THREE quality poachers’ goals by proven Swindon scoring duo Nicky Ajose and Jonathan Obika sunk the Sky Blues in a deeply concerning home defeat.
It leaves the Sky Blues rooted to the foot of the League One table and Swindon Town – without a win in six before today’s game – looking the more likely to survive the drop.
The game was practically wrapped up by half-time after a lively first half with both sides showing some quality and determination.
The Sky Blues were marginally the better side for the first 20 minutes with much possession in the Swindon half, and they created some half-chances, the best falling to Marcus Tudgay who swivelled in the penalty box but hit his chance straight at goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux.
Swindon’s occasional chances on the break became more frequent and the Robins gradually took control of the game, creating a string of good chances which forced last-ditch defending.
Two bitter blows for the Sky Blues’ relegation survival prospects were dealt with finishes in the penalty box by proven goalscoring striking partners Nicky Ajose and Jonathan Obika.
Ajose put the visiting side ahead after 31 minutes when connecting onto a cross from the left.
Obika added a second after 37 minutes with a similarly neat finish from the edge of the six-yard box following a cross from the left.
In the second part of the first-half, City were stretched on numerous occasions at the back, with Swindon looking particularly threatening down the left where Ben Gladwin was having a good game. James Brophy was similarly stretching play on the right.
Sky Blues looked increasingly impotent up-front towards the end of the half with Kwame Thomas and Marcus Tudgay chasing scraps.
Striker Stuart Beavon, back from injury, replaced midfielder Andy Rose at half-time with Kwame Thomas taking a wide berth on the left.
The second half was a relatively turgid affair with Swindon largely in control despite much possession for the Sky Blues.
The Sky Blues were struggling to create space and were slow in possession throughout the half, and were reduced to half chances.
The best fell to Jordan Turnbull whose back-post header from a cross on the right was cleared from inside the six-yard box after 74 minutes.
Prior to that, defender Nathan Clarke prodded a half-shot from the six-yard box wide of the keeper’s left-hand post after a corner on the right.
Swindon’s best chance in this period fell to Ajose who rounded the keeper on the edge of the penalty area, but shot over the bar with close attention from Clarke.
Although the game had a feel of a Coventry home defeat throughout the second half, it was made inevitable with Ajose’s second after 70 minutes with another poachers’ finish in the penalty area after a cross on the left from Ormonde-Ottewill.
The only surprise came when, with the game dead, Coventry scored a consolation goal with a left-foot finish from George Thomas in injury time.
Yakubu came on for Tudgay in the 69th minute but failed to make any notable impression on the game, with the Sky Blues failing to trouble the Swindon goalkeeper in that time prior to Thomas’ consolation goal.
For fuller details of the game, Click here for our live blog – https://coventryobserver.co.uk/sport/live-coventry-city-vs-swindon-town/
