Coventry City earned their fourth successive home win of the campaign grinding out a 1-0 victory over Cardiff City this evening.
City ‘keeper Simon Moore was called into action early one, when his acrobatic jump allowed him to palm the ball away from danger away from Bluebirds striker Kieffer Moore.
Martyn Waghorn was then pulled back, but Gustavo Hamer could only hit the free kick and his follow up into the wall, but City would not have to wait long to break the deadlock.
Jamie Allen set the move up finding Callum O’Hare who played in Viktor Gyökeres, who held off the chasing Cardiff defenders and fired into the bottom corner from the edge of the box for the Swede’s fourth goal of the season.
O’Hare’s one two with Fankaty Dabo earned City a corner from the midfielder’s shot with Dom Hyam inches away from making contact at the back post after Dabo played the ball back in.
The Sky Blues went in search of a second and earned a succession of corners with Hyam going the closest when his header from Hamer’s set piece went just over the bar.
Cardiff earned a corner when Ruben Colwill’s cross was blocked by Hyam with Moore lurking, but Waghorn cleared the danger from the resulting corner.
City earned a free kick but skipper Kyle McFadzean’s attempted flick on went wide of the post as the home side went into the break a goal to the good.
HALF TIME: Sky Blues 1-0 Cardiff City
Dillion Phillips was the first keeper of the half to be called upon when Waghorn played in O’Hare with the Cardiff Number One diving across his goal to deny City a second.
The Welsh side’s next effort came through Joel Bagan, but the left back could only head the ball over the bar from six yards out.
Gyökeres collected the ball out wide and cut into the box but was unfortunate to see his cross intercepted by Sean Morrison.
Cardiff sub James Collins then wasted a great opportunity to level the match when he put Perry Ng’s cross over the bar when only three yards out.
A ball over the top then found Gyökeres but Aden Flint blocked the effort with Phillips just beating Hyam to the ball from the corner.
O’Hare careful play on the edge of the box allowed Dabo to set up Waghorn but Phillips stopped his fierce shot.
City went even closer a minute later when Hamer played in Gyökeres but Phillips was there again to deny the striker when one on one with City edging the half.
Sky Blues substitute Matty Godden flicked the ball onto Gyökeres who crossed back to his teammate but he couldn’t connect with it.
Dabo was sent off in the final minute of stoppage time for an altercation with Marlon Pack but City held on for victory!
FULL TIME: Sky Blues 1-0 Cardiff City
SCORERS: Viktor Gyökeres (15’)
YELLOW CARDS: Todd Kane (73’), Gustavo Hamer (90); Kieffer Moore (68’)
RED CARDS: Fankaty Dabo (90+2')
ATTENDANCE: 16,372 (1440 Away Fans)
Sky Blues Xl: Simon Moore (GK), Fankaty Dabo, Dom Hyam, Kyle McFadzean (C), Jake Clarke-Salter, Ian Maatsen (Todd Kane 68’), Jamie Allen, Gustavo Hamer, Callum O’Hare, Martyn Waghorn (Matty Godden (80’), Viktor Gyökeres.
Unused Subs: Ben Wilson (GK), Michael Rose, Jodi Jones, Ben Sheaf, Tyler Walker.
Cardiff City XI: Dillon Phillips (GK), Perry Ng, Aden Flint, Sean Morrison (C), Curtis Nelson, Joel Bagan, Ruben Colwill (Sam Bowen 46’), Marlon Pack, Will Vaulks (Kieron Evans 80’), Mark Harris (James Collins 46’), Kieffer Moore.
Unused Subs: Alex Smithies (GK), Mark McGuinness, Tom Sand, Ciaron Brown.