VIKTOR Gyokeres scored one and set up another on his 100th Sky Blues appearance as Coventry City beat Sunderland 2-1 to secure a third successive victory in the league and maintain their play-off push.
Gyokeres netted his 15th league goal of the season late on to secure the points after Jamie Allen opened the scoring at the Coventry Building Society Arena.
The result means Coventry sit 11th in the Sky Bet Championship table, five points outside of the play-off places.
Sunderland went close to an opener when Danny Batth headed against the crossbar from a set-piece after Ben Wilson saved well from Trai Hume’s effort from distance.
However, Allen broke the deadlock on 25 minutes when he produced a calm finish high into the net from Gyokeres’s cut back after great work to win possession by Luke McNally.
And Gyokeres almost doubled City’s lead moments later when he beat several players before shooting inches wide of the post.
The visitors responded in the second period as Wilson made a fine save at his near post to keep out Amad Diallo’s fierce low drive.
And Wilson then made a fine fingertip save to keep out Hume’s header from a corner before Patrick Roberts poked wide from close range.
However, the Sky Blues sealed the points on 89 minutes when Gyokeres turned substitute Matty Godden’s cross from the right past Anthony Patterson after a lovely reverse pass from Gustavo Hamer opened up the pitch.
Sunderland scored a consolation goal deep into six minutes of added time when Diallo curled a beauty into the left-hand corner, with Wilson rooted to the spot, but City held on to secure an important victory in their push for the play-offs.
Coventry are next in action away at Preston North End on Tuesday, February 28 with kick-off at 7.45pm at Deepdale.
