Goals from Hendrie and Barnett sealed the points for the Shrimpers…
Coventry City fell to a 3-0 defeat against Southend thanks to a Tyrone Barnett brace and a Jack Payne goal.
Jack Payne got the first finishing low before Tyrone Barnett placed under Reice Charles-Cook for the second. The win was sealed when Barnett got his second and Southend’s third by sticking away a penalty.
The Sky Blues made several changes going into the game. Stephen Hunt made his debut while Marcus Tudgay started his second game of the season. Joe Cole and Gael Bigirimana also came into the side. Sam Ricketts moved to right back while Chris Stokes played with Peter Ramage at the heart of the defence as Ryan Haynes came in.
Jim O’Brien came close to giving City the lead 15 minutes into the game. The midfielder curled a shot from 25-yards out, which was just tipped over by Dan Bentley.
However, Southend were the ones who took the lead eight minutes later. A Sam Ricketts clearance on the right-flank bounced off Stephen Hendrie, as the ball found Jack Payne who placed it to left of Reice Charles-Cook in the bottom corner.
The Shrimpers then got their second on the half-hour mark. Hendrie broke away through the centre of the park, eventually playing it into Tyrone Barnett down the left. The forward slid it under the on-rushing Charles-Cook to double the home team’s lead.
Marcus Tudgay did have the ball in the net, four minutes from the end of the half but it was disallowed, for a foul on the keeper. Romain Vincelot crossed in and Tudgay rose to meet the ball, as the keeper came to collect he split it allowing Tudgay to poke in, but Referee Malone judged it to be a foul.
In the 52nd minute Southend were reduced to ten men as Gary Deegan was shown a second yellow card for a foul on James Maddison. However, on the hour mark, the Shrimpers almost got their third. A long throw into the box found Hendrie who flicked it towards goal, bringing a good save from Charles-Cook.
The Sky Blues came close to getting a goal back in the 64th minute, as Maddison found space on the edge of the area and curled one just past the top-left corner. But Southend did eventually increase their lead in the 67th minute after Barnett put away a penalty after Charles-Cook had brought down Atkinson in the box.
Tony Mowbray’s men were the dominant side in the last 15 minutes having the lion-share possession, penning the home-side in their half. Joe Cole had a half-chance but shot over from the edge of the box. In the five minutes of added time, City had a few half chances but couldn't put them away,thus they slipped to their second defeat on the bounce.
Attendance 8767 (1791 away)
Teams
Coventry City: Charles-Cook (GK), Ricketts (C), Ramage, Stokes, Haynes (Lameiras 56), Vincelot (Fortune 59), Bigirimana, O'Brien, Cole, Hunt, Tudgay(Maddison 46).
Subs: Burge (GK), Phillips, Lorentzson, Rose,
Southend United: Bentley, Hendrie, Barrett, Thompson, Bolger, O'Neill, Deegan, Leonard, Atkinson (McQueen 83), Payne (Timlin (58), Barnett (Hunt 74).
Subs: White, Mooney, T.Smith (GK), Kamara
YC: G Deegan
RC: G Deegan