Mark Robins explains Ellis Simms' Coventry City absence after player declared himself unavailable

Mark Robins has explained why Coventry City striker Ellis Simms sat out of Saturday’s 3-0 victory over Middlesbrough, opening the door for Brandon Thomas-Asante to return to the starting line-up.

The big Sky Blues striker scored his second league goal last weekend in the 3-2 comeback win over Luton Town and would have been hoping that was the start of a decent run after they have been hard to come by so far this term.

But Simms declared himself unfit when he woke up at the team hotel on Saturday morning, with the City manager explaining: “He got up this morning and felt he couldn’t play. He’s got a problem with his foot.

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“Hopefully it’s not anything serious. It’s just something that came out of the blue really. I think he had an impact in training on Friday and got up on Saturday morning and felt it was too sore.”

Bobby Thomas put City on course for their first away victory with a first half header just before the break, and after Boro were reduced to ten men due to midfielder Hayden Hackney being sent off for two yellow cards after 22 minutes.

Haji Wright then added a second to take the heat out of a second half fightback before Josh Eccles secured the three points to ensure the club recorded back-to-back league wins for the first time this term.