LAST UPDATE | 13 Jan
COVENTRY’S SENSATIONAL LATE show stunned leaders Leicester as the 10-man Foxes were deservedly beaten.
Callum O’Hare’s double and Milan van Ewijk’s goal fired the Sky Blues to a 3-1 win.
O’Hare’s 79th-minute strike hauled them level, after Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s controversial penalty gave the visitors the lead, before the midfielder netted late following van Ewijk’s effort two minutes from time.
Leicester slipped to a first defeat in 11 Championship games with Coventry maintaining their play-off challenge.
The Sky Blues were furious about the penalty awarded to Leicester. Van Ewijk lost possession and allowed Dewsbury-Hall to chase, Bobby Thomas came steaming in and, while he won the ball, the defender caught the Leicester man with the follow through.
Referee Darren England pointed to the spot and Dewsbury-Hall sent Brad Collins the wrong way after 44 minutes.
If the visitors thought they would then see out the half with few problems they were mistaken when Abdul Fatawu – who had earlier been warned to calm down by Wout Faes – cleaned out Jake Bidwell in stoppage time and was instantly shown a red card.
Leicester carried little threat and it was up to Coventry to break them down but Mark Robins’ men struggled for inspiration, despite the man advantage, until O’Hare struck with 11 minutes left.
Coventry went chasing victory and went ahead in the 88th minute when Sakamoto’s corner was only cleared to van Ewijk on the edge of the box and he found the bottom corner.
There was still time for O’Hare to volley in a third in stoppage time to cap the comeback.
The result allowed Southampton an opportunity to trim the gap at the top to 10 points, temporarily moving into second place with a 4-0 win at home to Sheffield Wednesday. Saints are now unbeaten in 19 league games and 20 in all competitions, which is their best run since becoming a Football League club in 1920. It marked Gavin Bazunu’s fourth clean sheet in six matches, though did endure a nervy start as a heavy touch allowed him be dispossessed by Josh Windass, who couldn’t find the net.
Ipswich then returned to second spot, and seven points from Leicester, with a 2-1 win over Sunderland in the evening kick off.
Leeds are fourth, following an easy 3-0 win away to Cardiff, while West Brom are fifth following an equally straightforward 4-1 win over Blackburn, for whom Andrew Moran created their consolation goal.
Irish international Will Keane scored both goals as Preston beat Bristol City 2-0, while Irish U21 international Finn Azaz made his full debut for Middlesbrough as they capped a fine week with a 3-1 win away to Millwall.
There were another couple of notable Irish debutants in League One. Former Shelbourne attacker Jack Moylan made his Lincoln City bow as a late substitute in their 1-1 draw with Wycombe, while ex Irish U21 captain Conor Coventry was a second-half sub for Charlton in their 2-1 loss to Peterborough.
Posh are second in the table now, a point behind leaders Portsmouth, who slumped to a 3-0 loss at home to Leyton Orient, with all of the goals coming in the first-half.
In League Two, ex-Irish international striker David McGoldrick scored twice for Notts County in a bonkers 5-5 draw away to Grimsby. Notts County remain under the caretaker charge of former Irish underage international Jim O’Brien.
James McClean played all 90 minutes as Wrexham beat AFC Wimbledon 2-0 to go second in the table, two points from Stockport and with a game in hand.
Championship results
- Coventry 3-1 Leicester
- Birmingham 2-2 Swansea
- Cardiff 0-3 Leeds
- Huddersfield 1-1 Plymouth
- Millwall 1-3 Middlesbrough
- Preston 2-0 Bristol City
- Rotherham 0-1 Stoke
- Southampton 4-0 Sheffield Wednesday
- West Brom 4-1 Blackburn
- Ipswich 2-1 Sunderland
Updated at 19.41 with details of 17.30 kick off; with reporting by Gavin Cooney
