Thomas-Asante gives Coventry win over Bristol City
Coventry City extended their undefeated home record in the Championship to six games with a narrow win over play-off-chasing Bristol City.
Brandon Thomas-Asante’s powerful second-half strike was enough to secure Frank Lampard’s side all three points in a game with few clear-cut opportunities.
The Sky Blues – who also made it three straight home league clean sheets for this first time this year – climb up to 14th in standings.
Defeat for Bristol City, only their second in eight league games, means they stay in ninth and four points behind sixth-placed West Bromwich Albion.
Eight points and seven places separated these two sides before kick-off, but there was little to distinguish between a pair of clubs now battling for distinct aspirations this Championship season.
The highlight of a quiet first 45 came early on, when Nahki Wells found himself clean through for the visiting Robins, only for Oliver Dovin to remain solid in the home goal.
At the opposite end, Victor Torp and Milan van Ewijk were both unable to direct attempts on target, the former from just beyond the 18-yard box, the latter from close range after hitting a shot down into the ground.
There was plenty to keep the 26,000+ at the Coventry Building Society Arena interested after the half, and there were some scary moments for the home supporters to suffer through as both Scott Twine and then Wells had shots blocked for the visitors.
Ellis Simms set up Jack Rudoni for Coventry after the interval, but the midfielder could not shift his feet in time to challenge Max O’Leary.
Simms then got a glimpse at goal for himself, but was unable to strike the target.
The ultimate winner was one of true brilliance from Thomas-Asante, who hammered home via the underside of the crossbar from a close angle after being sent through by Rudoni – a first goal for the former West Brom striker since October.
Home keeper Dovin was forced into action again to deny Sam Bell leveling things up, while Max Bird shot over as the visitors looked for the equalizer.
Jamie Allen might have made the game safe for Lampard’s side, only for O’Leary to deny him.
The clean sheet was only the sixth of the league season for Coventry – who averted a repetition of their previous two games, when they surrendered twice in injury time against Norwich last time out in the league, before conceding a late equalizer in last week’s FA Cup meeting with Sheffield Wednesday.
Not a ‘beautiful game’ but ‘a decent result to attain’ – response
Coventry City manager Frank Lampard told BBC CWR:
“It was a really fantastic result to obtain, I am extremely satisfied with the mindset and spirit of the squad. We are missing certain bodies, but guys are stepping in and doing their job.
“We had to struggle to get the clean sheet and we scored a goal I felt we deserved with the pressure we put on them, it was a fantastic moment of skill from Brandon [Thomas-Asante].
“It wasn’t a beautiful game. There was wonderful stuff, but several instances of turnovers, errant passes and terrible judgments in there as well.
“I was satisfied how we controlled the game towards the finish, however, so I can’t complain. There were some true work ethics disguised in the performance too.”
Bristol City manager Liam Manning told BBC Radio Bristol:
“It was a tough day, and a challenging game. The pitch played poorly, but in a nutshell, we didn’t take our opportunities and they took theirs.
“I think we had the better chances, we found it tough quality-wise at times, but you have to try and still come away with something.
“There are a lot more games left to go and it is up to us to attain the standards we are capable of. There was nothing wrong with the squad giving all today, but the quality was not where it needed to be.
“We have to adapt in these scenarios to find a way and execute – we gave away a bit of a soft goal and that was the frustration.”
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