The Sky Blues made it two wins in two thanks to goals from Marc McNulty and Jack Grimmer as City claim a 2-0 victory over Grimsby Town at Blundell Park...
McNulty gave Coventry the lead in controversial fashion just after the hour mark before Grimmer’s bullet header capped off the performance with fifteen minutes to go.
Tony Andreu was given his debut late on as City climbed to the top of the table in SkyBet League Two.
The Sky Blues started the afternoon the stronger but during the early periods neither side were able to find a way in behind the defences.
Grimsby’s Sam Jones was presented with the game’s first clear cut chance after 16 minutes. A twisting run from Sikiri Dembele sliced the City midfield in half and allowed Jones space in area but his placed effort rolled wide of the far post.
McNulty was confident enough to try a few speculative efforts from distance, on one occasion reacting first to a Jodi Jones free-kick that came back off the wall but the Scottish striker’s dipping volley could only fall wide.
Jones would soon force a strong save from Mariners keeper James McKeown cutting inside on his left and firing low to the keeper right. McNulty was unlucky not to be first to the rebound.
The second period started not too dissimilar to the first. Jones again was causing Grimsby problems, unleashing a powerful effort that McKeown had to acrobatically force over the bar.
The Sky Blues were growing into the half. McNulty skipped a number of challenges brilliantly on the edge of the area before finding Peter Vincenti on the penalty spot but he could not get his shot away.
Jones, who joined the Mariners in January, appeared to be the home sides biggest threat and came close on the stroke of the hour, but the 25-year-old blazed his effort just over the bar.
The Sky Blues would take the lead a few moments later in controversial style. Some confusion amongst the Grimsby defence saw a free-kick mid-way inside their half passed straight to McNulty, who with only the keeper to beat rounded McKeown and slotted the ball into the empty net.
It would not be long until the visitors doubled their lead. A well worked set piece from the corner found the head of Jack Grimmer who charged in to arrow his header just inside the far post. McKeown did manage to get a strong hand on the effort but was not able to claw it away.
The last action of the game came with five minutes to go, when James Berrett was dismissed for a second bookable offence after a late challenge of Liam Kelly.
The Sky Blues go top of the league.
Yellow: Dixon, Berrett, Jones.
Red: Barrett.
Attendance: 6,767 (1,357)
Teams:
Grimsby Town XI: McKeown (GK), Davies, Dixon, Clarke (C), Collins, Berrett, Rose, Jones, Summerfield (Jaiyesimi 71'), Cardwell (Hooper 67'), Dembele (Bolarinwa 82').
Grimsby Town Subs: Killip (GK), McAllister, Osborne, Keeble.
Coventry City XI: O'Brien (GK), Grimmer, Willis (Hyam 72'), McDonald, Stokes, Kelly, Doyle (C), Jones (Nazon 87'), McNulty, Vincenti, Beavon (Andreu 79').
Coventry City Subs: Charles-Cook (GK), Pearson, Stevenson, Biamou.