Mark Robins' Sky Blues were left with just a point after being unable to break down a resolute Stanley defence.
Despite having the majority of the ball in the first ten minutes, the first chance of the encounter fell to the visitors. A loose ball fell to Joe Pritchard about thirty yards out, and his driving run culminated in allow drive that was well stopped by Marko Marosi.
Without any clear cut chances, Coventry enjoyed an extended spell of dominance for the first 30 minutes. Max Biamou and Liam Kelly both had sights of goal from the edge of the box, but Evtimov was largely untested for this period. Callum O’Hare also saw a header flash across goal with 24 minutes on the clock.
City started to show signs of breaking the Stanley defence towards half time. Some neat interplay between Callum O’Hare and Amadou Bakayoko allowed the youngster through, but O’Hare’s touch took it away from him. Tennai Watson then found himself with an opportunity to pull the trigger, but was dispossessed just before he could.
Coventry were denied a penalty 34 minutes in in bizarre fashion. Zain Westbrooke fed Sam McCallum into the area with a brilliant back heel, and the left back appeared to be bundled over in the area. Referee Ollie Yates didn’t see it this way; he instead gave Stanley a free kick, much to the fans and players displeasure.
It was our visitors who had the next effort at goal. Left back Opoku found himself in an advanced position, and was able to loop a ball over to Colby Bishop. His header evaded Marosi but cleared the bar as well.
The Sky Blues continued to turn the heat up, and would have been ahead barring some brilliant defending. First, a dangerous Sam McCallum ball failed to find a target in the six yard box. Then Callum O’Hare found himself free in the area, but his shot was well blocked by Jerome Opoku.
Half Time: Coventry City 0-0 Accrington Stanley
Coventry started the second half how they finished the first. An early counter allowed Biamou through on goal, but his Van Basten-esque effort from the angle was well saved by the Stanley keeper.
Amadou Bakayoko had the games biggest chance just before the hour mark. A quick break down the right from Callum O’Hare, and his ball to Max Biamou was flicked on superbly by the Frenchman. Bakayoko had a clear sight of goal from the edge of the area, but could not direct it goalwards.
It was Bakayoko again with the next chance. McCallum brought the ball to the byline before releasing it across goal, but Baka’s effort was deflected wide by an Accrington defender.
20 goals weren’t going to score themselves, and it was that man again who was denied by the Stanley defence. A Kelly through ball was dummied by Callum O’Hare to allow Bakayoko a shot, but it was again blocked.
Coventry City were reduced to ten men on 68 minutes when Maxime Biamou was sent off contesting a high ball with the opposition centre half. The referee adjudged last weekend’s goalscorer of an elbow, and City had a man disadvantage for the final twenty minutes.
It didn’t seem it was going to be City’s day after they saw a Callum O’Hare goal chalked off for a foul in the build up. The offence seemed similar to the foul on Sam McCallum in the first half for which a penalty wasn’t given, and the Sky Blue Army let the man in the middle know what they thought of the decision.
With eight minutes left, a Coventry free kick almost broke the deadlock. The ball was lofted into the back post, and the header back across was well saved by Evtimov. The ball then broke to Shipley, who had his effort deflected over.
There was time for one more chance, but it was the story of the game. Bakayoko beat the offside trap, but the defender got back and the effort was charged down.
Full Time: Coventry City 0-0 Accrington Stanley
Goals: N/A
Yellows: Callum O’Hare, 52’, Kyle McFazdean, 79’
Reds: Maxime Biamou, 68’
Attendance: 5,455 (218 away)
Sky Blues XI: Marko Marosi (GK), Tennai Watson (Liam Walsh, 72’), Michael Rose, Kyle McFadzean, Dom Hyam, Sam McCallum, Liam Kelly (C), Zain Westbrooke (Jordan Shipley, 62’), Callum O’Hare, Amadou Bakayoko, Maxime Biamou
Unused Subs: Ben Wilson (GK), Declan Drysdale, Brandon Mason, Josh Eccles, Gervane Kastaneer
Accrington Stanley XI: Dimitar Evtimov (GK), Callum Johnson, Ajibola Alese, Mark Hughes, Jerome Opoku, Jordan Clark, Sam Finley, Seamus Conneely, Sean McConville, Colby Bishop, Joe Pritchard (Offrande Zanzala, 62’)
Unused Subs: Josef Bursik (GK), Phil Edwards, Harvey Rodgers, Dan Martin, Sadou Diallo, Dion Charles