Coventry slices Blades to extend Championship lead
Goals from Tatsuhiro Sakamoto, Bobby Thomas and Brandon Thomas-Asante lifted Coventry City to a come-from-behind 3-1 win over Sheffield United at the Coventry Building Society Arena, extending its lead over the chasing EFL Championship pack to four points.
Sam McCallum opened the scoring in the first half, but City responded with two goals within 11 minutes at the start of the second half to quick complete the turnaround.
After withstanding some pressure, the Sky Blues put the game to bed when Brandon Thomas-Asante slotted home from close-range in the dying moments of the game.
There weren’t too many clear-cut chances in the opening 25 minutes. Carl Rushworth pulled off unbelievable save when he adjust his body when Jairo Riedewald’s shot hit Mark McGuinness but the Coventry stopper showed strong reflexes to deny him.
Coventry had attempts through Eccles, Haji Wright and Torp during the first half but it was the visitors who opened the scoring on 28 minutes when a corner was flicked into the path of McCallum who found the net.
The Sky Blues looked to respond. Dasilva fired wide from a tight angle and Brandon Thomas-Asante’s cross was met by Haji Wright who couldn’t convert his header on the stroke of half time.
Four minutes into the second half, Lampard’s men levelled after the ball came out to Sakamoto and he rifled the ball with a thunderous strike.
Coventry turned the game on its head on the hour mark when Thomas headed home from a corner.
The Blades responded after going behind and enjoyed the lion’s share of the possession in the final 15 minutes, but Coventry defended its box manfully.
The game was put beyond doubt when substitute Jamie Allen’s ball forward was seized upon by right and he squared it to Thomas-Asante who tapped in to the empty net to round things off.
Middlesbrough missed the chance to remain within three points of the Sky Blues, despite Luke Ayling's last-gasp equaliser against Leicester City.
Jordan Ayew's penalty gave the Foxes the lead in first-half stoppage time, and it looked like they would hold on when Alfie Jones was dismissed in the 90th minute.
Yet, in the sixth minute of stoppage time, Ayling turned in Callum Brittain's deep cross to rescue a point for Rob Edwards' side.
Nevertheless, they slipped out of the top two, as Stoke City leapfrogged them with a 3-0 win over Oxford United.
Lewis Baker scored twice while also assisting Steven Nzoni's first goal in English football for over 10 years, as Mark Robins' side ran out comfortable victor at the Kassam Stadium.
Charlton Athletic climbed into the play-off places after Sonny Carey's late deflected effort secured a dramatic 1-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion.
The Addicks, for whom Greg Docherty had a first-half penalty saved, climbed above Bristol City, with the Robins slipping out of the top six after losing to Blackburn Rovers 1-0.
