Robins - A Funny Old Game

Last updated : 13 March 2019 By CNS Sport

Coventry City Manager Mark Robins said it was a funny old game as the Sky Blues beat Fleetwood Town in their final midweek game of the season, keeping their play-off hopes alive.

Amadou Bakayoko had City ahead in the 5th minute and although Ched Evans levelled in the 32nd minute, Jordy Hiwula scored a goal good enough to win any game in the 42nd minute to see City take the win.

Sky Sports Highlights - https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/teams/coventry-city/11663756/coventry-2-1-fleetwood

Robins told BBC Coventry & Warwickshire after the victory:"It’s a funny old game because that was a real backs to the wall performance that contained everything.

 

“The preparation for the game was difficult to say the least because Liam Kelly didn’t get here until half-time because they had closed the M1 down. The country is in good shape though!

 

“Jordan Willis limped out on Friday night and wasn’t able to resume and we lost Dominic Hyam last week to the car crash, so there were a lot of things against us.

I brought Morgan Williams in, a 19-year-old youngster who I thought was absolutely immense; absolutely brilliant. I thought him and Tom Davies both defended manfully and Morgan beyond his years. So I thought he was outstanding.

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“There was David Meyler in front of that who used his experience and got himself going into a decent performance.

“We spent a lot of time put of possession, which is unlike us this season, but threw our bodies on the line and defended when we needed to and I liked the performance because it showed grit, determination and character.

We conceded a poor goal in the first half for them to equalise, having taken the lead through Bakayoko who I thought deserved the goal because of his work-rate. He closed the keeper down and got the block on him and it has gone in the back of the net.

“Usually they go anywhere and it did go anywhere but thankfully it was the right anywhere and end in the back of the net. There was a little bit of fortune but he deserved it because he made his luck.

“And then we didn’t defend well enough in the first half against crosses and ended up giving corners away and gave them too much ground. It dropped to Paddy Madden who hit the bar and then Evans put it in, which was disappointing.

“But I thought Jordy Hiwula was outstanding on the night. His energy was really good and his skill and desire to get in the penalty area for his shot, and his finish was clinical.

“I was right behind it and he nearly broke the net with it so it was an outstanding goal to win us the game.

“We had to withstand what they threw at us in the second half but we defended really well – a little bit too deep at times  but Junior Brown went on and helped us see the game out by winning some really good headers.

“We all worked hard and rode our luck at times but then earned our luck with our work-rate and I am delighted because it’s a great three points.”

Fleetwood boss Joe Barton said: "There was some real good stuff. "The chances fall to your Paddy Madden's. "One bobbles up, hits his shin and he usually puts them away.

"He has three or four chances and he is disappointed. "Normally he converts them. "Sometimes you need that rub of the green and the key for us is coming to a stadium of a team above us and absolutely pump them. "I'm pleased with that but disappointed we did not take one point never mind three from here.

"We were much the better side for large parts of it. 

"But that is football. "Sometimes you do not get what you deserve. "There has been times this season when perhaps we have done that and you just have to accept that that is par for the course."

 

 

 

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