Daniel Agyei opened the scoring, before Andre Wright sealed the Sky Blues victory late on...
Coventry City remain unbeaten at home after a 2-0 victory against high-flying Rochdale.
A goal in each half secured a second win in the space of a week for Mark Venus’ side with goals from forward pairing Daniel Agyei and Andre Wright.
The visitors started the brighter of the two sides and had their first sight of goal inside the opening five minutes, a long ball over the top was latched onto by Dale’s skipper Ian Henderson, who looked to be baring down on goal but for a great recovery by Jordan Willis. He blocked the shot and the corner came to nothing.
An early warning for Coventry and minutes later Lee Burge had to be on hand to palm away a well-struck freekick from Callum Camps’.
City's difficult start wasn’t helped in the 16th minute as Chris McCann was forced off through injury, replaced by Kyel Reid. Interestingly, the change seemed to liven up the home team, with 20 minutes played a smart ball inside from Ruben Lameiras found Agyei, who held off and turned his man to find himself through on goal but his placed finish ricocheted off the post.
On the half hour, Coventry did break the deadlock. Willis’ long clearance was battled for and bought down by Lameiras, showing great strength he found his way into the box. Just as Dale got men back behind the ball he squared a pass for Agyei to tap in for his third of the season.
Coventry nearly doubled their lead just before half time as Agyei wriggled his way through three defenders, but his curling strike went just wide of the far post. With the vocal home support backing their side, the Sky Blues went into half time ahead.
It was a scrappy start to the second half with the two sides looking evenly matched but the first chance fell to Rochdale; a contentious corner from the left was headed towards goal by Henderson but Gael Bigirimana was in the right place at the right time to head off the line.
The Sky Blues matched Dale with a chance of their own down the other end, Reid popped up on the right skipping away from his man but the winger fired his shot over from 25 yards.
Rochdale went for broke with a succession of attacking changes, creating an end-to-end game without many clear-cut chances. With ten minutes to play Dale had a half chance from a left wing corner, Matt Lund found some space in the box but his header looped harmlessly over.
Coventry looked content with their lead and happy to play on the break but it nearly came back to haunt them when Joseph Bunney’s cross was headed narrowly over by the ever dangerous Henderson. It was a warning the Sky Blues heeded.
Bigirimana made a crucial interception in his own box to start a break away and some lovely link up play from Lameiras and Lewis Page got the left back in a position to deliver an inch perfect cross for second half substitute Wright to tuck away the Sky Blues' second and put the game to bed. Coventry saw out the game to record their fourth win in five games, in all competitions.
Attendance: 8,133 (355)
Yellow: Turnbull, Lund
Teams
Coventry City: Burge (GK), Sterry, Willis (C), Turnbull, Page, Stevenson, McCann (Reid 15'), Bigirimana, Lameiras, Agyei (Wright 71'), Sordell (Jones 89').
Subs: Charles-Cook (GK), Ricketts, Rose, Tudgay.
Rochdale: Lillis (GK), Rafferty (Mendez-Laing 58'), Canavan, Lund, Andrew (McDermott 78'), Camps (Davies 66'), Rathbone, Keane, Cannon, Bunney, Henderson (C).
Subs: Logan (GK), McGahey, Morley, Odelusi.