Coventry 1v1 Wolves

[briggcov]

SKY BLUES MISS CHANCE TO CLINCH SURVIVAL

The Sky Blues still do not know which division they will be in next season following this pulsating West Midlands derby.


The Sky Blues could have secured their Championship status with a win and took the lead through Elliott Ward in the first half.


But a Sylvan Ebanks-Blake penalty at the start of the second half was enough to secure Wolves a 1-1 draw.


City now need West Bromwich Albion to beat Southampton on Monday or they will face a nervous last-day visit to Charlton.


Sky Blues boss Chris Coleman said: "I'll be watching the game on Monday night between West Brom and Southampton. Albion have been the best in the division and I think they will go up."


He added: "The extra two points would have seen us safe. There were chances at both ends as I thought there would be and I was happy to go in 1-0 up at half-time because we didn't create too much in the first half.


"In terms of creating and passing the ball, it is probably the worst we have been but Wolves never really hurt us. But in the second half it was a lot different."


Wolves could have moved into the top six with a win and they nearly nicked all three points in the fourth minute of injury time but Ebanks-Blake was denied by a brilliant save by Kasper Schmeichel.


Wolves boss Mick McCarthy said: "We were terrific in the second half and we could have won it at the death but how many times have we heard 'fabulous by Schmeichel' before - but that was normally when we were talking about his dad!


"I am not a gambling man and I don't do odds but if we win next week then we give ourselves a chance of making the play-offs.


"Everyone will be nervy next week and there's two teams who can slip up but we've got to win - if we don't, it's over."


Coventry took the lead against the run of play in the 17th minute. Seyi Olofinjana became the second Wolves player to be booked when he fouled Ward and the centre-half made him pay dearly.


Danny Fox swung in a free-kick towards the middle of the penalty area and Ward's backward header beat Wayne Hennessey for his fourth goal in the last three matches.


Despite dominating possession in the first half, Wolves were restricted to a handful of chances through Ebanks-Blake and Matt Jarvis until the visitors might have levelled in the 37th minute.


A cross from Jarvis on the left curled across the area to Andy Keogh and the former Scunthorpe striker's downward header bounced down and over the bar from the close range.


McCarthy got just the response he wanted in the second half when his team equalised in the 52nd minute.


Keogh's astute backheel sent Michael Kightly clear on the right of the box until he was brought down by centre-half Scott Dann.


Leading scorer Ebanks-Blake was not put off by Schmeichel's time wasting tactics as he converted the penalty.


The visitors should have taken the lead seven minutes later when Kightly's deft free-kick fell to Keogh and his eight-yard shot crashed against the bar.


Kightly shot across the face of the goal in front of Coventry's highest home league attendance of the season of 27,992 as Wolves piled on the pressure.


Jay Tabb spotted Michael Doyle making a superb run in the 72nd minute but when his great pass reached the Irishman, the midfielder sent his shot just over the bar in the furious closing stages.


That was before Schmeichel's fine stop at the death.


Coventry striker Leon Best was seen by paramedics after the game after collapsing in the dressing room but a club spokesperson said there was "nothing to worry about."

The fight goes on for Sky Blue survival