid of confidence, with Amadou Bakayoko again failing to make his physical presence count, with little support from the midfield and wide players. Jordy Hiwula made no impression on proceedings,, with his boss later explaining he had an injury.
Too many City players were well below the standards they have set themselves recently – including midfielders Shipley, Westbrooke, Walsh and O’Hare, who again seemed less influential out wide than in his previous central role.
With confidence and zest deserting Coventry, Fleetwood could have been 3-0 up at half-time and had keeper Marosi to thank for a fine stop from a Dempsey header.
Then came the crucial half-time changes, with Robins switching to a 3-5-2 with the again impressive full-backs Dabo and McCallum playing as wing-backs, and immediately pressing higher up the pitch.
In turn. that enabled O’Hare to be more central and threatening. Sub Max Biamou brought much needed presence upfront alongside Bakayoko who slammed home the equaliser first-time from inside the box on 59 minutes, after McCallum’s shot from Dabo approach play had somehow been cleared off the line.
City were immediately transformed by the goal and suddenly remembered how to keep possession with zip and forward momentum, Hiwula and Shipley having been the fall-guys at half-time.
Club Skipper Kelly’s second-half introduction for Walsh – who had his first under-par performance for City – also made an impact, while McFadzean added physical presence in what became a back-three.
Biamou won a penalty in the 68th minute after being brought down in the box and Westbrooke made no mistake for what proved to be the winner.
Free-scoring Fleetwood, for all their first-half control, failed to create chances and City’s second-half structure and new-found belief enabled them to play out the rest of the game without alarm.
The win saw City leapfrog Fleetwood into fourth, from ninth place after last night’s results.
