CALLUM O’Hare’s first league goals in over a year helped Coventry City to a comfortable 2-0 home victory against Wayne Rooney’s Birmingham City.
O’Hare struck in either half on just his second start of the season to seal the points at the Coventry Building Society Arena.
And the result means Coventry sit 14th in the Championship table, five points outside of the play-off places.
The Sky Blues went close to an opener when O’Hare’s fired a first time shot straight at John Ruddy from eight yards out from Milan van Ewijk’s cross.
However, City eventually broke the deadlock on the half-hour mark when O’Hare exchanged passes with Tatsuhiro Sakamoto before stabbing the ball past Ruddy at his near post.
The home side almost extended their lead when Sakamoto burst down the right before sliding the ball into Ellis Simms with Ruddy equal to the striker’s deflected effort.
Another chance went begging in the second period as Haji Wright headed straight at Ruddy from van Ewijk’s floated cross when well-placed eight yards from goal.
And Wright spurned another opening soon after, from Sakamoto’s sublime through ball, cutting inside of his marker only for Ruddy to keep out the striker’s powerful shot with his face.
Ruddy came to Birmingham’s rescue again later in the half, pushing van Ewijk’s free-kick from 30-yards out over the crossbar.
The Sky Blues made sure of the points on 77 minutes when O’Hare dribbled across the face of goal before blasting a shot past Ruddy after van Ewijk’s initial cross ran through to the midfielder at the back post.
Birmingham almost pulled a goal back in injury time only for Sky Blues stopper Bradley Collins to sensationally tip Romelle Donovan effort behind for a corner.
Coventry are next in action at home to Southampton on Wednesday, December 13 with kick-off at 7.45pm at the Coventry Building Society Arena.
