The Sky Blues returned to winning ways at the Ricoh Arena after defeating Fleetwood Town 2-1. Goals from Amadou Bakayoko and Jordy Hiwula ensured that the Sky Blues picked up the three points and stayed in touching distance of the Playoff places
Despite the visitors applying the early pressure, it was the Sky Blues who opened the scoring after six minutes. A weak pass was played back to Fleetwood goalkeeper Alex Cairns and Amadou Bakayoko closed the keeper’s clearance down and it bizarrely ended up in the net to give City a 1-0 lead.
Fleetwood responded well and almost scored an instant reply. Ashley Nadesan did well to whip in a cross from the right-hand side and he found Ched Evans unmarked in the area, but the striker could only head over from five yards out.
Ashley Nadesan forced Burge in to a save with half an hour gone. A long ball over the top found the winger and he cut in from the right and hit a shot which Burge saved with his body from a tight angle.
The away side did equalise in the 32nd minute through Ched Evans. A cross from the right caused havoc in the box and the ball rebounded off the bar before eventually falling to Evans who headed in to an empty net to bring the Cod level.
The Sky Blues retook the lead in the 42nd minute through a superb individual goal from Jordy Hiwula. After receiving the ball from Morgan Williams, the striker shook off a couple of challenges before driving in to the box and firing a powerful shot beyond Cairns from just inside the box.
The final chance of the half fell to Paddy Madden for Fleetwood. A cross found the Irishman unmarked at the back post, but after taking it down he volleyed comfortably over Lee Burge’s bar to ensure the Sky Blues went in to the break with a 2-1 lead.
It was City who had the first chance of the second half through Hiwula. Tom Bayliss played a neat through ball to Bakayoko who appeared to be one on one with the keeper, but the ball got stuck in his feet and it allowed the Fleetwood defence to recover. Jordan Shipley then teed up Hiwula on the edge of the box, but his shot was high and wide.
City were dealt a huge let off in the 55th minute. A weak back pass to Burge was intercepted by Paddy Madden, but as he rounded the keeper the ball trickled out of play for a goal kick.
Lee Burge then came to the Sky Blues’ rescue just moments later. Ched Evans was slid through on goal, but Burge was quick off his line to smother the strikers shot and keep City’s lead intact.
City were still threatening and Bakayoko came close to extending the deficit. Substitute Junior Brown whipped in a cross from the left and it was met by Baka, who’s header went narrowly wide of Cairns’ goal.
Jordan Shipley tested Cairns with eight minutes remaining. Bakayoko produced some brilliant skill to keep the ball in play and he cut the ball back to Shipley, but his shot was weak and comfortable for the goalkeeper.
With time running out Wes Burns tried his luck from range, however his shot went just over the bar. Ashley Hunter also had a shot from distance as stoppage time approached, but his shot also flew over the bar.
Bakayoko came within inches of adding a third for City. Shipley cut the ball back to the striker o the edge of the area, but his first-time shot was just wide of Cairns’ goal.
Burge produced a fine stop to preserve City’s lead in added time. Ashley Hunter picked up the ball on the edge of the area and fired a fierce shot at goal, but Burge made a good stop to ensure City returned to winning ways at the Ricoh.
Sky Blues XI: Burge (GK), Mason (Brown 67’), Davies, Meyler ©, Hiwula, Sterling, Bayliss, Bakayoko, Thomas (Wakefield 74’), Shipley, Williams (Grimmer 82’)
Unused Subs: Addai (GK), Ponticelli, Westbrooke, Burroughs
Fleetwood XI: Cairns (GK), Coyle, Holt, Eastham, Burns, Evans ©, Souttar, Madden, Wallace (Hunter 68’), Nadesan (Rydel 76’), Sheron (Sowerby 45’)
Unused subs: Jones (GK), Husband, Biggs, Baggley,
YELLOWS: Bayliss 12’, Nadesan 29’, Williams 78’
Attendance: 9,220 (62)