COVENTRY City surrendered a second-half lead in a 2-1 defeat at Norwich City as Liam Kitching’s red card proved costly.
The Sky Blues struck three minutes after the break through Callum O’Hare only for Josh Sargent to equalise for the home side on the hour mark.
And Kitching saw red on 71 minutes after bringing down Sargent just outside the penalty area before Borja Sainz won the game for Norwich with a fine effort six minutes from time at Carrow Road.
And result means Coventry drop to seventh in the Championship table, one point outside of the play-off places.
The Sky Blues almost broke the deadlock when Haji Wright saw his powerful effort pushed behind for a corner by Angus Gunn at his near post.
And City went close again when Victor Torp let fly from distance only to see his swerving shot travel inches over the crossbar.
After a goalless first half, Coventry took the lead on 48 minutes when O’Hare received Torp’s before jinking his way between two Norwich defenders and finding the bottom right corner from six-yards out.
And the Sky Blues should have doubled their lead soon after as Wright burst down the left and into the box only to shoot straight at Gunn from 10-yards out who made a crucial save with his foot.
However, the Canaries equalised on 60 minutes when the ball fell kindly into the path of Sargent who lashed an inistintive effort past Bradley Collins from eight-yards out.
And the visitors were then reduced to 10-men on 71 minutes as Kitching slid in and caught Sargent just outside the box with the striker racing through on goal.
From the resulting free-kick, Gabriel Sara curled an effort against the crossbar from 20-yards out with Collins scrambling across his line.
The Sky Blues spurned a golden chance to win the game late on when O’Hare, Jamie Allen and Kasey Palmer combined to great effect as the latter saw his shot from inside the box well-saved by Gunn.
And Norwich made the most of the man advantage to complete the turnaround on 84 minutes as Sainz curled an unstoppable shot into the right corner of the goal from just outside the penalty area.
Coventry are next in action at home to Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday, February 6 in an FA Cup fourth round replay with kick-off at 7.45pm at the Coventry Building Society Arena.
